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:

Brake Pad Wear Inspection
Remove the brake pads (see Front/Rear Brake Pad Removal in the Brakes chapter). Check the lining thickness [A] of the pads in each caliper. If the lining thickness of either pad is less than the service limit [B], replace both pads in the caliper as a set. Front Brake Pad [C] Rea ...

Muffler Body Installation
Replace the muffler body gasket [A] with a new one. Install the muffler body gasket to the premuffler chamber [B] until it is bottomed so that the chamfer side faces premuffler chamber. Install the muffler body clamp [C] as shown in the figure. Insert the projection [D] into the slot [ ...

Tire Installation
WARNINGSome replacement tires may adversely affect handling and cause an accident resulting in serious injury or death. To ensure proper handling and stability, use only the recommended standard tires for replacement, inflated to the standard pressure. Inspect the rim ...