Finding Neutral

[DanDare]

Hello All,

I've just recently got back into biking after a six year break and have purchased a K4 in blue with full fairings.

Love the bike to pieces ( not literally ) however, one small gripe...

....When stopping in first gear, I'm finding locating neutral very hard.
It will be stiff getting there or go into 2nd, then I have to tap down to neutral.

The bike has only covered 550 miles from new, is this a common fault or
is this me being paranoid.

[Flamin_Squirrel]

Hi and welcome :)

Since the bike is new the gear lever is unlikely to be gunked up, so I would suspect the bike is overfilled with oil. Check the sight glass to make sure.

You're coming up to your first service though, so hopefully it'll be filled to the correct level then, and the problem will go away :D

[richwill68]

Check your clutch adjustment amte. If all is well here, could be that it's still a bit new or just a regular motorbike geabox! Mine prefers to go into neutral from second too, so maybe it's normal.

Have fun

Rich :D

[thor]

Is your chain adjusted? Mine gearbox was very clunky because my chain was too slack, and would never find netral. Now adjusted, it's much better.

[Well Oiled]

Yep - mine always prefers going down into neutral rather than up.

I can sometimes find neutral pretty easily at 70mph between 4th & 5th though :wink:

[a1a]

As the bike gets run in a bit and you have the 1st service done. I believe it will get easier to get into neutral. In having said that, its still easier getting into neutral from second gear. (News Flash :!: )
For the record I just accomplished my 4,000 mile service and changed to Amsoil M/C specific full synthetic 10W-40. I've only put a few miles on my bike, but finding neutral from 1st gear is a huge inprovement now. :thumbsup:
Cheers!

[Sudoxe]

Mine use to do that when i first got it. Got worse after the first service, but works its self out from what i remeber. Although I am led to believe that its to do with the oil level

Dan

[Stig]

Multiple replies and all possibilities. I would suggest as the bike is so new that it could be the chain needing adjustment. New chains stretch quite a bit when new. Chances are that after your first service the chain adjustment will be done and your problems will be sorted. Along with the chain, all the other bits and pieces will get a look over and adjusted as well. So even if it's not the chain, the chances are it will get sorted.

[Peter Henry]

Difficulty finding neutral on an SV? Boy oh boy you dont know your born! :lol: That little Italian sweetheart of mine insists on me having tap dance practice far too often and in comparison,your new gearbox when settled in will be like butter! :wink: 8)

[northwind]

Also, check that the pinch bolt at the front of the linkage bar is tight... It can vibrate loose and cause lots of play in the lever.

[Haxsaw]

Mine was a nightmare at first, too. It got a lot better as time went on, about 700-800 miles. It's still easier to find neutral going down from 2nd than up from 1st though, even now.

[DanDare]

Thanks to all those that replied, nice to see some many enthusiastic SV riders out there.

First service is due now, gotta find time to get to the dealer.

If thats all thats wrong with the bike and I'm over reacting, then I'll consider myself quite lucky.

Thanks Again!

PS. Riding the bike in for the first 500 miles at no more than 5000rpm is painful to say the least, I was even overtaken by a van....

...Yes it had to be white!