Gear Problems??

[suavekatana]

Hi guys I'm new here..just bought my first bike and '03 Katana and of course Im a newbie. Is it me or I can't find first gear when Im stopped at a red light and I have it on neutral. I try to go to first and it doesn't go!!!!! So I get stuck sometimes at a light. I push down several times and it doesn't go to first sometimes when Im on neutral...any suggestions???
Thanks
suavekatana

[depths_of_mind]

I sometimes have a similar prob with mine (95 Kat). W/O getting into the tech stuff , which i'm still learning, you can slowly release the clutch and see if it goes into first. I've had to do that a few times with mine.

[GytRDunKat]

Roll the bike back or forward a little bit, it'll pop right in. I would also suggest putting it in first rolling to a stop, and not leave it in neutral. That way, if betty soccer mom on the cell phone is about to squish you, you can get out of the way.

[Fyre]

When i had my Ninja 250 i had that problem alot. Just like depths of mind said just pull and release the clutch and try to shift into first again, most of the time that should work for ya.

[Vandil]

MY bike 03 can't be put into Neutral when the bike is running. It just pops right over N no matter how soft of half step I try to change gears. If the bike is off, blip right into N first try.

[JBLUE]

Roll the bike like Gytrdunkat stated in his post that will work

[suavekatana]

Gear Problem

Hey guys..thanks for the info..Im going to try to rock the back when it happens next time..and thanks for all of the responses ..I think I'll use this alot!!!!! Also, this problem...when I'm in first and I shift to second half the time it shifts into neutral and not second...when that happens..I then have to kick the gear one more time to get it to second..cause of course Im revving the bike on neutral...what should I do?? Am I supposed to shift twice all the time from first in order to skip neutral or am I just shifting up incorrectly???
thanks again..

Newbie trying to be better !!

[loudnlow7484]

It's a long shift throw from 1st to 2nd..... you just have to get used to it. You don't make 2 separate shifts, though. Maybe you should look into a shift kit from Factory Pro. Cyberpoet sells them, I believe. They make shifting much more positive feeling, and help reduce missed shifts.

[suavekatana]

Hey Loud..thanks for the reply ..must've been the timing...anyway, when I'm on first ..do I do one short fast shift up, softly,, or do I try to do a hard shift to get to second??

[dnargsiefil]

Just pull a little harder, has happened to me too that I caught neutral, but it is rare.