Topic: Where the hell is neutral? (Read 7230 times)

psycho · « **on:** December 29, 2003, 01:58:13 PM »

Before any of you respond, I think we have to give JCZ a few miutes to get up off the floor.[smiley=huepfenlol2.gif] If any others feel the need to double over, please feel free to move yourselves away from your keyboard for a moment and do so. [smiley=huepfenjump3.gif]O.K. Is everybody back now?

Hear me out. When I picked up my bike and drove it to the side parking lot (to put my riding gear on), I proceded to try to find neutral. The salseman immediately remarked that Harley neutral's can be difficult. I've got around 350 miles on my bike right now and it is no easier. I end up at toll booths and have to dicker around far too long to get into neutral. I found that no matter how slight I move up from first it goes to second. However, when I push down from second I can get to neutral much easier. I did not have this difficulty with the Honda or Kawasaki bikes I rode. What gives? Syn3 oil? Newby? O.K. Let the roast begin! [smiley=nervous.gif]

ak · « **Reply #1 on:** December 29, 2003, 02:30:59 PM »

i,m having same problem ,me thinks syn3,might have something to do with it, also i shift heal/toe and i,m going to reposition levers to match other bikes . no flack from me on that one if ya can,t find it ya can find it,and i can live without netural anyway regards-ak

mr_magoo · « **Reply #2 on:** December 29, 2003, 04:11:16 PM »

Sounds all to familiar had the same problem with syn 3
changed to red line shock proof and the problem went away. See syn oil topic for more info.

Cabo · « **Reply #3 on:** December 29, 2003, 04:50:56 PM »

A little trick I learned from my old sporster and my roadking with a 6 speed revtec tranny...

With the clutch engaged (full sqeezed for any newbies) rev the engine to about 2000 or 2500 in a short burst (as soon as it reaches the rpm release the throttle). About the time you relase the throttle try shifting to neutral. I have had no problem with my SEEG but I do this out of habit every time.

starvin · « **Reply #4 on:** December 29, 2003, 05:04:56 PM »

wait til your neutral light quits working, (which it probably will) that makes it so much easier. For the little we pay for these bikes you can not expect every little thing to work. [smiley=drink.gif]

JCZ · « **Reply #5 on:** December 30, 2003, 10:47:55 PM »

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wait til your neutral light quits working, (which it probably will) that makes it so much easier. For the little we pay for these bikes you can not expect every little thing to work.

psycho · « **Reply #6 on:** January 01, 2004, 07:24:40 PM »

Thanks much gentlemen! [smiley=xyxthumbs.gif] As soon as spring comes I will try out your suggestions on shifting. The next time I stop at the Maine Turnpike Toolbooth, I'll be able to slip right into neutral as I glide to a stop lookin so cool.

I hope I remember to brake!

psycho · « **Reply #7 on:** January 01, 2004, 07:31:11 PM »

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When you get good, you'll be able to shift to neutral without your clutch, just using your throttle and "feel"

I'm assuming your referring to a "power shift" so to speak as in a stick shift-- roll off the throttle and when you feel the "slack" nudge it into neutral?

psycho · « **Reply #8 on:** January 01, 2004, 07:42:38 PM »

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** (side note)

JCZ · « **Reply #9 on:** January 01, 2004, 08:49:04 PM »

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"Thanks for helping me find neutral on my bike guys, see ya in Sturgis!"

naitram · « **Reply #10 on:** January 03, 2004, 02:26:32 PM »

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I think I'll be tooling around on this site for some time before I venture out of the Northeast. Seems a bit overwhelming at this point. I mean lets put this in perspective now, "Thanks for helping me find neutral on my bike guys, see ya in Sturgis!"

psycho · « **Reply #11 on:** January 06, 2004, 10:12:19 PM »

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i hope you'll be headin to laconia this year [smiley=beerchug.gif]

Yeah, I think I'll be heading up to Laconia.

psycho · « **Reply #12 on:** January 06, 2004, 10:14:31 PM »

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psycho · « **Reply #13 on:** January 06, 2004, 10:27:36 PM »

