neutral light probelm
Thread Starter
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Cruiser
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 164
Likes: 0
From: long island
neutral light probelm
I have an 07 bob
stage 1 some other goodies.
intermittenly my neutral light
goes on when I shift gears.
This happens more when I down shift into neutral.
What do you guys think (is it covered under warrenty.)
stage 1 some other goodies.
intermittenly my neutral light
goes on when I shift gears.
This happens more when I down shift into neutral.
What do you guys think (is it covered under warrenty.)
Road Captain
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 539
Likes: 0
From: NH - Why not Minot, ND
RE: neutral ight probelm
I'm confused by your question. Sounds to me like your bike is working as advertised. When you shift into neutral, the green neutral lilght should come on... Anytime you shift through the gears, when you pass neutral, the light might come on for a milisecond. Sounds REALLY normal to me.
Tourer
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 311
Likes: 1
From: Seattle, WA
RE: neutral ight probelm
Might you be refering to a "false neutral" light?
My '07 Bob displayed a false neutral about a dozen times when I was around 5K miles. It came on randomly as I was riding (not shifting though). Kind of creepy to have it pop on when I was in 6th gear at 75 mph. I made the classic mistake of trusting the neutral light while starting the bike standing next to it. It was actually in 1st gear and I almost dropped the bike. Now I always sit on the bike with the clutch in while I push the starter. And ease off the clutch slowly
The problem came and went all by itself while I was on a 1k road trip. Took it to the dealer when I got home. They inspected everything under warranty. ECM logs had no errors. I shrugged it off and haven't trusted the light since. That was 7,000 miles ago and the problem has never resurfaced.
If you're getting a false neutral, get it checked out. Shouldn't cost you a dime.
If you're getting a neutral indicator as you shift from 1st to 2nd or 2nd to 1st, it's normal. Ride on. You shouldn't get a neutral indicator, for example, when shifting from 4th to 5th.
Cheers,
J
My '07 Bob displayed a false neutral about a dozen times when I was around 5K miles. It came on randomly as I was riding (not shifting though). Kind of creepy to have it pop on when I was in 6th gear at 75 mph. I made the classic mistake of trusting the neutral light while starting the bike standing next to it. It was actually in 1st gear and I almost dropped the bike. Now I always sit on the bike with the clutch in while I push the starter. And ease off the clutch slowly
The problem came and went all by itself while I was on a 1k road trip. Took it to the dealer when I got home. They inspected everything under warranty. ECM logs had no errors. I shrugged it off and haven't trusted the light since. That was 7,000 miles ago and the problem has never resurfaced.
If you're getting a false neutral, get it checked out. Shouldn't cost you a dime.
If you're getting a neutral indicator as you shift from 1st to 2nd or 2nd to 1st, it's normal. Ride on. You shouldn't get a neutral indicator, for example, when shifting from 4th to 5th.
Cheers,
J
Thread Starter
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Cruiser
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 164
Likes: 0
From: long island
RE: neutral ight probelm
Yes a false neutrel light is what I meant to describe.
It goes on and stays on sometimes in gear
First gear more than any other.
This is intermitten.
Should I not worry and see if it goes away on its own.
Or take it to stealer Or is there something I should look at first,
thanks
jim
It goes on and stays on sometimes in gear
First gear more than any other.
This is intermitten.
Should I not worry and see if it goes away on its own.
Or take it to stealer Or is there something I should look at first,
thanks
jim
Tourer
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 311
Likes: 1
From: Seattle, WA
RE: neutral ight probelm
If you're still within your factory warranty period, then yes, it's covered. Fluids, filters, tires and spark plugs are about the only things that aren't covered.
I doubt there's much you can look at yourself before taking it in. The shift peg is either going to land in neutral or it isn't. Riding down the road in gear should never generate a neutal light.
I never found out why mine came on randomly or why it returned to normal.
It was 6 months ago and my memory is fuzzy, but I think the dealership mentioned something about a "neutral sensor" in the transmission being a possible culprit. They didn't replace it because they couldn't reproduce the false light on test rides...and neither could I. I didn't push the issue with them and let it go.
