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Difficult to shift to neutral when stopped

  • Thread starter Thread starter RKM50
  • Start date Start date
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RKM50

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Bought an '80 gs1100 a few months ago, rode it a mile home and parked it to work on. Shifting was very notchy and could not get neutral with the engine running. Turns out the bike sat for 6 years and had more gas in the crankcase than oil. Swapped in new fiber clutch disks and fresh oil. Shifting is better but still can't shift into neutral when stopped with engine running. The cable is adjusted properly as well. Any thought on what else could be wrong? The clutch basket looked fine and there were no grooves on the fingers, had that problem with some dirt bikes in the past, but not sure what else it could be. Thanks.
 
Warped steels possibly?

A piece of glass and a set feeler gauges will tell you all you need to know.

PICT3429.jpg
 
That's interesting, my steel plates were not dimpled like that. They did have machining swirl marks on them though. I wonder if they are aftermarket. The previous owner drag raced the bike so they may have been swapped for something better. I'll have to pull it apart again after I get some electrical problems sorted out.
 
My first few bikes were Kawasakis which are dead easy to find neutral on. Then I got a Harley which was a real bugger to get into neutral when stopped at the lights - got good at getting into neutral while coasting up to the stop though. Then I discovered a way to get it into neutral - just rev the engine a little and then it pops into neutral. It works on my GS1100G too.

If you are stopped and it won't go into neutral from 1st, just blip the throttle a little and shift while doing it. Works for me.
 
It's a 1980 gs1100e.
I can get neutral if I do it before coming to a complete stop. I'll try blip-ping the throttle.
 
Examine and check the drivechain for proper tightness/slack.out or off spec.can cause shifting problems and more.Worth a look..
 
RKM50 said:
That's interesting, my steel plates were not dimpled like that. They did have machining swirl marks on them though. I wonder if they are aftermarket. The previous owner drag raced the bike so they may have been swapped for something better. I'll have to pull it apart again after I get some electrical problems sorted out.
Click to expand...


If it has an aftermarket clutch plates and springs that could be the problem, they had hard lever pull, hard to disengage and were prone to dragging even when adjusted properly.
 
The clutch pull isn't very hard especially after I lubed the cable.
 
Just a foible?

Just a foible?

My 92 1100G has always been like that, but I've developed my touch so I don't even think about it much.
It can be adjusted by replacing the little spring that pushes a tiny ball in the shift mechanism.
Yes, there is an thread about it in the forum, just search for it. :-\\\
 
im no master but i had the same problem on my 750, it was the pushrod adjustment maybe yours doesnt have it. Find a way to adjust your clutch start with the cable adjustment near the engine. You need about 2mm slack on the lever meaning there should be like 2 mm of free play when u squeeze before u feel any resistance. Also when u come to a stop and your in first, try letting the clutch out a little (move the bike up a few inches) and than quickly squeeze the lever and try to find neutral.
 
I often find it easier to find Neutral at stop by shifting from first to second and then down to Neutral.

Of course this is not terribly clever, so you probably already tried this. v0v
 
I've been having the same thing. Getting it into neutral from first is near impossible. I always have to shift back up to 2nd, then drop back down into neutral and even that is a talent and a half...you have to tap it just right, otherwise it goes right back into first.
 
If the cable is adjusted correctly, T A K E _ T H E _ C L U T C H _ A P A R T _ A N D _ M E A S U R E :p
 
gripweed said:
I've been having the same thing. Getting it into neutral from first is near impossible. I always have to shift back up to 2nd, then drop back down into neutral and even that is a talent and a half...you have to tap it just right, otherwise it goes right back into first.
Click to expand...

My '77 GS550 does this as well. It is easier when it is warm.
 
To Buffalo Bill,
So I did some searching for "tiny ball" and "shift ball" and got about 30 threads each. In the interest of saving time could you point me to it?
Thanks
 
Had the same problem, when I checked the clutch springs found 3 of them non standard and longer. Ordered and replaced with 6 new stock ones and problem went away. May slightly do it when bike is cold but when the oil warms up should not have anymore problems.

Regards
 
Last edited:
Thanks Buffalo Bill for that link.
One other thing I have noticed is when the clutch cable is adjusted properly when cold it gets tight when the engine is hot. I assume this is because the clutch plates expand and take up any slack in the cable. Should the cable be adjusted with engine cold or hot?
 
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