trouble getting neutral on cold '14 TriGlide

MB1953

450+ Posts
May 23, 2014
453
205
Peru, IN
Name
Mark
OK, I am a little confused. When I bought the TG, I read all the posts about difficulty finding neutral until they got a few miles on them. I experienced the same thing, but never had a problem getting neutral when the bike was shut off; just a quick tap of the heel from first. After about 3000 miles, no problem finding neutral at all. Now I have 6000 miles, and still no problems getting neutral, EXCEPT when i am ready to first start the bike when cold. I park it in first gear (don't trust the parking brake), and have to fight with it to get neutral, sometimes I can't, so I start it in gear, and as soon as it starts, a quick heel tap and I'm in! One issue here is that the clutch drag on a cold box makes the starter turn a little slower, so it's not bad with my brand new battery, but may be a problem as it gets older. The primary and trans fluids were changed at the 1000 mile service, but not the 5000; will the 10000 mile change on them make a difference? Anyone else have this experience? Am I looking at a dealer trip here? Clutch adjustment?

Any information would be great... thanks!
 
Could be a number of things...but most likely is the clutch needs adjustment.

Other possibilities-

Make sure when the primary fluid is changed it is not overfilled...even the slightest overfill can cause the clutch to drag and make neutral harder to find

Are you parking in the same spot as when it was easy to find neutral cold/not running?

If there is pressure on the gears (parked uphill or downhill) that will make neutral more difficult to find....even if the clutch is pulled in/engine not running...sticky plates.

Have you tried rocking back and forth a bit with the clutch pulled in to get neutral? (I know you probably don't want to have to do that...but it may help until you get the clutch adjusted).

Kevin
 
There is no clutch adjustment on a hydraulic clutch, the only thing they can do is bleed it if some air may be in the system. Primary fill level doesn't come into play when its not running. I think DK hit it on the head, there is pressure on the gears. They will be a bear to find neutral if they are on a slight incline or decline.
 
I never start ''any'' bike/trike in gear, Especially when cold, [clutch drag] With my 11 T/G I will rock it a little and tap the heal shifter into neutral... And with all the bikes I had over 45+ years, All did that to some extent.
Just to add I only use the heal shifter to find neutral.
 
I never leave my bike in gear - 2 wheels or 3 wheels. I have a Velcro strap that I put around the brake lever. Works like a charm and you can't forget to disengage it. ThumbUp
 
I find it much easer to go into neutral with the motor off and key on. When I stop I leave it in gear and apply the break. :Shrug:
 
I think DK hit it on the head, there is pressure on the gears. They will be a bear to find neutral if they are on a slight incline or decline.

OK, that makes sense, and seems to be proving out. I didn't think about it when I posted, but this happens in the morning when I pull in the clutch and roll the bike back out of the garage (level) and into the driveway (slight downhill slope) to start it. I rocked it this morning and it dropped into neutral. Also explains why i never have any problem finding neutral when I com out of work to ride home, since the parking lot is flat.ThumbUp Thanks guys!
 
Neutral is naturally easiest to find when the engine's off as mentioned earlier. If you have trouble finding neutral with the engine running put light pressure on the shift lever then blip the throttle and you'll fell the shift lever move very easily for you. Blipping the throttle causes the drive and driven clutch plates to move at different speeds and releases their bind on the gears for just a second or so and it works every time for me.

Phu Cat
 

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