I still have another year on my warranty. If I see a false neutral again before it expires, I'll force the issue and make them fix it. If anything goes wrong inside my transmission, it will be in my best interests to get it fixed before the warranty expires.
Good luck,
J
I doubt there's much you can look at yourself before taking it in. The shift peg is either going to land in neutral or it isn't. Riding down the road in gear should never generate a neutal light.
I never found out why mine came on randomly or why it returned to normal.
It was 6 months ago and my memory is fuzzy, but I think the dealership mentioned something about a "neutral sensor" in the transmission being a possible culprit. They didn't replace it because they couldn't reproduce the false light on test rides...and neither could I. I didn't push the issue with them and let it go.
I still have another year on my warranty. If I see a false neutral again before it expires, I'll force the issue and make them fix it. If anything goes wrong inside my transmission, it will be in my best interests to get it fixed before the warranty expires.
Good luck,
J
Thread Starter
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Cruiser
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 164
Likes: 0
From: long island
RE: neutral ight probelm
Thanks
Other than that everything is fine I
will ride it for a while and if it continues to bother me I
will take it in.
Thanks for the replys
Other than that everything is fine I
will ride it for a while and if it continues to bother me I
will take it in.
Thanks for the replys
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6th Gear
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 12
Likes: 0
From: Germany
RE: neutral ight probelm
I am dealing with the same problem. Mine actually comes on in every gear and stays on, but only after the bike heats up. Occasionally the key light comes on too. I am taking it to the stealer this week to get it checked out or have the neutral switch changed out.
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From:
RE: neutral light probelm
This is how it will probably go down with the dealer. You will take it in, explain the problem to them. They will say no worries, just leave your bike with us and we will have one of our "experienced" techs replace the neutral safety switch because that has to be the problem. You will then proceed to pick up said bike and as you ride home, your new found happiness will soon be sucked out of you as you watch the neutral light come back on as you cruise down the road in 5th, which is a long way from neutral.
Now you will return back to the dealer and will relay to them that problem still persists and wonder if they even did a test ride to see if the problem was fixed. So now you will have to leave it again and this is starting to make you very nervous because the 4 foot wallet chain hanging out of the techs pocket does not look very paint friendly as he sits on your ride to put it back into the shop for another night.
Now you get a call the next day and they say they have fixed the problem and you can come and get it. It seems the problem was that the wire bundle for the bike runs down the back of the motor and for the last 5000 miles, one of the wires has been rubbing up against the rear motor mount. As the exposed wire opens more and more, it will start to short on some part of the frame causing you neutral light to come on. So the wire will probably be wrapped with a couple of inches of electrical tape and you will be on your way.
But wait...Don't forget to wipe off what appears to be the inside of a jelly donut off your primary cover before you start the bike and most importantly...make sure that if the tech loosened the starter to get better access to the wires, that he tightened it back up when he was done.
Of course this may not be the problem, its just my opinion. Just please don't ask how I know all this.
Good Luck.
Now you will return back to the dealer and will relay to them that problem still persists and wonder if they even did a test ride to see if the problem was fixed. So now you will have to leave it again and this is starting to make you very nervous because the 4 foot wallet chain hanging out of the techs pocket does not look very paint friendly as he sits on your ride to put it back into the shop for another night.
Now you get a call the next day and they say they have fixed the problem and you can come and get it. It seems the problem was that the wire bundle for the bike runs down the back of the motor and for the last 5000 miles, one of the wires has been rubbing up against the rear motor mount. As the exposed wire opens more and more, it will start to short on some part of the frame causing you neutral light to come on. So the wire will probably be wrapped with a couple of inches of electrical tape and you will be on your way.
But wait...Don't forget to wipe off what appears to be the inside of a jelly donut off your primary cover before you start the bike and most importantly...make sure that if the tech loosened the starter to get better access to the wires, that he tightened it back up when he was done.
Of course this may not be the problem, its just my opinion. Just please don't ask how I know all this.
Good Luck.
Road Master
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 993
Likes: 1
From: Southern California
RE: neutral light probelm
There was a recall on mine for the false neutral light. It was replaced but went out again at about 7,500 miles. Got it replaced again and no problems since. All at no charge.