Trouble shifting into neutral

[Dutchmaster357]

Please help! My Kat is a 98 and its for a lack of better words "sometimey" when it comes to shifting into neutral. It shifts into all other gears fine, but when I try to get it into neutral (like at a red light), it just goes into second. Other times, it shifts into neutral fine. Today for example, I rode around for a bit and went to visit my wife at work. Got to her job, shifted into neutral and backed into spot just fine. Went to my next spot and spent almost 3 mins trying to get it into neutral. Finally I gave up and just left it in first and killed the engine. Ride home, shifted into neutral at 2 lights fine. Got home and spent 2 mins trying to get it into neutral and finally after going back and fourth from 1st to second, I got that sweet spot in the middle and she went into neutral so I could roll her in the garage. Anybody else have this issue or any insight on how to fix this?

[92xjunker]

Kinda iffy but, shift fork wearing would be my guess. What oil are you using? They do sell shift kits to improve shifting.

[Dutchmaster357]

I just got the bike a week ago so idk what oil has been used. The guy said he recently did a oil change, but I was going to do my own anyway. What's a good oil brand for the Kat? I'm a newbie to motorcycles so sorry in advance if my questions seem dumb. Just trying to get informed. I'll look into a new shift kit. Hope its not too pricey. Thanks for the response

[woobie]

It's been a while since I had a Kat, But IIRC sometime rolling the bike forward a bit would allow me to shift into neutral when mine was acting up. As for Oil I was running rotella most of the time I had my kat.

BTW your not parking the bike and leaving it in neutral are you?

[Dutchmaster357]

I was, but I was recently informed today by my buddy to park it in gear so thats what im doing now.

[92xjunker]

Rotella is a good choice. I run Lucas M/C oil.

[derdmn]

how old is your clutch??? i was driving a big harley into the shop after hours today and at choke idle, the clutch was having NOTHING to do with going from 0->1

make sure clutch adjust is accurate, make sure oil is clean, make sure clutch assby is not wornout.

@junker is correct: SHIFT FORK WEAR could be a culprit. but check my easy shizzz before you buy new shift forks, or open the trans.

good luck, keep us updated.

Dennis

[Dutchmaster357]

I started her up this morning and put her in first, then tried to go into neutral. No luck so I rolled her forward a little and BAM, she went into neutral no problem. I guess it was like Woobie said. My instructor at school I'm my motorcycle service program said to do the same thing. I'm bringing her into school this week to do a tclock and I'll give her a good once over and check the forks as well as an oil change. Thanks guys for all the input. Glad I joined up here!

[kats10]

i upgraded my clutch springs, helped me alot in finding neutral