Hitchcocks Forum

I am having difficulties selecting neutral when stopped at traffic lights and similar, (2006, Electra X five speed gearbox.)
It isn't the clutch, which does not drag or clip, and engaging 1st to pull away is a smooth operation no clunking or grinding to engage.
Any ideas for a cure?

"It isn't the clutch", I would bet it is the clutch,99.9% of not able to get neutral when stopped are down to the clutch or the primary chain too tight, if you can select neutral before the bike stop's then 100% clutch.

Here's a little test.
Can you slip it into neutral just before the bike comes to a halt?
If so it IS the clutch dragging a bit.

The 5 speed box is a nice piece of kit, but I find its normally smooth operation deteriorates if there's even a little too much free play in the clutch cable. Taking up any slack at the adjuster usually restores it, unless the cable is fraying at the clutch end prior to the nipple coming adrift (my Electra-X still has the pre-2007 clutch actuator).



Somewhere quite low down on my bike to-do list is fitting a hydraulic clutch conversion for the 5 speed box. I have found what might be a suitable slave cylinder.



A.

I can engage first when at a stop and no brakes applied easily with no crunches grinds or leaping forward.
I can't say the same for any of our other motorcycles.

"I can engage first when at a stop and no brakes applied easily with no crunches grinds or leaping forward".

Unfortunately that doesn't mean a lot, try the test as I and Pete suggest, if you can select neutral easily with the bike still moveing the the clutch/primary chain are your problem.

It isn't the clutch or the primary chain, those have just been checked, as part of a service.
The bike has also been test ridden by someone who really is an expert. He suspects the same as me, the selector cam.
I am still however open to suggestions. It is something I can live with.

Can you select neutral easily with the engine stopped?.

I wouldn't call it easily.

When my Electra X had a knackered clutch release mechanism it was near impossible to select neutral when stationary, worth a look… Do I remember this was covered in another thread quite recently? Posted by Adam