watch that neutral light

[cconleyjr]

even if you're neutral light is on make sure your let out your clutch real slow to make sure

[Sarris]

:oops:

[music man]

Doh! O_o

[cconleyjr]

I didn't lay it down or drop it but it was kinda hair raising for a minute :rawk:

[music man]

Don't feel bad I got caught in a rain and very small sized (like BB sized) hail storm one day, and I stopped at a stop sign, with the clutch pulled in, started to wipe of my face with my shirt with the other hand, I tried to readjust myself a little and my wet hand (I didn't have my gloves on) slipped off the clutch just enough for the bike to lunge forward, my feet went straight out in front of me so I was basically laying on my back on my bike for a split second.

How I got my feet back down and caught myself before I actually fell over I don't know but there were like three cars going by on the road that I was waiting at the stop sign to get on to. So I had an audience to top it all off. How embarassing is that?


Later :blush:

[cconleyjr]

don't moments like that just make life so sweet :blush:

[Jenny]

My neutral light is sticky. It has a habit of saying it's off when it's not (and of getting caught when I'm shifting - always fun when I need to upshift fast!). I was lucky - I had taken the MSF class and they gave us speeches about why you never believe the neutral light. If I hadn't taken that, there are a few times I'd have been in trouble. Heck, I got in trouble the other day at a stoplight on a road that does 40 mph. There were cars behind me, I'd downshifted to first when I stopped, but I didn't CHECK that I was in first (the light said I was because it wasn't on, right?!?!?). It wasn't in first. It had jammed in neutral again. I really hate when that happens - I have to ram down on it a few times to shove it into first. THANKFULLY the cars behind me didn't start moving until after they were sure I was moving! I was rear ended on my car once when I stalled at a stop light when I re-started. I was freaked that would happen when I was caught in first on my bike. Now I always ram down twice on first and check at stop lights as well as when I'm parking!

[Easy Rider]

Now I always ram down twice on first and check at stop lights as well as when I'm parking!

Hmmm....sorry to jump in with a negative comment but I think you are developing a bad habit (ramming/jamming on the transmission shift lever) to solve a situation that could be handled much better with different methods. Repeatedly stomping on the shift lever is sure to damage something eventually.

I have noticed all the same things you mentioned; I assume it's just the nature of the beast.

For me, at least, the clutch is the key to most of the transmission quirks.
If you want to be sure you actually ARE in 1st, just let the clutch out a tad to see if it starts to pull or not.
If you are having trouble downshifting from neutral, engage the clutch for a second and try again.

As for the shift from 1 to 2, putting a little toe tension on the lever BEFORE the shift helps a lot. Once you find the right tension (if under power, you can pull against the lever harder than you might think) the shift will just "happen" when you roll off the throttle and pull in the clutch. This works for the other upward gear changes too.

[mrlmd1]

If the bike won't shift easily into first from neutral at a stop, roll the bike forward a few inches and then shift into first. It should go easily, and don't keep smashing on the shifter, you will bend or break something. It's not going into gear for a reason and it's trying to tell that to you.

[Jenny]

If the bike won't shift easily into first from neutral at a stop, roll the bike forward a few inches and then shift into first. It should go easily, and don't keep smashing on the shifter, you will bend or break something. It's not going into gear for a reason and it's trying to tell that to you.

I'm picking up a new helmet at the Suzuki dealer next weekend. I'll ask him if he can also take a look and see why it won't shift sometimes.

[Graydog]

Jenny, most bikes I have owned do the same thing. The GZ is no worse than the bike I just sold. Or the one before that, or before that. Seems to me all bikes are difficult to get into 1st sometimes as well as neutral. At least that is my experience.

[patrick_777]

In my experience, it's this way with manual shifting cars too. Anything with actual gears (sprockets) has the possibility of getting jammed up where the teeth don't line up just right for a smooth transition. It's not something to worry about unless it's getting progressively worse and worse, and creeping into other gear shifts as well. Just slip the clutch a little bit while keeping toe pressure on the shift lever and the tranny should slide right into gear.

If you're not already, get some good synthetic motor oil without life extenders, or cleaning additives, and change the oil. It could/should make a huge shifting difference.

[alanmcorcoran]

... a few things I've done that have helped reduce issues:

1) I count up and down (mostly down) to make sure I'm actually in first (not second.)
2) I have learned to detect the "Thunk" of first. If I didn't hear it, I ain't in it. There's a kind of bouncing ball bearing sound when it drops in... ting-a-ling-ding-ding.
3) With creative use of the clutch I can actually take off in second. Third too!
4) If you need to quickly get it in first, don't keep banging it with your foot. Press it in, ease out the clutch (a little!) and rock the bike a little with your other foot. It mostly works. Banging on the clutch pedal usually won't work and will bend the shifting rod, making matters that much worse.
5) I always "get set" before taking off. By that I mean, I typically engage the foot brake, disengage the hand brake, get ready to gently roll on the throttle and let the clutch out to just before the "friction point." With a little practice, you can detect the barest "grabbing" without actually moving. If you don't detect any grabbing, you might be in neutral (see above.) I make a little game out of making the smoothest take offs in the straightest possible line EVERY TIME. You will not see my head move when I advance through the gears if I'm doing it right. Some of this I carry over from driving a standard back in the seventies, but I believe good driving (and riding) is based on a solid foundation of consistent routines. If you drill a reliable sequence into your brain and muscles, when you have to do it without thinking, you will. (Did I mention I play the piano - same thing works there.)

