Can't find Neutral

[Arfdog]

Hi All, it's my first post here, so hello to everyone \\/

I have recently acquired a 1986 GS450E. I am doing a bit of work on it at the moment, and wish to investigate a little problem I have discovered:

I can't get the bike into neutral while it's running. All the other gears are fine, but neutral is nowhere to be found. If I turn the bike off with the killswitch, then I can select neutral, and start it up again... thats pretty much the only way i can get into Neutral.

Any ideas? I'm going to drain the oil and change it from synthetic to mineral tomorrow night, not sure whether that will make a change though.

Arf

[earlfor]

Hi All, it's my first post here, so hello to everyone \\/

I have recently acquired a 1986 GS450E. I am doing a bit of work on it at the moment, and wish to investigate a little problem I have discovered:

I can't get the bike into neutral while it's running. All the other gears are fine, but neutral is nowhere to be found. If I turn the bike off with the killswitch, then I can select neutral, and start it up again... thats pretty much the only way i can get into Neutral.

Any ideas? I'm going to drain the oil and change it from synthetic to mineral tomorrow night, not sure whether that will make a change though.

Arf

Could be nothing more than a worn neutral indent. Have you tried lightly bumping down from 2nd instead of the usuall up from 1st?

E.

[Arfdog]

I have, to no avail.. no problems when engine is not running though!

[Tom MLC]

Adjust the clutch cable?

[earlfor]

I have, to no avail.. no problems when engine is not running though!

Then your clutch is dragging and needs adjustment.

E.

[duaneage]

This could also be indicative of a damaged clutch cable that is about to break. Check the end in the handlebars and see if it is frayed

[salty_monk]

I think there should be 2 or 3mm free play at the lever measured by the gap that opens up near the pivot point when you pull the lever.

That's what Clymer tells me anyway.

[dpep]

I can't get the bike into neutral while it's running. All the other gears are fine, but neutral is nowhere to be found. If I turn the bike off with the killswitch, then I can select neutral, and start it up again... thats pretty much the only way i can get into Neutral.

So? That is how I have always shut down down my motorcycles for forty-some years now. Kill engine--click into neutral--twist and remove key. Why would you want your motorcycle in neutral while you are on it and the motor is running? Not to wait at a stoplight I hope.

Hello and welcome to the forum.

[Arfdog]

No, I never actually go into neutral while the bike is running, you are right there.

I do however have a bit of a mad obsession, in that my soul is not at peace if there is something on a bike (or car) that doesn't do EXACTLY what it is supposed to do!

Not sure if you guys have seen my other thread - my clutch also slips at high RPM. I changed the oil back to mineral oil yesterday, and that didn't help at all. I adjusted the clutch cable pushrod, and that has not made any difference either. If I put the bike on the centre stand with rear wheel off ground, start bike and put it in 1st and hold clutch in, the rear wheel spins. I can stop it spinning with my foot. So, looks like clutch is both dragging and slipping, I am hoping the same fault is behind both problems. I am ordering some plates and springs this week, so i guess I'll know soon enough!