false neutrals

Message

herbacious · #1 Post by **herbacious** » Wed Jul 14, 2010 7:10 pm

Hey all

I'm not sure if its me being lazy with the gearshifter, but I'm sure the falco is starting to find more false neutrals, especially just before top gear..

does that sound like another familiar falco foible with another equally common solution, or is it just my slack toes, or something else.....

Falken · #2 Post by **Falken** » Wed Jul 14, 2010 7:17 pm

You've not had any new boots have you, i've had a problem since new boots, but ok now.
Or have you had the gear lever off recently, and maybe put it back one tooth out.
And no it's not a common problem with the Falco.

herbacious · #3 Post by **herbacious** » Wed Jul 14, 2010 7:18 pm

ok cool :)

slack toes it is then

Gio · #4 Post by **Gio** » Wed Jul 14, 2010 8:01 pm

ALL bikes have FALSE neutrals, its the nut riding it

Use yer muscles

D-Rider · #5 Post by **D-Rider** » Wed Jul 14, 2010 9:14 pm

Not common but it's almost certainly your gear change linkage.

Take it off, clean it up and lubricate it nicely - including the pivot of the gear lever on the footpeg.

I bet that'll sort it for you.

herbacious · #6 Post by **herbacious** » Wed Jul 14, 2010 9:52 pm

will do cheers

Nooj · #7 Post by **Nooj** » Wed Jul 14, 2010 11:01 pm

I find one between 5th and 6th when I'm tired. Handy notice for me to slow down a bit and concentrate a bit harder.

HowardQ · #8 Post by **HowardQ** » Thu Jul 15, 2010 12:01 am

Just to agree with pretty much everybody and a bit more. The comment about boots sounds silly but is right!
Never had a problem with the the two previous lots of boots. Bought some Sidi Black Rain Evos in December, which are stiffer leather and have more protection around the heel etc., and found more neutrals on the Falco than I'd ever had before. Even worse on the Kwack, couldn't really change gear at all. They are bedding in slowly after 7 months things are better, still not great on the Kwack.
Chain tension is also something that I find makes a difference, if too slack or sometimes too tight it seems to get worse.
I have been an idiot and neglected to look after my gear lever and linkage and it has become very worn, turned out to be a lot worse than I had thought it was, when I took it off.
Needed to sort something for the MOT recently and nobody had a gear lever and linkage in stock, so had to look at other options. I stripped it all down and used an extra (very thin) spacer washer on the engine side, along with the original washer with lots of fresh grease. Before this it really was very loose, and most of any movement was free play up and down and sideways !!

The spacer washer has stopped it moving sideways and the fresh grease has taken the play up on the footpeg shaft. The end result is a gear lever back to normal play.
It has made a massive difference and now I am now much less likely to find false neutrals, as all the pedal travel is now actually moving the gear selectors.
All bikes will occasionally have a problem with falsi neutrals, but with things set up right the Falco is better than average.
The main thing to remember is to always be firm with the change and make sure you get the full travel. Loose linkages or new stiff boots leave you occasionally only really moving the lever about half the distance you should do hence the problem.
If none of these apply to you, just make sure you move the lever far enough, the Falco has a longer movement than some other bikes.

Samray · #9 Post by **Samray** » Thu Jul 15, 2010 12:25 am

Chain tension is also something that I find makes a difference, if too slack or sometimes too tight it seems to get worse.

joecrx · #10 Post by **joecrx** » Thu Jul 15, 2010 5:00 pm

and all the above

herbacious · #11 Post by **herbacious** » Thu Jul 15, 2010 6:51 pm

cheers peeps

not checked the chain tension - its bound to have slackened off a bit so will adjust that.

dont think boots are the issue - done a good few thousand miles in these boots now

Gio · #12 Post by **Gio** » Thu Jul 15, 2010 8:36 pm

Samray wrote:
Chain tension is also something that I find makes a difference, if too slack or sometimes too tight it seems to get worse.

Note to MotoGP riders, don't wear Sidi's on your bike

D-Rider · #13 Post by **D-Rider** » Thu Jul 15, 2010 10:10 pm

herbacious wrote:cheers peeps

not checked the chain tension - its bound to have slackened off a bit so will adjust that.

dont think boots are the issue - done a good few thousand miles in these boots now

I'm still pretty sure that it's most likely to be your linkage sticking ... requiring the joints and pivots to be cleaned and lubricated.
This has been reported several times on a number of the forums (fora?).
Had it myself earlier in the year - gear pedal pivot was the culprit.