Hope this helps without sounding too preachy...

[Easy Rider]

I'll ask him if he can also take a look and see why it won't shift sometimes.

Yes, under the circumstances, I think you should do that.
Do NOT be surprised, though, if he says much the same thing we have been saying..........without even looking at it.
Every new rider in the world has trouble with that............and most seasoned riders too......if they are honest.
It will get better with practice but it will NEVER go away completely. Sorry. :cry:

[Jenny]

I'll ask him if he can also take a look and see why it won't shift sometimes.

Yes, under the circumstances, I think you should do that.
Do NOT be surprised, though, if he says much the same thing we have been saying..........without even looking at it.
Every new rider in the world has trouble with that............and most seasoned riders too......if they are honest.
It will get better with practice but it will NEVER go away completely. Sorry. :cry:

*shrugs* It hasn't been a super big deal. I know that sometimes it doesn't move smoothly down into first or gets stuck in neutral, and the only time it was an issue was my first time on the big roads at that stop light. Now I am extra careful to watch it at stop lights.

I do need to change the oil, though. I'll do that over the three-day holiday weekend.

[Easy Rider]

I do need to change the oil, though. I'll do that over the three-day holiday weekend.

A little tip for that, based on personal stupidity:
When you get parts for the change, get both O-rings AND the brass washer for the drain plug.
If the O-rings stay in place on the bike, they only need to be changed every other filter change or so but you should have a set just incase you need them.

Somehow when I did my first change (on a used bike) I failed to notice that my washer was missing. This time I noticed but didn't have a new one on hand. RATS. Now I have a tiny leak......about 5 drops a week and probably need to get that corrected soon. :cry:

[patrick_777]

Now I have a tiny leak......about 5 drops a week and probably need to get that corrected soon.

That's natural, it's just marking its territory...unless it's leaving its nuts exposed and laying around all the time, then the problem could be behavioral.

;)

[Easy Rider]

...unless it's leaving its nuts exposed and laying around all the time, then the problem could be behavioral.



Hey, I resemble that remark !!! :blush: :lol:

[clonak]

Hi

I havent had any problems with the GZ getting into neutrel, just the light not coming on and cutting out when I put the kick stand down. My old A100, that had problems with neutrel. Only time I could get that into neutrel was when going around a round about, or taking off at lights/stop sign. Would never go in while sitting, roll it forward, pull the clutch out, nothing would work. It was still a sad day when it got stolen off my front lawn :(

[Water Warrior 2]

Hi

cutting out when I put the kick stand down. :(
If you are referring to the engine cutting out you still have it in gear when you lower the side stand. Put the tranny in neutral and it will stay running. It is the side stand safety switch doing it's job. You can't ride away with the stand in the down position.

[clonak]

Hi,

Yeah I worked that out. It is in neutral but the light isnt lighting up sometimes, so I am gathering its not connecting the switch properly, just gotta wiggle the gear leaver and its fine. Once I worked that out I havent really had a problem with it. Thanks though.

[Water Warrior 2]

Try lubing the shifter linkage. Spray chain lube into the little rubber booties on both ends of the adjuster linkage and any other moving parts as well. The shifter could be hanging up a little and causing this. Most folks never do and are sometimes amazed at the results.

[NonallaNostrum]

I had a few weeks that I had issues finding neutral... then i found out my light was burned out. Very odd considering i had less than 2500 miles... but got to learn how to change it!

To echo what was said above, this bike (and I assume others) don't like to shift not moving. Found out a few times when I had to hard stop... I was concerned with stopping and forgot to shift down... had to rock bike a few times to get to first. Looked silly to cagers, but at least i got it stopped w/o dumping! hopefully in time I'll learn to also click the other foot :)

[Water Warrior 2]

I was concerned with stopping and forgot to shift down... had to rock bike a few times to get to first. Looked silly to cagers, but at least i got it stopped w/o dumping! hopefully in time I'll learn to also click the other foot :)
You need some practice to develop muscle memory. Shifting down while making a hard stop or hard decrease is speed is a good and safe ability. You always want to be in the best gear to get outta Dodge if needed.
Think of it this way. You brake hard to avoid collecting a deer, you haven't shifted down. Approaching cager from behind who may be half asleep. You are in the wrong gear and can't move out of the way. The deer has a story for it's friends.

[northsidegz]

The deer has a story for it's friends.

...or dinner for it's family and a pair a buckhorn handlebars for above the mantle! :biggrin:





(....ew, did he just say deer eat humans?)

[Water Warrior 2]

Nah, the deer just gets to relate the carnage it caused on the road. Deer don't eat people but they can kick your head open very quickly. Deer are leaf eaters, but the local bears and cougars are meat eaters. We presently have some cougars in town that are stalking people and their pets. All of the walking paths are closed in and around town because of them.

[5th_bike]

I had a few weeks that I had issues finding neutral... then i found out my light was burned out. Very odd considering i had less than 2500 miles... but got to learn how to change it!

Ye those bulbs tend to go fast, after two signal indicator bulbs in less than 3,000 miles i put LEDs in it. My neutral indicator is still working but will be a LED too, when it goes.