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With the clutch engaged (full sqeezed for any newbies) rev the engine to about 2000 or 2500 in a short burst (as soon as it reaches the rpm release the throttle). About the time you relase the throttle try shifting to neutral.

starvin · « **Reply #14 on:** January 06, 2004, 11:45:29 PM »

hey physco another thing you might want to keep in mind is that when your neutral light quits working and you get frustrated trying to find neutral before shutting off your bike so you just turn it off in gear becuse everyone is looking at you, remember that when you go to start it and your just standing along side of it and you flip the key on and hit the starter, there is no safety device that will prevent the motor from turning over whithout the clutch being pulled in. NO this did not happen to me but it did to a buddy of mine at a rally. It seemed the farther away from his bike you were parked the funnier it was.

psycho · « **Reply #15 on:** January 07, 2004, 01:06:11 AM »

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remember that when you go to start it and your just standing along side of it and you flip the key on and hit the starter

You know, this is one thing I will never do. I'm sure I'll do other stuff, and I'll tell ya as it happens for sure. But

JCZ · « **Reply #16 on:** January 07, 2004, 10:18:01 PM »

Psycho........now I'm concerned! Are you saying that you'll never hit the starter button to learn that your bike is in gear......never??

You're a better man than me. In my book, that's kind of like saying "I'll never drop my bike". I don't make a habit of it and I haven't dropped my bike in a lot of years (knock on wood) but to those nay sayers I say "you just haven't rode enough yet". lol

Sooner or later......it happens to the most cautious and careful rider......usually, when the person is very, very tired or fatigued (like the end of a 800 or 1,000 mile day).

As I've stated before, just my opnion.

JCZ · « **Reply #17 on:** January 07, 2004, 10:19:54 PM »

Was just thinkin' the first time either of those things happen to Psycho he's gonna say "that damn J.C.!" LOL, LOL [smiley=6.gif] [smiley=7.gif] [smiley=6.gif] [smiley=7.gif]

mr_magoo · « **Reply #18 on:** January 08, 2004, 09:09:10 AM »

Hey gotta blame someone, nevere say never. I've done it once [smiley=confused5.gif] ok maybe twice.

psycho · « **Reply #19 on:** January 08, 2004, 07:50:24 PM »

As I said gentlemen, I certainly don't believe I will ever hit the starter while standing along side my bike. I'm just too self-consious to be seen running along side my bike trying to catch up to it (is that what happens?). The clutch is the first thing that gets attention when I sit on my bike.

However, lets say that the stars, planets, moon, wind patterns, and tides all line up in perfect unison and meet the conditions as suggested by JC, and I fail to engage the clutch prior to hitting that aformentioned button, I would be on, and the operative word is "on" my bike!

So at least I would be riding on top of that pony as it lunges forward (unless I have it in reverse

) and tries to buck me off.

In the interest of full disclosure here, and I do feel a sort of lets say connectedness to you fellow cvo'ers, I have hit that very same button, while off the bike, yes while off the bike [smiley=nervous.gif], ........ I can hear you JC all the way from New Hampshire, "Psycho just said he wouldn't hit the starter while off his bike and he just said he did, what a _______!", but don't celebrate yet with your gotcha's JC, fellow biker afficionado, because the bike was already running!!! So there!! [smiley=bigok.gif] So what if I was going for the kill switch and it the wrong one! [smiley=confused5.gif]

However, if a new star was born in the vacinity of this very planet, at the very same time the above mentioned conditions were occuring simultaneously, and the resultant radiation affected my brain such that my judgement was impaired, and I did engage in the very behavior as suggested by JC, I sure as hell would not admit to him!

I can see it now, I'll do the damn thing at some rally JC finally gets me to go to and we meet up for the first time! That'll be a good dose of humility!

JCZ · « **Reply #20 on:** January 08, 2004, 08:01:38 PM »

Humility = humbleness. I'm laughing so damn hard I can hardly type.

Psycho it doesn't do much other than lurch forward what seems like feet but is actually just inches. Because you're not expecting it when it happens, it startles the chit out of you. And of course everybody else is standing around laughing and teasing you cause we've all done it.

