[Jeno]

Last night I was riding around town on my 00 929. I stopped at a stop light and put the bike in neutral. When the light turned green, I tried to engage it in first gear but it stayed in neutral. I tried to engage it in other gears but still stayed in neutral. I killed the bike and pushed it off to the side of the road and let it sit for about two mins. Started the bike up and it engaged like normal. The bike was running around 205 degrees. I had this problem before a month ago but it never happened again. Any ideas what the problem can be? I am totally confused now.

Thanks,
Jeno

 

[BurtonF166]

sometimes you just gotta rock it back and forth and itll pop into gear

 

[Jeno]

So this is pretty common on the blades?

 

[Zee-Ro]

Good question... It's happened to me a couple times as well.

I just try not to panic and try it a few more times. It always goes in gear after a couple tries, then that doesn't happen again for a long while.

I think the last time it did it for me, I released the clutch in neutral, then depressed the cluth again and it then it went right into gear.

Not panicking or getting run down by the enemy is the problem as the bike seems to work itself out quickly.

 

[Jeno]

Oh so I guess I shouldn't really worry about it.

Thanks,
Jeno

 

[Zee-Ro]

Oh so I guess I shouldn't really worry about it.

Thanks,
Jeno

Ok wait hang on... I am way not qualified to say not to worry about it. I haven't owned my blade for a year yet. Been on it every day I could be on it, but can't say that I have owned enough of them to say it's the norm and not to worry.

Mine has done the same thing... Probably twice since I bought it last July. First time I panicked, but it went into gear without anyone else knowing I had an issue. The second time it took even less time than the first time.

See what some of the posters who wrench their bikes and have owned multiple bikes, blades in particular, have to say. They would know.

Bladeracer apparently by all counts here is the resident guru, but there are many posters here who know their bikes very well.

 

[Jeno]

Well ok. I'm normally on this site everyday for the past 6 months but never post because I find it all by doing a search. Everyone here has great info on these bikes so Ill just wait to see what everyone else has to say.

Thanks again,
Jeno

 

[FB1000inPA]

Coming from a different angle - why are you in neutral at a light to begin with?

 

[bladeracer]

Last night I was riding around town on my 00 929. I stopped at a stop light and put the bike in neutral. When the light turned green, I tried to engage it in first gear but it stayed in neutral. I tried to engage it in other gears but still stayed in neutral. I killed the bike and pushed it off to the side of the road and let it sit for about two mins. Started the bike up and it engaged like normal. The bike was running around 205 degrees. I had this problem before a month ago but it never happened again. Any ideas what the problem can be? I am totally confused now.

Thanks,
Jeno

Have you tried adjusting the clutch cable?

 

[bladeracer]

Coming from a different angle - why are you in neutral at a light to begin with?

Sitting in gear is never a good idea.
It overheats your clutch and pollutes your oil with clutch fibres.
Neutral everytime.

 

[Zee-Ro]

Coming from a different angle - why are you in neutral at a light to begin with?

I wanna say that's what was taught at the MSF course but I could be wrong.

Less stress on my wrist? That's what I see mostly every rider do? I know me... I would forget and let go of the clutch and stall the bike.

I would mostly do the same thing on manual shifted cars that I owned as well. Maybe it's ocd as it pertains to wearing out my cutch too soon. An engaged clutch, I thought, meant a new gear was being selected. If I am not selecting a gear, why would my clutch be engaged?

 

[bladeracer]

I wanna say that's what was taught at the MSF course but I could be wrong.

Less stress on my wrist? That's what I see mostly every rider do? I know me... I would forget and let go of the clutch and stall the bike.

I would mostly do the same thing on manual shifted cars that I owned as well. Maybe it's ocd as it pertains to wearing out my cutch too soon. An engaged clutch, I thought, meant a new gear was being selected. If I am not selecting a gear, why would my clutch be engaged?

Good stuff. In cars it's an even worse idea as it's a much bigger job to replace a clutch than it is on a bike.
There is no good reason to sit stationary in gear with the clutch disengaged.

 

[Zee-Ro]

Good stuff. In cars it's an even worse idea as it's a much bigger job to replace a clutch than it is on a bike.
There is no good reason to sit stationary in gear with the clutch disengaged.

Thanks Blade.....

My dad was a big manual shift vehicle guy for a long time. He had a Chevy Chevette that he drove back and forth to work for years. He had that car so long, he gave it away cause it needed a new rear end. In the years he had that car, driving it no less than six days a week, he had one clutch put in it and that was to replace the one that was in it when he bought it.

He bought a second Chevette and had the same success.... One clutch. Both cars had above 150k on the odometer.

He was and is still a huge proponent of clutch management.

 

[bladeracer]

Thanks Blade.....

My dad was a big manual shift vehicle guy for a long time. He had a Chevy Chevette that he drove back and forth to work for years. He had that car so long, he gave it away cause it needed a new rear end. In the years he had that car, driving it no less than six days a week, he had one clutch put in it and that was to replace the one that was in it when he bought it.

He bought a second Chevette and had the same success.... One clutch. Both cars had above 150k on the odometer.

He was and is still a huge proponent of clutch management.

I don't use the clutch to change gears on bikes.
And lots of cars you can shift up and down without the clutch, although often second to first is unsynchronised which can make it tough. Usually I'm only going down to first if I'm stopping though so it's a simple matter of dropping straight to neutral from second.

 

[Zee-Ro]

I don't use the clutch to change gears on bikes.
And lots of cars you can shift up and down without the clutch, although often second to first is unsynchronised which can make it tough. Usually I'm only going down to first if I'm stopping though so it's a simple matter of dropping straight to neutral from second.

Really? Clutchless shifting on a bike? I have seen it done in cars with bad clutches, but on a bike?

Not sure I can get my mind around the body mechanics of that one. I think I would mess up cause my brain is always telling me to engage the clutch.

 

[bladeracer]

Really? Clutchless shifting on a bike? I have seen it done in cars with bad clutches, but on a bike?

Not sure I can get my mind around the body mechanics of that one. I think I would mess up cause my brain is always telling me to engage the clutch.

You've never heard or seen anybody shifting without the clutch on a bike?
Do you know to blip the throttle on downshifts or are you just dropping it in and letting the tyre pull your revs up?
I learned to do both on my very first road bike back in '85 and been doing it ever since on every bike I've owned.

 

[Jeno]

Coming from a different angle - why are you in neutral at a light to begin with?

I knew this light was going to be long so I really didn't want to hold the clutch in. Haha just being lazy

 

[Zee-Ro]

You've never heard or seen anybody shifting without the clutch on a bike?
Do you know to blip the throttle on downshifts or are you just dropping it in and letting the tyre pull your revs up?
I learned to do both on my very first road bike back in '85 and been doing it ever since on every bike I've owned.

If I have seen it, I don't know I saw it.

When I am leaning on it I am "blipping" the throttle, clutching, and shifting in one quick motion... It's all basically one fast motion. RPM's don't drop much if any.

Regular riding I go through the motions. Pushing it I "blip" shift.

 

[Jeno]

Have you tried adjusting the clutch cable?

I will try this to see if it helps. Thanks Bladeracer

 

[Zee-Ro]

Wait.... You said do I blip on downshifts? If I am downshifting to lean on it yes. Same as if I am upshifting for the purpose of leaning on it.

If I am downshifting to slow down no.