YZF750 Neutral Problem.

Anna wrote:

 > While the engine is running I find it _REALLY_ difficult to get in to
 > Neutral. From 1st it takes a quite large force on the gear lever to
 > shift it up, this shifts right past neutral in to second.

This is a pretty common problem for the three ducatis I've owned. What
works for me is to shift down to first as I am slowing, and then slide
up to neutral just prior to stopping. If I am already stopped, I will
let the clutch out just slightly to put "tension" in the tranny, then
pull in the clutch lever and gently shift up to neutral.

I've never owned a Yammi, but hope these two techniques help.
 >> Stay informed about: YZF750 Neutral Problem. 

ppointer RemoveThis @nospamindspring.com wrote in message ...
 > Anna wrote:
 >
  > > While the engine is running I find it _REALLY_ difficult to get in to
  > > Neutral. From 1st it takes a quite large force on the gear lever to
  > > shift it up, this shifts right past neutral in to second.
 >
 > This is a pretty common problem for the three ducatis I've owned. What
 > works for me is to shift down to first as I am slowing, and then slide
 > up to neutral just prior to stopping. If I am already stopped, I will
 > let the clutch out just slightly to put "tension" in the tranny, then
 > pull in the clutch lever and gently shift up to neutral.
 >
 > I've never owned a Yammi, but hope these two techniques help.

That's the cheap fix: learn to ride it as it is. This is something you
should be able to do anyway, should the cause turn up while you're riding.

The large force required on the shift lever points to a dragging clutch.
You'll be much happier if you fix it.
 >> Stay informed about: YZF750 Neutral Problem. 

I have a 1997 Yamaha YZF750, which I bought new. Also would like to sell
this 4000 mile mint YZF as I have a new bike! But, the gearbox in the YZF
is the best I have sampled on ANY bike. Neutral is very easy to find. The
gearbox always worked well. Wish my new Kawasaki shifted as well!

- Phil

"Anna" wrote in message

 > Hi All,
 > Thanks to those who have replied to my previous message. I do
 > however have a further problem:
 >
 > I recently purchased a YZF750 - 1996, it has around 3000 miles on the
 > clock and looks like it has only done a handful of miles since 1999.
 >
 > I have only had the bike out a couple of times since I bought it - and
 > this problem doesn't seem to be getting any better.
 >
 > While the engine is running I find it _REALLY_ difficult to get in to
 > Neutral. From 1st it takes a quite large force on the gear lever to
 > shift it up, this shifts right past neutral in to second.
 >
 > Going down from second it sometimes goes in to neutral but mostly
 > shifts in to 1st...
 >
 > When I got the bike the oil was a really nasty colour, which I put
 > down to the long lay up - so it was changed. The clutch fluid has also
 > been replaced. There is quite a 'kick' as the bike shifts in to gear
 > but it doesn't creep forward.
 >
 > Any ideas?!?
 >
 > Thanx in advance,
 > Anna
 >> Stay informed about: YZF750 Neutral Problem. 

anna.RemoveThis@highrez.co.uk (Anna) wrote in


 > Hi All,
 > Thanks to those who have replied to my previous message. I do
 > however have a further problem:
 >
 > I recently purchased a YZF750 - 1996, it has around 3000 miles on the
 > clock and looks like it has only done a handful of miles since 1999.
 >
 > I have only had the bike out a couple of times since I bought it - and
 > this problem doesn't seem to be getting any better.
 >
 > While the engine is running I find it _REALLY_ difficult to get in to
 > Neutral. From 1st it takes a quite large force on the gear lever to
 > shift it up, this shifts right past neutral in to second.
 >
 > Going down from second it sometimes goes in to neutral but mostly
 > shifts in to 1st...
 >
 > When I got the bike the oil was a really nasty colour, which I put
 > down to the long lay up - so it was changed. The clutch fluid has also
 > been replaced. There is quite a 'kick' as the bike shifts in to gear
 > but it doesn't creep forward.
 >
 > Any ideas?!?
 >
 > Thanx in advance,
 > Anna

Dragging clutch plates. Experiment with blipping the throttle while trying
to find neutral. The 1100 Kat is the same way due to its hydraulic clutch.
Blipping the throttle forces the clutch plates to slip, and eliminates a
good deal of the force that's fighting you in your search for neutral.

Also, insure that your clutch lever is adjusted properly. There should be
no more than 1/8" gap (rule of thumb) at the lever hinge when the cable
goes taught during lever pull.

Good luck,

Steve

--
Steve Keith - in reverse order of procurement:
2002 Blue Daytona
1983 GS1100ED (GS2) - eBay, rode it to PHX from San Jose via the PCH -
sweet!
1993 GSX1100F Fat Kat
1990 GSX600F Lil' Puss
1983 GS1100ED (GS1)
My wife says: "Buell rhymes with Stool"
 >> Stay informed about: YZF750 Neutral Problem. 

Anna wrote:

 > Hi All,
 > Thanks to those who have replied to my previous message. I do
 > however have a further problem:
 >
 > I recently purchased a YZF750 - 1996, it has around 3000 miles on the
 > clock and looks like it has only done a handful of miles since 1999.
 >
 > I have only had the bike out a couple of times since I bought it - and
 > this problem doesn't seem to be getting any better.
 >
 > While the engine is running I find it _REALLY_ difficult to get in to
 > Neutral. From 1st it takes a quite large force on the gear lever to
 > shift it up, this shifts right past neutral in to second.
 >
 > Going down from second it sometimes goes in to neutral but mostly
 > shifts in to 1st...
 >
 > When I got the bike the oil was a really nasty colour, which I put
 > down to the long lay up - so it was changed. The clutch fluid has also
 > been replaced. There is quite a 'kick' as the bike shifts in to gear
 > but it doesn't creep forward.
 >
 > Any ideas?!?
 >
Adjust the chain and/or just try easing it forward a tiny amount with
your (other) foot while you flick the gear lever up.


