1st gear take off stalling and stopping

[Kojisun]

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[Kreylyn]

First thing, sign up for the MSF course locally and take it. It's invaluable and will greatly help keep you a safe rider, as well as helping you with exactly the kind of issue your talking about with hands on instruction.



krey

[95 GSX Katana 600]

Do you think it could be the clutch is grabbing too quick? Im not sure on any Post Kats, but with my 95 if you push the clutch lever outwards, you can set the knob to 1,2,3 or 4. 1 being it grabs sooner, 4 being later. Just a suggestion, maybe other members can correct me if I am wrong, which I very possibly may be. It just sounded like an option lol.

[Slofuze]

First thing, sign up for the MSF course locally and take it. It's invaluable and will greatly help keep you a safe rider, as well as helping you with exactly the kind of issue your talking about with hands on instruction.



krey

+1


You'll have to find the "sweet spot" where the clutch actually engages as you release the lever. Try starting your bike, put it in gear, (no throttle) and gently ease up on the clutch lever until you feel it starting to engage then pull it back in. Do that a few times. That'll be your "sweet spot" and it'll give you an idea of where and when you should be rolling on the trottle. Eventually it'll become second nature and you won't have to think about it as you do both actions in one smooth, co-ordinated move.
As for downshifting into 1st.....I wouldn't do that if I were you. Wait until you're basically stopped.

[remykimes]

Do you think it could be the clutch is grabbing too quick? Im not sure on any Post Kats, but with my 95 if you push the clutch lever outwards, you can set the knob to 1,2,3 or 4. 1 being it grabs sooner, 4 being later. Just a suggestion, maybe other members can correct me if I am wrong, which I very possibly may be. It just sounded like an option lol.

ummm the brakes have a 1234 setting.. not the clutch.... at least ive never seen such a setting on a katana for the clutch

[95 GSX Katana 600]

your probably right...I thought there was a way to adjust the clutch though?

[95 GSX Katana 600]

The neutral light will not come on unless the bike is in neutral. While shifting gears you dont do into neutral, except 1st to 2nd, and its only a fraction of a second.

[Kreylyn]

...is it a problem if the neutral light does not go off when switching gears ??

Yes. That would be an issue that needs to be fixed, and could cause problems with the other saftey switches on the bike making it shut off on you.

Krey

[DaneG320U545]

yeah I was looking for a knob on the clutch lever but mine doesn't have one. Only the brake lever does. Was thinking of reading up on this manual I got with the bike and seeing if there was a way to adjust it without that 1234 knob settings no present on my 02 Kat.

[Psycho1]

The clutch lever adjustment would be done at the cable. If the bike stalls with the clutch lever pulled all the way in then the cable might be stretched, in which case you would turn the nut where the cable housing meets the clutch lever housing counter clockwise to take some slack out of the cable. You should have a tiny bit of play at the end of the lever (1/8-1/4"), or you could just slip the edge of a nickel between the lever and the lever mounting bracket if the slack is just right. To get used to the friction zone, let the bike idle, and try letting the clutch lever out just enough that you hear the rpm's start dropping, and feel the bike trying to move, then hold the lever there for a second and let it roll. Pull in the lever and repeat. Get used to holding at that point and then rolling onto the throttle as you proceed to smoothly ease the lever out the rest of the way.

[DaneG320U545]

The clutch lever adjustment would be done at the cable. If the bike stalls with the clutch lever pulled all the way in then the cable might be stretched, in which case you would turn the nut where the cable housing meets the clutch lever housing counter clockwise to take some slack out of the cable. You should have a tiny bit of play at the end of the lever (1/8-1/4"), or you could just slip the edge of a nickel between the lever and the lever mounting bracket if the slack is just right.

Thanks for the info! Will be taking a look at it later on today. It releases towards the end (when you almost fully release the lever), not sure if all bikes\kats are like that or not. But just wanted the lever to be a little closer to the handle bar so I don't have to fully stretch my hand just to reach the clutch lever

[scottynoface]

Why has no one banned this bot yet?

[DonZ]

+1


You'll have to find the "sweet spot" where the clutch actually engages as you release the lever. Try starting your bike, put it in gear, (no throttle) and gently ease up on the clutch lever until you feel it starting to engage then pull it back in. Do that a few times. That'll be your "sweet spot" and it'll give you an idea of where and when you should be rolling on the trottle. Eventually it'll become second nature and you won't have to think about it as you do both actions in one smooth, co-ordinated move.
As for downshifting into 1st.....I wouldn't do that if I were you. Wait until you're basically stopped.

I had a similar problem my riding buddy told me the same thing about finding the sweet spot worked wonders as for the not downshifting to first why is that not recommended?

[latenight]

just thinking... are you sure you are shifting into 1st gear (down from neutral) and not straight into 2nd? that could make it stall easier...
1-N-2-3-4-5-6

[Slofuze]

I had a similar problem my riding buddy told me the same thing about finding the sweet spot worked wonders as for the not downshifting to first why is that not recommended?

Perhaps it's my personal style (and I don't want to threadjack), but there are times I do and times I don't. If my rpms are up and I'm on a curve heading to a stop sign....I'll engine brake into 1st and let that carry me to the sign/or car stopped there. If I'm simply riding in town traffic, I'm of the opinion (and I could be doing it wrong for the last 30 years but I've never had tranny issues with any of the bikes I've owned) it's just easier to engine brake/front brake to a stop, and just before I'm completely stopped I'll throw it into 1st. The next time you hear a "clunck" dumping it into 1st, you'll see what I mean.