Kawasaki Ninja Owners Manual: Shifting Gears

Kawasaki Ninja Owners Manual / How to ride the motorcycle / Shifting Gears

Close the throttle while pulling in the clutch lever.
Shift into the next higher or lower gear.
Open the throttle part way, while releasing the clutch lever.
For smooth riding, each gear position should cover the proper rate of speed shown in the table.

WARNING

Downshifting to a lower gear at high speed causes engine rpm to increase excessively, potentially damaging the engine and it may also cause the rear wheel to skid and cause an accident.

Vehicle speed when shifting

NOTE

The transmission is equipped with a positive neutral finder. When the motorcycle is standing still, the transmission cannot be shifted past neutral from 1st gear. To use the positive neutral finder, shift down to 1st gear, then lift up on the shift pedal while standing still. The transmission will shift only into neutral.

Moving Off

Check that the side stand is up. Pull in the clutch lever. Shift into 1st gear. Open the throttle a little, and start to let out the clutch lever very slowly. As the clutch starts to enga ...

Braking

Close the throttle completely, leaving the clutch engaged (except when shifting gears) so that the engine will help slow down the motorcycle. Shift down one gear at a time so that you are ...

Other materials:

Swingarm Removal
Remove: Rear Wheel (see Rear Wheel Removal in the Wheels/Tires chapter) Mud Guard with Rear Brake Hose (see Mud Guard Removal in the Frame chapter) Rocker Arm (see Rocker Arm Removal) Remove: Brake Hose Clamp Bolt [A] Unscrew the swingarm pivot shaft nut [A]. Usi ...

Oil Cooler Installation
Replace the O-ring [A] with a new one. Apply grease to the new O-ring. Install the water hoses and hose clamps [A] as shown in the figure. Water Hose (About 300 mm, 11.8 in.) [B] Water Hose (About 130 mm, 5.1 in.) [C] Yellow Paint [D] Tighten: Torque - Water Hose Clamp S ...

Passenger’s Seat Installation
Insert the tab on the rear of the passenger’s seat into the slot in the frame. Insert the projections at the front of the passenger’s seat into the holes on the frame. Push down the front part of the passenger’s seat until the lock clicks. A. Passenger’s Seat B. Proj ...