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Why is neutral between 1st and 2nd???

2927 Views 9 Replies 9 Participants Last post by  zdowell
I was just wondering why that is. Probably something do with the mechanics or something. Just curious if anyone knows exactly why it is the way it is. THANKS. :hattip
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Often thought bought that myself, I've no clue but gearboxes are a mystery to me.
It so that when you are downshifting you dont shift past first into neutral...because if that happened you would loose the advantage of engine braking.

I read that in cycle world
Because it always has been, basically?

Some gearboxes in old british crap go N-1-2-3-..etc But that's rare.
because when you cruisin 60 and about to go 2nd gear... you dont accidentally go to 1st and fly off the top of your bike?......
i think its and engineering thing.. if ur cruising around 60-70 and for whatever reason need nuetral u wont need to go past first... ever tried sticking into first at that speed on a 6? it probably wont go in until u rev match to 15k... and it it does go in.. u hear a big.... BANG....
That's like asking "what is the meaning of life?" .... it just is and has always been :lol
Actually, there is a specific reason why neutral ended up between first and second gear when motorcycle controls were standardized in 1975: SAFETY.

In the 60s and 70s, there was a growing trend toward placing neutral below first gear. For example, a Kawasaki 100 with a '4 up' shift pattern (N,1,2,3,4). As this shift pattern gained popularity, more and more motorcyclists were developing the tendency to instictively shift the bike all the way down into neutral as they slowed, sometimes accidentally, but most times intentionally. The idea was that you could stay in neutral at a light or stop sign, then clutch into gear and start rolling again when right-of-way was established. The habit was obviously flawed, and riders started getting hurt.

The vast majority of injuries were caused when a bike was inadvertently upshifted from neutral into first gear at a fast coast. The resultant engine breaking caused instant rear wheel lockups, which in turn caused crashes. The mechanical aspects of neutral's location also caused various runability and logistical problems, as well.

By locating neutral between first and second gears, the severity of engine breaking in the event of accidental upshift was reduced, as well as making neutral a relative inconvenience, rather than something riders depended on. It also made first gear the natural first position in the gear box, which is where the transmission should be adjusted whenever the bike is stopped in traffic anyway.
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Also you dont need to count the gears, when you get to the bottom of the box it goes into 1st, if the pattern was N,1,2 etc you could go down too far and have NO engine braking coming into a corner.
Which im sure we have all done
Thanks. I was just wondering makes sense.
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