Finding Neutral
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Cruiser
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 242
Likes: 1
From: Boston, MA
Finding Neutral
Bought a brand new 2012 Ultra Classic Electra Glide and I can't get my bike into neutral. Shifting is fine otherwise. When in first, even the slowest, most deliberate attempt to get it into neutral puts me in 2nd. Same thing when I try to go from 2nd into neutral (it goes into 1st).
Is this typical with Harleys? This is my first Harley. I had sportbikes before this and my ZX6R easily went into neutral every time.
So what's up with this? Can the dealership adjust the shifting mechanism during the 1000 mile service to fix this issue. It's a bitch to be stuck in bumper to bumper traffic and not be able to shift into neutral from time to time.
Thanks.
Is this typical with Harleys? This is my first Harley. I had sportbikes before this and my ZX6R easily went into neutral every time.
So what's up with this? Can the dealership adjust the shifting mechanism during the 1000 mile service to fix this issue. It's a bitch to be stuck in bumper to bumper traffic and not be able to shift into neutral from time to time.
Thanks.
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 3,400
Likes: 268
From: Southern California
I have the Heel/Toe Shifter on the bike in my signature. I use the Heel Shifter to find Neutral. First I shift all the way down into first using the Toe Shifter and then use the Heel Shifter to click back up a half notch into Neutral. Trying to find Neutral with the Toe Shifter can sometimes be a real PIA. Can't explain why it should be so different . . . but it is.
Extreme HDF Member
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 12,653
Likes: 18
From: Broken Arrow, Oklahoma
It's common. The more broken-in it gets, the easier it will become. If you feather the clutch just a tad, it will slip into neutral better in the mean time. I have 3,000 miles on mine now, and it's still a bit tricky.
Elite HDF Member
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 3,846
Likes: 173
From: Simi Valley, CA
It's quite common. Mine was a bitch when it was new, sometimes taking 6,7,8 tries. Now with 18,000 miles it's much easier. I can usually find nuetral on the first attempt. If not, 2 or 3 tries max.
Still not as easy as my 5-speed Duece, but I can live with it now.
Give yours a few thousand miles and it should be ok.
Still not as easy as my 5-speed Duece, but I can live with it now.
Give yours a few thousand miles and it should be ok.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 38,655
Likes: 6,455
From: Honah Lee
It will get better(they say) but they also say the newer 6 speeds are a bear. Maybe adjusting the length of the shift rod slight will put the shift peg in a better place for leverage. Assume you have heel and toe. Know you do not want to wear sneaker but try it with them for fill. If you find second, I bet after a little more saddle time boots will work. When I had heel and toe I used heel for netural but my bike was an 05. Then I go my 04 and it was a bear at first but now I have no problem but I did add 3" fwd and adjusted the shift rod length for toe position.
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Road Captain
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 538
Likes: 0
From: British Columbia
no need for nuetral, by design... my Dyna won't go in to nuetral when running. I hit the kill switch, flip in nuetral and start her up again. So, is that the same with a 97 Dyna?
I don't have a nuetral light and slammed a buddies tail a while back.... Dyna's faster than his old sled... so no harm to me, but I don't trust Black to be in nuetral hence the ritual before I park.... on a hill.
I don't have a nuetral light and slammed a buddies tail a while back.... Dyna's faster than his old sled... so no harm to me, but I don't trust Black to be in nuetral hence the ritual before I park.... on a hill.
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