Newbie with some questions...

[Ezza1989]

Hey guys


I rode my bike yesterday and it was great... But the gears feel a bit clunky to me and the person shadowing me thinks they need adjusting. I can change gears smoothly on my teachers bike but on my GPX no matter how smooth I try to make it, it seems to clunk into gear.


The clutch has been adjusted and we are thinking it might be the gear lever as it has a lot of play in it compared to my friends bike. But I've also head that kawasakis can have a lot of play like that and you have to kick up higher/lower/harder to get them into gear


I've attached a video of how much play it has when the bikes off... What do you think? I'm thinking of getting a service when I can afford it, but as I'm about to go from weekly to monthly pay I'm a bit broke atm!

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=2mmbngnadNo

[Rich...]

Gear lever looks fine...

When was the last oil change?

[Ezza1989]

Very recently. Probably a month ago and I've only ridden it twice since then

[Aufitt]

Check that the pinch bolt on the spline (on engine, 10mm spanner) is tight, and if the rivet at the rear(just under the pivot) is flogged out and has movement.
Also helps to remove the lever and grease the pivot annually.


All Ninjas have very clunky boxes,
but it helps is to adjust the lever as far downwards as you are comfortable with, which helps you do a positive upshift.
Adjustment is done on the threaded rod using 2 x 10mm open end spanners to undo/retighten the locknuts,
one is a left hand thread so turn the spanners the same way.

[66]

check your chain tension.

makes it very hard to be smooth on gears and throttle if it is too loose.

[Crobbo]

check your chain tension.

makes it very hard to be smooth on gears and throttle if it is too loose.

^^^^This^^^ chain tension makes a hoooge difference, with a loose chain your changes will feel really snatchy as your roll the power back on.

[thro]

Just be sure that if you adjust it you do it properly, some slack is required. the amount will be in the manual.

Too tight and you can damage the gearbox.

[agrid]

Gear lever looks OK, check for too much slack in your chain and practise rev matching as you change.

[Aufitt]

Never had a drama running on the looser side of specs, makes everything smoother not snatchy.

35mm at its tightest for me.
Got mates that go to 25mm... and they are always adjusting their chain and then the damage is done.
I adjust them once and it never changes for tens of thousands of k's.

[Seb]

All Ninjas have very clunky boxes,

All ninjas?

[somebodyelse]

the clunk is engineered in, so they didn't have to clutter the dash up with gear lights

[Sunshine & F'n Rainbows]

All ninjas?

Officially requesting somebody dress as a "sexy ninja" for tomorrows party. kthnx.

[Rorschach]

Officially requesting somebody dress as a "sexy ninja" for tomorrows party. kthnx.

Deal. What party?

[boeman]

practise rev matching as you change.

This worked for me.

I used to clunk about town, but now I redline the thing every gearchange (required for acceleration on the thing anyway) and it shifts as smooth as my face was when..... well, never, but you catch my drift.

[Sunshine & F'n Rainbows]

Deal. What party?

Cool test failed.