Kawasaki Ninja: first gear grinds?

Question

This only happens when I down-shift while breaking and coming toward a stop light. I push the clutch all the way in as I quickly shift down through the gears...which works fine and smoothly until I hit first.

Half the time it lets out a clunk...which I've heard is normal, but about 1/4 of the time I hear the gears grinding the same way you do when you force a car's manual transmission into first without using the clutch.

I've ridden my motorcycle for a week and it only started doing this recently. Any clues what's going on or how to fix it?

Answer 1

Thought the Ninjas had a slipper clutch to prevent this ??

Answer 2

first gear is fixed to the mainshaft so what your hearing is the slider gear that engages it. you need to drop it in first at a slower speed. You are probably gonna damage a shift fork.

Answer 3

As you down shift you need to blip the throttle right before dropping the gear.

Answer 4

That's normal. It means you don't need to be in first gear yet. Stay in second. If you keep doing it, you'll damage things. You only need to be in first when coming from a complete stop or going less than 5MPH.

City cruising I start from second gear sometimes anyway.

There's no mechanical defect. You don't need to quickly shift down through the gears. You can hit one at a time, releasing the clutch in between to do what is called engine braking. Saves your brake pads.