I found this interesting regarding Kawasaki bikes and neutral hunting while stationary (Ryan F9 on YouTube) General motorcycle knowledge

Keehn

Keehn

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Not sure who here watches the F9 YouTube channel here, but if you don't, I HIGHLY recommend Ryan and his reviews.

Plug aside, VERY short video clip here: Apparently Kawasaki is the only motorcycle manufacturer today that uses "captive" ball bearings that lock 2nd gear in place, which allow finding neutral while motionless an effortless task. Apparently this was something Harley Davidson and Royal Enfield used to do, but not anymore (cost??? 🤷‍♂️ ).

Anyways, I thought it was interesting enough to at least share. Hopefully someone else here finds it at least as interesting as I did.


Mike
 
Very interesting ... I wonder why Harley stopped doing it, finding neutral on a 'Ratchet Top' transmissions is a pain in the a$$ :cool:
 
Keehn said:
Not sure who here watches the F9 YouTube channel here, but if you don't, I HIGHLY recommend Ryan and his reviews.

Plug aside, VERY short video clip here: Apparently Kawasaki is the only motorcycle manufacturer today that uses "captive" ball bearings that lock 2nd gear in place, which allow finding neutral while motionless an effortless task. Apparently this was something Harley Davidson and Royal Enfield used to do, but not anymore (cost??? 🤷‍♂️ ).

Anyways, I thought it was interesting enough to at least share. Hopefully someone else here finds it at least as interesting as I did.


Mike
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Very interesting, thank you for sharing it 👊
 
Many years ago my first proper new bike was a 1991 Kawasaki 550 and that had the ‘positive neutral finder’. I found it to be a Royal PITA because you had to start off in 1st, it was like the gearbox lever was locked until you gained some forward motion and the lever released to go up into second. Doesn’t sound like a problem but I hated it, so much so that I would not buy a bike with it again.
 
I've never owned a Kawasaki, hence why I found this interesting. Neutral-hunting has always been the bane of my motorcycling experience. I know it's taught in MSF to keep the bike in 1'st while at a stop light and hold the clutch the entire time JUST in case a car comes from the rear and doesn't see you. But, because I ride beemers with dry-clutches, I REALLY don't want to ride the idler bearing needlessly, just like a person in a standard-transmission car doesn't hold their clutch in while at a stop either.

Wet clutches OTOH...those are quick and easy to replace, so I have no issues with MSF rules on those bikes.

Mike
 
Keehn said:
I've never owned a Kawasaki, hence why I found this interesting. Neutral-hunting has always been the bane of my motorcycling experience. I know it's taught in MSF to keep the bike in 1'st while at a stop light and hold the clutch the entire time JUST in case a car comes from the rear and doesn't see you. But, because I ride beemers with dry-clutches, I REALLY don't want to ride the idler bearing needlessly, just like a person in a standard-transmission car doesn't hold their clutch in while at a stop either.

Wet clutches OTOH...those are quick and easy to replace, so I have no issues with MSF rules on those bikes.

Mike
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Personally I have been riding motorcycles since I was 16 and I forgot what I was taught at the learning centre, however, I never keep the bike or car engaged whilst waiting at a traffic light or traffic jam. Always on neutral and brakes on.
 
Anibal said:
Personally I have been riding motorcycles since I was 16 and I forgot what I was taught at the learning centre, however, I never keep the bike or car engaged whilst waiting at a traffic light or traffic jam. Always on neutral and brakes on.
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Military service members are required to take the MSF riders course every three years in order to ride on base/post/installation. I had to do the same while I was active duty in the navy, hence my fresh memory of the stop light-1'st gear advice. As for brakes, I hold them JUST tight enough to keep my bike from moving, so in case someone does hit me, I'm not a planted tree trunk.

Mike
 
Same, I only keep a light pressure on the breaks so that I don’t roll back or forth but more importantly to have the break lights on as an indication I am stationary.
 
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