Trouble selecting neutral

[skuylouy]

Hi Folks,

sorry to be back picking your brains again, I have a Gas gas JTX 250 1996 (ish) I've had the bike a few months now and as my introduction into trials it's serving me well

However recently I've been experiencing trouble selecting neutral form either 1st or 2nd gear at first I couldn't get neutral using my foot so opted to use my hand, not ideal but it worked

But now the gear lever is so hsrd to mve that the only way to get neutral is to kill the motor then I can get neutral all day long

I've adjusted the clutch lever so that the bite point is closer in and also adjusted the loose chain, but still the problem continues

Would it be the clutch itself or maybe something like the gearbox oil or even the gearbox itself ??

Thanks in advance for any help offered

[benbeta23]

Sounds like you're clutch is dragging, Also changing the gearbox oil will help, Give ATF Dextron III a try in the gearbox, This will improve it.

Does the bike edge forward when your clutch is fully in?

Edited October 26, 2011 by BenBeta23

[jse]

I've adjusted the clutch lever so that the bite point is closer in

This usually results in more clutch drag as it reduces the overall travel of the servo cylinder.

As it's a 96', you might want to pull the clutch and check for fiber separation on the fiber plates.

Jon

[stevel]

I get the impression from your post that you haven't changed the oil since you got the bike. If this is the case I would suggest that you take Benbeta23's advise and do an oil change before you start any strip down of the clutch.

From the symptoms you have, this is the most obvious cause and the cheapest fix.

If the oil hasn't been changed for months then it may be worth doing an initial change, running the bike for a while to flush the system, and then changing it again.

Most regular riders that I know change oil every 5/10 trials

Give it a try and let us know how you get on

[skuylouy]

Thank you for the help, I'll get some of the Dextron oil and A replace/flush then B replace, as i said trial bikes are new to me after years of road riding it's a steep learning curve but great fun

[jse]

Thank you for the help, I'll get some of the Dextron oil and A replace/flush then B replace, as i said trial bikes are new to me after years of road riding it's a steep learning curve but great fun

In that you've adjusted the lever, don't forget tht there has to be a little slack where the adjustment screw on the lever meets the plunger that goes through the M/C boot. It's a common mistake for new riders to make to assume screwing the adjustment screw in more gives more travel to the servo cylinder at the clutch, it actually gives less.

Jon

[bob_m]

I have a 1996 JTR 270 I just got last year. I started off with what the manual recommended, 10-40 and I had the same problem, I could not find neutral with the motor running and had some clutch drag mostly while the motor was still cold.

I thoroughly bled the clutch & adjusted the master cylinder actuator bolt to the recommended free play but still could not get neutral with my foot while the motor was running. I recently switched to 5-30 Castrol GTX automobile oil and I can easily get neutral once the trans and clutch have warmed up but not till then. I haven't tried Dextron III yet.

I have been changing oil since mid-year with every trial hoping to see an improvement but its is still difficult till warmed up.

I had gotten fairly good results with rocking the bike backward slightly then forward while the motor is running and in 2nd gear with my foot on the shift lever and timing a stab at neutral and this made it a bit easier to get neutral.

Also if your idle is too high, it may make it more difficult if clutch drag is part of your issue.

Good luck,

Bob