Burley Posted February 13, 2017 Share Posted February 13, 2017 Hi -- my wife rides a Honda CB300F. I ride an FZ-07 . She is getting very good at riding. One of the things she has difficulty with sometimes is getting from neutral to first. I've hopped on her bike and usually I can get it, but sometimes I have to rock the bike back and forth a bit. Not a fun situation if this happens in traffic. Any tips? I think she might not be tapping down hard enough but its hard for me to tell as I can only see through my rear view mirror. I wonder if she is tapping with her foot at an angle. Any thoughts are appreciated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Global Moderator sorkyah Posted February 13, 2017 Global Moderator Share Posted February 13, 2017 Hi -- my wife rides a Honda CB300F. I ride an FZ-07 . She is getting very good at riding. One of the things she has difficulty with sometimes is getting from neutral to first. I've hopped on her bike and usually I can get it, but sometimes I have to rock the bike back and forth a bit. Not a fun situation if this happens in traffic. Any tips? I think she might not be tapping down hard enough but its hard for me to tell as I can only see through my rear view mirror. I wonder if she is tapping with her foot at an angle. Any thoughts are appreciated. You should have her sit on the bike in the garage, and set the shifter to match her foot ATGATT... ATTATT, two acronyms I live by. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member hippiebikerchick Posted February 13, 2017 Premium Member Share Posted February 13, 2017 Some bikes are cranky that way. It might help to roll it a bit forward while shifting into first. Just a little forward movement should make it much smoother. (Also practice and experience) Illegitimi non carborundum Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Global Moderator mjh937 Posted February 14, 2017 Global Moderator Share Posted February 14, 2017 I always shift into first gear as I slow down. If you stop in neutral and then try to shift into first it will sometimes be necessary to rock the bike to find first. If you stop in first and then shift to neutral after you are stopped it should be easier to shift back into first gear. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pineappleunderthesea Posted February 14, 2017 Share Posted February 14, 2017 I've had it happen with my previous bike and with the FZ as well. Tapping down hard doesn't make it shift. To get into gear while stopped, I keep pressure on the shifter while slowly letting out the clutch. The bike begins to move forward and the shifter will then engage into gear. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member forcefed86 Posted February 14, 2017 Premium Member Share Posted February 14, 2017 Im not sure if this will have any affect or not, but mine was doing the same. It would just skip neutral and go to 1st or 2nd. I did adjust the clutch cable and lever along with the shifter linkage. I brought the shifter up therefore shortening the center rod if i remember correctly. After i did that to fit my boot better i have 0 issue finding neutral from either stopped or going into 1st if stopped in neutral and now i dont longer need to rock the bike back and forth. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duenan Posted February 14, 2017 Share Posted February 14, 2017 Either she needs to keep it in 1st at a stop or learn to accept she needs to roll back and forth to engage from neutral because there is nothing you really can do if that is the bikes character. 2 of my bikes are that way and my 3rd can go from neutral to first at a stop effortlessly all day long. I adjust my behavior accordingly. Engaging with people that have personality disorders on a message board is like arguing with a rock. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member Jeckler Posted February 14, 2017 Premium Member Share Posted February 14, 2017 I've had it happen with my previous bike and with the FZ as well. Tapping down hard doesn't make it shift. To get into gear while stopped, I keep pressure on the shifter while slowly letting out the clutch. The bike begins to move forward and the shifter will then engage into gear. This. Or a variation; let out the clutch, then pull it back in and select 1st. - Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member norcal616 Posted February 14, 2017 Premium Member Share Posted February 14, 2017 I think 1st gear on this bike is the same as 2nd gear, just a few mph difference at the top speed of either gear...never had a problem getting bike into 2nd gear at a light... 2015 fz-07- Hordpower Edition...2015 fj-09- 120whp- Graves Exhaust w/Woolich Race Kit- tuned by 2WDW Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member hobbs Posted February 15, 2017 Premium Member Share Posted February 15, 2017 After adjustment, if that doesn't fix your issue try pulling the clutch lever in farther. Everything went braap. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beemer Posted February 15, 2017 Share Posted February 15, 2017 I didn't read everything that everyone said but the one thing I didn't see was for her to just put it in 2nd gear and then a good stomp down to 1st. The rocking always helps, I have to do it with this FZ at times as well. If I recall correctly, I've had to do it with every bike I've owned. Some bikes give more trouble with it than others so maybe that CB300F is one of them. GL! Beemer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin @ MCrider Posted February 16, 2017 Share Posted February 16, 2017 You may want to consider this as well. I always leave the bike in gear. [video src=https://youtu.be/rQ349l4Hutc" size="large] Kevin MCrider: techniques for motorcycle mastery Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Burley Posted February 18, 2017 Author Share Posted February 18, 2017 Thanks everyone -- I've been travelling all week so we'll be doing some riding this weekend. All very good tips and tricks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gregjet Posted February 18, 2017 Share Posted February 18, 2017 With the output shaft and input shaft not turning the dogs can be misaligned. Holding the front and/or rear brake on, let the clutch out slightly and push the lever into gear. As soon as it clicks in you can pull the clutch back in fully. What you are doing is spinning the input shaft so it can dogs can line up with the holes. Function of dog engaging sequential gearboxes. Usually a problem if the outer engagement dogs aren't bevelled enough, though it also means that there is less likelihood of a bad engagement. Seems to me to be made worse in uneven firing order motors, but no idea why. Doesn't take long to get proficient at it and for it to become instinctive. ALSO some gearboxes don't like some oils. Not common on Yamahas, but could happen. Change to a different brand next time and see if it improves. The only Yammy I ever owned that had the oil/gear change problem was an XV1000, a long time ago. Go forth and modify my son...go forth and modify... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Burley Posted February 20, 2017 Author Share Posted February 20, 2017 @gregjet @pineappleunderthesea, this seemed to do the trick. She always intends to gear down to first -- sometimes neutral happens by mistake. Its mostly when we're starting off or when we pull over mid ride and then want to get going again. Very good to have removed this frustration by giving her a sure fire method to get into first quickly and get riding. thanks again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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