Selecting neutral gear

[greasemonkey62]

While the bike a Matchless 350cc G5 is stationary with or without the engine running it is virtually impossible to select neutral gear, it goes past to second gear or first gear but while coasting to a stop and still moving then it can just be selected, I have looked inside the gearbox and the selector plate looks fine, the gears selection pointed holes are deeper than the neutral one but this is normal as I understand it. Any ideas anyone?

Cheers Ray.

[SPRIDDLER]

I know nothing of Lightweights but let's say it was my Burman B52 'box then the first thing I'd check is that the clutch is freeing fully. My second shot would be to check/replace the detent plunger and spring in the 'box - that's if the Lightweight has the same design as my Burman (and bearing in mind recent posts on the Lightweight's 'compact' design you can access it without dismantling the front forks and removing the Koi carp from the fishpond ).

[iansoady]

I'd suggest the clutch is dragging.

[cbranni]

I would go for clutch too.

[Ozmadman]

There is not too much inside that will cause problems, have you got the thin spring each end of which supports the pawl that clicks around the stepped selector cam? There is a spring loaded pin which engages in the holes in the selector plate maybe that is worn, that can be removed from the sprocket side of the gearbox. When I get home I can post a picture of the inside of the cover where all the selector stuff goes so you can see that you have it all in place. Has this just happened or has it been like it all the time.

[Rangy65]

I would go for the clutch too. I have fitted new plates in mine but they are thinner than the originals which ment i have had to add an extra plain plate and a single sided friction plate.

This set up caused a very similar problem to yours in that neutral was hard to select when at a standstill. The clutch dragged and i could feel the bike wanting to creep forward even with the cluch pulled in.

I did spend a couple of hours adjusting the clutch with the primary cover off so i could see what was happening as well as 'feeling' the adjustments.

I also found that the clutch basket nut had come loose.

Its been fine ever since

cheers
Steve

[greasemonkey62]

It has been like it all the time as it needed a lot of work on it to run correctly, the bike does not go forward when in gear and the engine running without brakes on, but you could say it is "rubbing" but not enough to move it forwards at all, so I didn't think that would do anything much at all.

[Janet]

the bike does not go forward when in gear and the engine running without brakes on, but you could say it is "rubbing" but not enough to move it forwards at all,

We seem to have moved on from difficulty with getting neutral to total lack of drive to the rear wheel. If you can't get the bike to move under engine power, it seems to me that your clutch isn't set up properly and your lesser problem of finding it difficult to engage neutral* stems from this. It's possible it's worn out but I'd start by adjusting it. If that doesn't work, take it apart and check that it's been assembled correctly.

*This sometimes happens to mine when I'm working on it but I find that a slight rotation of the rear wheel when I operate the gear lever helps. This is similar to rocking it forward and back when on the road.

[clive]

Not sure that was what was said Janet, I think the point "grease monkey" was making was that his clutch does not cause his bike to move forward when pulled in, hence the clutch drag cannot be the cause of the difficulty in engaging neutral. This is of course wrong and even a small amount of clutch drag will allow the main drive shaft in the gearbox to continue rotating (if not continuously at least for long enough to make getting into neutral a pain) and make it much more difficult for the gears to engage. One way of checking this out would be to remove the primary cover and observe what happens when the clutch is disengaged and the engine running ( keep your hands well away though I nearly lost the top of a thumb ),. Does the clutch still tend to move round? Whilst the primary cover is off set up a piece of wire as a datum point near the clutch pressure plate and check that it is pulling out squarely this time with the engine stopped and using the kickstart to rotates . If you cannot adjust it to do so suspect the clutch springs and replace them as a set.

[Janet]

Not sure that was what was said Janet,

What he said was

the bike does not go forward when in gear and the engine running

I apologise to him for not reading it as

..........when the clutch is pulled in

but I'm a simple soul with a simple mind and didn't see any mention of that in either of his posts.

In view of this, I recommend totally ignoring my previous post as I'd got the wrong end of the stick.