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Shifting from 1st to 2nd gear

6K views 20 replies 19 participants last post by  aceman 
#1 ·
This could've been discussed before but I missed it so here it is again.


Do anybody else have a problem with the bike going into neutral when you shift from first to second. I know if you barely put pressure on the lever it will go into neutral. I'm talking about it happening when you don't expect to. I hate when it happens because I don't like to slam it into gear from neutral when I'm going about 40mph.
I'm just checking to see if I'm not just shifting hard enough or is this a kawi problem.
 
#2 ·
It could be a problem but most of the time it is simply the rider not shifting hard enough or bringing your foot up high enough. The reason this happens in the transition from 1st to 2nd is because it has to skip through neutral to get to 2nd. You might try adjusting your shift lever as well.
 
#4 ·
I had this problem for a little bit. Then I switched to a reverse(gp style) shift pattern. It helped a lot. All the shifts were very precise and I now dont have a problem with false neutrals or missing 2nd gear.

--Nate
 
#7 ·
yea i have that problem....but it only happens 15 minutes or so into my ride. initially there isnt a problem but as the ride drags on, it gets worse.

some people have suggested gp style shifting and it works for them. others have said that switching to fully synthetic oil (which im about to do next weekend) has fixed it.

personally i think its all the rider tho. sometimes i forget and my shifts from 1st to 2nd are a little weak and therefore the bike goes into neutral. if you dont do one of the above (gp shifts or synthetic oil), just make sure to smash that mother fucker up when shifting :D

yeah sometimes when I go from first to second I hit neutral instead and as far as shifting into second while moving fast... dont do it!! I usally pull over and get the bike going down to about 10mph and it gives me no problem
you never redline? i cant tell you how many times ive shifted into 2nd gear while going 65/70mph....

or do you mean dont shift from Neutral into 2nd while moving fast? well....its better than shifting from N into 1st while moving fast at least...
 
#8 ·
Happens to me all the time when I ride in town at a traffic pace...probably my fault for being a lazy shifter or not reving it up enough. But it's fucking anoying when it does that. It never happened on the track tho..... (thank god)

Anyways...

That bike is made to be beating up on a race track not to cruise around town [}:)]
 
#14 ·
It's kawis engineering at work. Positive Neutral something, I can't remember. It's for sorry ass fools that can't find neutral. +1 With 6Rracer, match engine speed with rear wheel speed. Especially when down shift in high revs. Way smoother when you're about to start your turn ins.
 
#16 ·
Preloading the shift lever just before shifting helps a lot. Preloading is a tiny bit of pressure a fraction of a second before the shift. FWIW, I try to get out of first gear as fast as possible, so I rarely/never exceed 10K RPM in first. Rarely have an issue with hitting neutral between 1st and 2nd.
 
#17 ·
This happens to me at least two or three time a week. You go to kick it into second, you tuck in to take off from that light, 9,000 rpm - 10,000 rpm, clutch in, kick, let out and BINGBINGBING we have rev limiter.

I have decided it happens when I am excited, or trying to really push it and I just don't kick hard enough. When I'm cruisin' relaxed, or just mellow in my traffic weaving it never happens. When I ease out, lean left, straighten out, then gun it down the road in the mornings, 1 out of 5. Maybe its because I'm tired and riding fast together. Good thing there is pretty much no traffic in Athens at 7:00 am. [:I]
 
#19 ·
I had a lot of false nuetrals on my Aprilia Mille, I went against everyones recommendations and started using Mobil 1 20/50 car oil at 1500 miles. That oil made the bike shift like butter. Will be doing the same with the new 6RR at the next oil change.
Plus it will shift easier as the gearbox breaks in more.
OUT!
 
#21 ·
This also happens to me a lot....I thought it was because I wasn't shifting hard enough but if I do it any harder I'll break the lever.....sometimes it shifts beautifully but other times it seems like the gears are bouncing around in there, not a nice sound....

I've noticed the problem gets worse as the engine gets hotter.... I've switched from 10w40 to 15w50 and it made a difference but it's still happening....I'm thinking of moving to 20w50 but I'm scared of frying the engine because of the thickness of the oil.....

This can't be normal...has anyone spoken to their dealer about it...??? I was told to adjust the shift lever and that it should solve the issue.....any ideas...???
 
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