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:

Throttle Body Assy Holder Installation
Be sure to install the new O-rings [A]. Using a high flash-point solvent, clean off any oil or dirt that may be on the silicone sealant coating area. Dry them with a clean cloth. Apply silicone sealant to any two positions of the new O -ring. Sealant - Liquid Gasket, TB1211F: 92104-0 ...

Steering Play Adjustment
Remove: Steering Stem Head with Handlebars (see Handlebar Removal in the Steering chapter). Bend the claws [A] of the claw washer [B] straighten. Remove: Steering Stem Locknut [C] Claw Washer Adjust the steering using the steering stem nut wrench [A]. Special Tool - Ste ...

Battery Maintenance
It is the owner’s responsibility to keep the battery fully charged. Failure to do so can lead to battery failure and leave you stranded. If you are riding your vehicle infrequently, inspect the battery voltage weekly using a voltmeter. If it drops below 12.8 volts, the battery should be ...