--
Trophy 1200 750SS CB400F GN250 CD200 ST70 YTC#3
GAGARPHOF#30 GHPOTHUF#1 IHABWTJ#1 BOTAFOT#60 ANORAK#06
BOF#30 WUSS#5 "Worse than Timo" - Official
 >> Stay informed about: YZF750 Neutral Problem. 

 >While the engine is running I find it _REALLY_ difficult to get in to Neutral.
From 1st it takes a quite large force on the gear lever to shift it up, this
shifts right past neutral in to second.

This is fairly normal for motorcycles, which have a constant mesh transmission
where all the gears are meshed all the time, even while not actually
transmitting power to the rear wheel. Finding neutral is sometimes a source of
frustration for newbies and oldtimers alike...

Sometimes, it's easier to find neutral by shutting off the engine and hunting
for neutral with your toe.

Suppose you feel that you'd like to have the bike in neutral at a red light so
you don't have to hold the clutch in. That gets tiresome. With the in-gear
starting capability of modern sportbikes, it's easier to just leave the bike in
gear, and push the kill switch to stop the engine and then try to guess when
the light is about to change and then hope to restart the engine.

Of course the coolant in the engine will stop circulating, and you'll have
local boiling in the cylinder block, because Yamaha engines don't hold very
much coolant. On a really hot day, like in SoCal, when the temperature is
around 100 degrees, shutting the engine off while waiting in traffic is risky,
the engine might not restart when the light changes to green, and other drivers
might get annoyed when I don't immediately clear the interesection...

Back to the reason for difficulty finding neutral:

A motorcycle crankshaft, clutch, and transmission gears have a lot of rotating
mass, and there is a lot of viscous friction causing gears to stick together
and rotate. That's why you will notice a motorcycle's rear wheel spinning while
the bike is idling in neutral on a work stand...

If there's a lot of viscous friction from sticky oil in the transmission, you
can even see the chain jerk when a sportbike is idling in neutral on the
sidestand...

Synthetic oil will reduce some of the viscous friction
I described above.

Some of the old, thickened oil that you changed out might still be coating the
clutch plates, causing them to stick together. Maybe riding the bike more, and
changing the oil *again* will clean the goo off your clutch plates...

The first thing I would recommend to do, though, is check the idle RPM and see
if you can adjust it a little lower. The idle speed adjustment screw is
probably underneath a rubber plug in the left side of the frame, like on my
FZR-1000...

Reducing the idle speed will make it easier to get into neutral, but you don't
want the idle speed to be so slow the bike stalls every time you come to a stop
sign...

 >When I got the bike the oil was a really nasty colour, which I put down to the
long lay up - so it was changed.

Well, your new oil may not have had enough time to get to the shifter detent
ball and spring and loosen it up. Maybe some more running will help or you
might have to manually clean the spring and ball. Ordinarily, the detent spring
and ball can be accessed from underneath a motorcycle's engine, but it looks
like Yamaha put this one on the side, and possibly it can be accessed from the
left hand side of the engine after
removing the countershaft sprocket cover.

<a rel="nofollow" style='text-decoration: none;' href="http://216.37.204.202/Yamaha_OEM/YamahaMC.asp?Type=18&A=130&B=19&Action=O" target="_blank">http://216.37.204.202/Yamaha_OEM/YamahaMC.asp?Type=18&A=130&B=19&Action=O</a>

In this drawing, number 1 is the shifter drum that causes the shifter forks to
move the gears. 2 is a spring, 3 is the detent ball, 4 is a screw holding the
plate number 5. Hopefully, a mechanic can get to this
detent mechanism and clean it out without splitting the
engine cases if it seems that some cleaning is in order...

Also, I would recommend checking the shifter pedal itself, to be sure there is
free movement. There is supposed to be some grease on the shifter pedal pivot
bolt...
 >> Stay informed about: YZF750 Neutral Problem. 

Hi All,
Thanks very much to all those who replied. i`m happy to say that I
took the bike out with new oil on Saturday and after a hard ride the
neutral problem dissapeared. I guess it must have been the old oil
messing up the clutch seperation..

Thanks again,
Anna
 >> Stay informed about: YZF750 Neutral Problem. 

Yea, it's totally screwed. Just ship the bike to me and I'll take care of
its disposal.


--Manu

"Anna" wrote in message

 > Hi All,
 > Thanks to those who have replied to my previous message. I do
 > however have a further problem:
 >
 > I recently purchased a YZF750 - 1996, it has around 3000 miles on the
 > clock and looks like it has only done a handful of miles since 1999.
 >
 > I have only had the bike out a couple of times since I bought it - and
 > this problem doesn't seem to be getting any better.
 >
 > While the engine is running I find it _REALLY_ difficult to get in to
 > Neutral. From 1st it takes a quite large force on the gear lever to
 > shift it up, this shifts right past neutral in to second.
 >
 > Going down from second it sometimes goes in to neutral but mostly
 > shifts in to 1st...
 >
 > When I got the bike the oil was a really nasty colour, which I put
 > down to the long lay up - so it was changed. The clutch fluid has also
 > been replaced. There is quite a 'kick' as the bike shifts in to gear
 > but it doesn't creep forward.
 >
 > Any ideas?!?
 >
 > Thanx in advance,
 > Anna
 >> Stay informed about: YZF750 Neutral Problem.