Hard to find neutral, when bike heats up???

[Ryanneal]

Finding neutral s like butter when the bike is cold, but after longer rides it seems to get clanky and harder to find neutral??

Finicky.

 

[Traumahawk]

When was the last time that you changed the oil? Some people say that neutral is harder to find when the oil needs changed.

 

[m-cman]

Pretty common problem. I usually try to shift to neutral just before coming to a stop and sometimes still have trouble... Both my Maxes had the same problem. 80's technology.

 

[Ryanneal]

Pretty current with oil chg...
Yes, also try to find green when rolling to the stop


Ok, as long as it isn't something wacky with just my max


Thx guys

 

[MaxMidnight]

Finding neutral is easier with a lower idle speed.

 

[1967vmax]

I either shut the bike off or go up to 2nd gear then down into neutral.

 

[94 V-Max Rider]

It's also possible that there's air in the clutch line. The fluid should be changed every two years, so if you haven't done it in awhile, flush and bleed the clutch system.

 

[naughtyG]

The easiest way to get into neutral when it's hot and it plays up (works every time):

- from 1st gear at a standstill, let the clutch out just enough for the bike to start to creep forward
- softly push the shift lever up with your foot, it'll pop into neutral. If you push too hard it'll go into 2nd, you just have to get used to be gentle with it.
- also works from 2nd gear

 

[rollin thunder]

Mine does that too but not all the time .I too can find it better shifting down from second.

 

[dingy]

This may or may not help.

Yamaha tech bulletin.

Gary

 

[Biker Dash]

Hmmmm... never had any issue at all finding neutral with Woona. Even found it easily at the high idle when warming up a couple times without a problem.

Then again, I have to say that this bike shifts WAY smoother than the Shadow I used to have.

Is my experience the exception to the rule? lol

 

[customizedcreationz]

My bike shifts like absolute shit compared to my Busa's and a bunch of my other bikes.

I just hit the thing with a hammer a few times and taught it a lesson, now it just breaks drive shafts every 2000 miles to get back at me.

 

[ZackDaniels]

Fresh oil, and fresh clutch fluid that bled out so thoroughly it geysered out of the reservoir fixed this problem for me.

There was likely some minor air bubble in the lines. The bike would heat up and the bubbles would expand which made the clutch go to shit. Not bad in and out of gears, but in and out of neutral sucked.

 

[maxcruiser]

I usually burb the throttle while shifting it into neutral, either from first or second gear. It's easier from second to neutral than from first to neutral tho.

Mike

 

[johnblaid]

Finding neutral is easier with a lower idle speed.

I believe you but I find that I must rev the engine to get to neutral

 

[Rusty McNeil]

I usually burb the throttle while shifting it into neutral, either from first or second gear. It's easier from second to neutral than from first to neutral tho.

Mike

+++1

Seriously its really a matter of finesse tho. The more impatient I am the harder it is to find.

 

[DMAN999]

Hmmmm... never had any issue at all finding neutral with Woona. Even found it easily at the high idle when warming up a couple times without a problem.

Then again, I have to say that this bike shifts WAY smoother than the Shadow I used to have.

Is my experience the exception to the rule? lol

I've never had any trouble finding neutral either.
I think it's more common on the Older models and the DD Clutched bikes.

 

[Diablotin]

The only time I get issue it's when it's time to bleed the clutch or to change/add oil.
For me it's always a sign of something not being the way it should lol

Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk 2

 

[Shuriken]

This may or may not help.

Yamaha tech bulletin.

Gary

Has anyone here actually done this bending of the shift fork? Does the right side cover use a fiber gasket or just silicone?

I'm experiencing this issue of "shifting much worse when warmed up" on my 02.

My 85 shifts like butter in all situations. But... it also has a single piece stainless line, also.

I bled the line and changed the oil. Both seemed to help a little, but boy, the 02 is a clunky shifter...

I notice the 02 has a short rubber hose section on each end of the oem steel clutch line. I wonder if a single contiguous length of stainless line is that much better. The formed steel oem line sure conforms perfectly along the frame.

 

[MaxMidnight]

It has a gasket.
If it is a clunky shifter has a full plate replaced the half plate which will introduce this. Will give a rattle at idle too.
As the OE hose will be some 22 years old the rubber may be tired so a single piece hose should give a firmer lever but not necessarily improve the shifting.