Hard to get back into neutral

On my bike (83 xj750 maxim) i have problems when i come to a stop getting the bike into neutral. It seems to miss it when starting in first gear. I can sometimes get it going down from second. Its real touchy. I have to lift up on the shifter very lightly. Other than that, the bike shifts fine. Any suggestions on this?

 

One of my bikes does that but I have never dug into it to see what it could be. I'll watch this post to see if there is an adjustment or something.

 

Sometimes it is just a clutch adjustment.

Check this out

Clutch adj
http://www.xjbikes.com/Forums/viewtopic ... tment.html

 

Every motorcycle I've ever owned shifted that way. A firm lift from 1st goes to 2nd.

If the clutch is dragging at all it can make hitting neutral very difficult. When oil is cold it makes it even harder to hit neutral. Given the season, yours sounds perfectly fine.

Your message implies you are shifting to neutral at traffic lights, etc. The MSF recommends you stay in gear so you can move quickly if some blind cager decides to go over you. Pretty much the only time my bike is in neutral is for the pre-ride warm up.

 

I stay in gear at stop signs and lights. Its when i come into garage when done riding. Sometimes i have to try 4 or 5 times to get it into neutral. My son has a 84 honda nighthawk that goes into neutral all the time easily. My neighbor rides a honda sportbike and always goes into neutral at lights. He can not see why you would sit there in gear. Anyway he can drop it into neutral coming down in gears just fine. Ive tried it at a light just for the hell of it and i cant get it into neutral only about 30 percent of the time. I only tried this a few times, i do put it into first while im at a light. I just figured if these other bike can do so easily, that something must be wrong with mine?

 

every bike i ever rode is different, some easy some not so easy
seems down from second usually works better
check the clutch adjustment

 

Why is it that you can always find neutral when you least need it like leaving the light in the middle of an intersection in frount of everybody? Then you can’t find it when you pull up to a gas pump!!!

 

Last oil change I put in my XJ650 was 20w50. It was darn near impossible to find neutral with it until it had been run hard and got good and hot. When I pulled out enough clutch free play to be able to find neutral cold, it slipped when hot. That was in the summer.

I see you're in MN. I wouldn't sweat it too much until the weather warms up.

BTW, it is easier to find neutral while still rolling. Real easy after you hit the kill switch.

 

Yep, happens to me too. I had the problem when heading into the parking garage. The ticket/student ID slot is on the left side. Not an easy thing to do while in gear and people behind me in line have no patience.

I picked up the solution off another motorcycle site: Rev the engine up to 2000 RPM with the clutch engaged and it'll let you shift into neutral. Works every time for me.

 

i found a change in oil done this to me in an emergency i had to use some 20w 50 slippage when hot and hard selection from 1st to second occured when i did replace it with a 10w 40 problem solved naturally u have to make sure the oil contains no friction modifiers aswel

 

Thanks guys, good info. The only oil i have used in the 2 years i have had the bike is: Valvoline 10w 40 4 stroke motorcycle oil and it says (superior wet clutch protection). Is there a different kind i should try? or a different weight for southern MN?
Thanks again, i now have other stuff to try when the weather warms up.

Just for laughs. Last Sunday i saw two snowmobiles going under I35 and one fully dressed motorcycle going over heading south.
Do not see that everyday!

 

It happens to me too. Some times it shifts to neutral and other times it doesn't want to. It shifts from 1st into 2nd or from 2nd to 1st. But when I shot the motor off, I find it easy to put it in neutral. That only helps if I am getting it to park.

 

Are you relatively new to your XJ?

I had difficulty finding neutral when I first started riding my XJ.

After a few months of riding its pretty easy to get into neutral. Some times it takes 2 to 3 tries. You will develop a sense of "touch" with your foot finding neutral. Its a much softer pressure than shifting from first to second or from second to first.

I agree with MiCarl that its easier rolling and easier with the engine off.

 

I have rode about 800 miles since i have had it. I am now leaning towards the forward control upgrade too. I cant seem to shift with any kind of boot on. Tennis shoes is the only thing i can shift the easiest with. This is my first street bike. I am 42 and my best friend from high school died 2 years ago from a heart attack. His wife offered me the bike and i was more than happy to take it. I had to promise to never sell it unless i gave it back to her. It was his pride and joy next to his twin daughters. This was his second maxim since he graduated in 85. First one was a 82 750. Sold that in 98 and bought this 83 because he wanted the round headlight and bars.
So, is the oil im running the right kind for my area? valvoline 10w40

 

Maybe you should tell him that it can save his life when one time a cager comes flying up behind him not paying attention to the bike sitting stopped at a sign or light. With the bike in gear it is as simple as release clutch and open throttle to move out of their way. If you are sitting in neutral, that adds precious seconds to the get out of the way time.

 

I had to unlearn the concept of saving my clutch while sitting at stop lights. Being in gear is wise for the previously mentioned reasons. Those precious seconds could be the difference between life and death.

 

My xj is hard to get into neutral too, try slightly drifting backwards seems to get it easier for me.

 

.... mine is really easy to get into neutral

i had problems getting it into 2nd but i think lowering the shifter a notch took care of that