Kawasaki Ninja Owners Manual: Shifting Gears

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

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:

Oil Cooler Removal
Remove: Coolant (Drain, see Coolant Change in the Periodic Maintenance chapter) Engine Oil (Drain, see Engine Oil Change in the Periodic Maintenance chapter) Lower Fairings (see Lower Fairing Removal in the Frame chapter) Water Hose Ends [A] (Disconnect) Remove: Oil Cool ...

Oxygen Sensor - not activated (Service Code 33, Equipped Models)
Oxygen Sensor Removal/Installation Refer to the Oxygen Sensor Removal/Installation (Equipped Models) in the Electrical System chapter. Oxygen Sensor Inspection Remove: Fuel Tank (see Fuel Tank Removal in the Fuel System (DFI) chapter) Oxygen Sensor Lead Connector [A] Connect t ...

Transmission Shaft Disassembly
Remove the transmission shafts (see Transmission Shaft Removal). Remove the circlips, and then disassemble the transmission shafts. Special Tool - Outside Circlip Pliers: 57001-144 The 5th gear [A] on the output shaft has three steel balls assembled into it for the positive neutral fin ...