There was a time on my stroker Heritage that I had already picked it up off the kickstand and was sitting on it, left hand in my lap (or just hanging) as I hit the starter......I was off balance, grabbed the bars with both hands and was bouncing along, off balance, on my right foot (it started).

It is rare that it will actually start.....the reflex is to let go of it (the starter) a little faster than immediatly.....as you try to regain your composure and take a second to figure out what the hell you just did. lol Personally, I can't wait for it to happen.....we will not know it, but you will!

gb · « **Reply #21 on:** January 10, 2004, 01:55:24 AM »

OK I'm up now. [smiley=huepfenlol2.gif]. I've also found that shifting to neutral just before the bike comes to a complete stop works best. Good luck!

JCZ · « **Reply #22 on:** February 13, 2004, 06:35:39 PM »

I rode AK's SEEG for about 40 miles last night. I didn't find neutral to be any harder to find than it was on my Ultra Classics. Always easier, if you're still rolling. But even at a dead stop......treat it like a woman, very gentle and there it is. [smiley=xyxthumbs.gif]

Ed Ramberger - One_Screamin_Eagle · « **Reply #23 on:** February 14, 2004, 06:49:35 PM »

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wait til your neutral light quits working, (which it probably will) that makes it so much easier. For the little we pay for these bikes you can not expect every little thing to work.

naitram · « **Reply #24 on:** February 14, 2004, 09:27:19 PM »

One_SE, i think starvin was just having a little fun with that post, and even if he was being serious please remember everyone on this site has their own opinions and that we will all disagree from time to time, but taking personal jabs at each other is not cool and per the posting guidelines http://flhrsei.org/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.cgi?board=CVO_SITE;action=display;num=1073585832 will not be tolerated

psycho · « **Reply #25 on:** February 14, 2004, 11:27:36 PM »

I've seen some other posts pop up in other forums (one from another SE Deuce) with the exact same problem that I was having (finding neutral). It will be interesting to see if the person is a new rider as well. I look forward to trying the recommendations from this string.

starvin · « **Reply #26 on:** February 15, 2004, 08:54:49 AM »

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If you are so dis-illusioned, why do you ride them - to try to fit in to a crowd you idolize?

not sure you're looking for an answer but I'll give you one anyway, first off who said I was dis-illusioned, when I bought my first new bike (02 flhtci) I was well aware that even though I was paying a premium price theres always going to be something not quite right. After 20k miles the only complaints I had were that the neutral light did not work and my gas gauge fogged up so bad you couldn't read it. HD (the company not my dealer) agreed to try to fix the neutral light but said it was a common problem, as far as the gauge they would not do anything as this is to be expected. My response was for the $20,000 they could put in nitrogen filled gauges. I have come across several people with the same problems. If HD hears no complaints why would they change anything. If I would not of been happy with this bike I certainly would not of turned around and bought the FLHTCSE I do not have that kind of money to try fit in. And as far as that goes there is no one living that I idolize and the few people that I do ride with don't think much of anyone who has a bike newer than a 1950. They don't make the trips me and my wife make so they understand why I bought it but believe me they are not impressed, which does'nt matter. I like it thats all that counts. PLEASE do not include me in any future attempts to start an argument this is the only board I have ever posted on becuse I did not like the bickering of who's a "biker" and who's not or the ever popular pros and cons of trailering your bike. From what I can tell from most of the people on this site is the only argument that will happen if we meet is who will buy the first beer. I would like to keep it that way.

later

Cabo · « **Reply #27 on:** February 15, 2004, 09:41:40 AM »

[smiley=beerchug.gif] [smiley=drink.gif] [smiley=beerchug.gif]I'm buying!!!

Cabo · « **Reply #28 on:** February 15, 2004, 10:24:46 AM »

I'm locking this thread cuz the conversation has strayed away from the original topic. If there are any other discussions about nuetral please start a new topic

thank you

Author Topic: Where the hell is neutral? (Read 7230 times)

starvin

starvin

starvin