Mine did the same, adjusting the clutch cable will sort it.
Problems Getting in Neutral
I have recently bought a Scrambler Icon from a local dealer. When the engine is cold I can change easily from 1st to neutral when stationary. However, when the engine is up to full operating temperature it is extremely difficult to change into neutral. The gear change lever becomes so stiff that I have to use so much pressure to get it out of 1st that it jumps into 2nd. The same happens when I try it from 2nd to neutral. If I stop the engine I can change into neutral easily. I have also found that occasionally the bike will be in neutral but the neutral light is not on.
The bike is 2 years old and has done 2000 miles. It was serviced about 900 miles and has just been serviced again. Changing the oil has made a slight improvement. The clutch cable is correctly adjusted.
It seems strange that it is OK when cold but sticks when hot.
Has anyone experienced a similar problem? Any solutions.
The bike is 2 years old and has done 2000 miles. It was serviced about 900 miles and has just been serviced again. Changing the oil has made a slight improvement. The clutch cable is correctly adjusted.
It seems strange that it is OK when cold but sticks when hot.
Has anyone experienced a similar problem? Any solutions.
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I'm with Arno. I know you have said the clutch cable is adjusted- so was mine. I slackened it off completely and then re-adjusted and it's sorted!
Does your Scrambler have a standard or after-market clutch lever?
I think this is a very relevant question. Got my new off the showroom floor and had not problem finding neutral. Then fitted after-market levers and struggled. Adjusting the cable tension solved it for me.Does your Scrambler have a standard or after-market clutch lever?
Hello
Your clutch lever is clearly badly setup. The clutch is certainly not enough disengaged and that's why the neutral is so hard to reach. It works when everything is cold because cold clutch disks are thinner than hot ones.
Set up your clutch lever displacement, leaving enough free play and everything will be OK again.
Your clutch lever is clearly badly setup. The clutch is certainly not enough disengaged and that's why the neutral is so hard to reach. It works when everything is cold because cold clutch disks are thinner than hot ones.
Set up your clutch lever displacement, leaving enough free play and everything will be OK again.
Thanks for all the advice. I have slackened the cable then re-adjusted it as suggested. It is certainly better but part of that may be me getting used to my new bike and improving my changing technique. Thanks vincelp for explaining why the problem only exists when the clutch is hot.
Keeping your chain correctly tensioned will also aid slicker gear changes.
Hello
He is talking about difficulties to reach neutral and use his gearbox, you answer "chain tensioning"...
If you have a badly tensioned chain, with a rightly set up clutch, the gears will change easily.
Reverse is not true.
As many other Scrambler owners, he faced a badly set up clutch. It's very easy to change this, turning the bolt where the cable goes through near the lever. The only risk is to leave not enough free-play, which may burn the clutch disks because they are constantly slipping. When setting the clutch lever, you must leave 2 mm of free-play, where the clutch lever moves without moving the clutch actuator on the right side of then engine case.
If you put to many free-play, the clutch will not completely disengage and gears will be difficult to change or even impossible to change.
Mhuuu ?Keeping your chain correctly tensioned will also aid slicker gear changes.
He is talking about difficulties to reach neutral and use his gearbox, you answer "chain tensioning"...
If you have a badly tensioned chain, with a rightly set up clutch, the gears will change easily.
Reverse is not true.
As many other Scrambler owners, he faced a badly set up clutch. It's very easy to change this, turning the bolt where the cable goes through near the lever. The only risk is to leave not enough free-play, which may burn the clutch disks because they are constantly slipping. When setting the clutch lever, you must leave 2 mm of free-play, where the clutch lever moves without moving the clutch actuator on the right side of then engine case.
If you put to many free-play, the clutch will not completely disengage and gears will be difficult to change or even impossible to change.
Well,
got mine off the showroom floor yesterday, and it's definitely hard to find neutral (as in, nearly impossible at standstill). Requires more force than seems good for internals. Both with the stock clutch lever, and with an aftermarket one. Once rolling the bike shifts fine.
Trying to train myself to tap it into neutral from second gear while still rolling and coming to a stop.
got mine off the showroom floor yesterday, and it's definitely hard to find neutral (as in, nearly impossible at standstill). Requires more force than seems good for internals. Both with the stock clutch lever, and with an aftermarket one. Once rolling the bike shifts fine.
Trying to train myself to tap it into neutral from second gear while still rolling and coming to a stop.
I found a neutral between 4th and 5th the other day while changing down
Can I have it? I need one between 1st an 2nd..:smile-new:
Hello
When the clutch is correctly setup, you should find the neutral easily, bike moving or not, cold or hot engine.
This is abnormal. Go back to your dealer and request a clutch setup.Well,
got mine off the showroom floor yesterday, and it's definitely hard to find neutral (as in, nearly impossible at standstill). Requires more force than seems good for internals. Both with the stock clutch lever, and with an aftermarket one. Once rolling the bike shifts fine..
When the clutch is correctly setup, you should find the neutral easily, bike moving or not, cold or hot engine.
Mine is new and I also am having issues getting it into neutral sometimes. I have another bike that I have to roll around a bit at times to make it work, between that and working the shifter I usually finally get there. Will try the clutch cable idea if it persists, I assumed it was a new bike thing.
It gets better over time
It gets better over time
also after the 1st oil change.
Ok, new rider here, got a 2016 Italia Scrambler with 5500 km on it...I've since buying put on about 200 km. I'm having the same issue as OP. Clutch pedal is very still when I stop at lights and try to find neutral. Then when I pull into a gas station or something, I find it just fine...pedal is soft. I've adjusted the clutch lever because previous owner had 0 free play in it. Since being in my care, it has the proper amount of free play. (I will double check this just in case I've given it more than what the manual says, since I'm no expert at any of this)
I changed the oil/filter when I bought the bike @ 5500km.
What do you mean when you say "slackened the cable and readjusted"? Can someone walk me through what this actually entails? So far I've just adjusted the cable as I mentioned above according to the manual.
Thanks.
I changed the oil/filter when I bought the bike @ 5500km.
What do you mean when you say "slackened the cable and readjusted"? Can someone walk me through what this actually entails? So far I've just adjusted the cable as I mentioned above according to the manual.
Thanks.
I have original clutch lever, 1,000 miles from new and experiencing these problems. Will try the slacken off and re-adjust approach.
Vince, how would the dealer set up the clutch (200 mile round trip)?
Vince, how would the dealer set up the clutch (200 mile round trip)?
Ours is almost impossible to find neutral as well until it really warms up, like 10 minutes or so riding then it seems okay but the bike only has less than 200km on it.
I'm not at all concerned until after the 1000km service.
I'm not at all concerned until after the 1000km service.
More questions...
Is it common for the clutch lever to be fairly stiff?
Would it make sense to lube the clutch cable after less than 2 years and less than 6000 km?
I checked my free play and it looked ok, 3-4 mm although I did adjust it last night a bit so I might have had more than 4 mm yesterday. Will report after today's ride.
Is it common for the clutch lever to be fairly stiff?
Would it make sense to lube the clutch cable after less than 2 years and less than 6000 km?
I checked my free play and it looked ok, 3-4 mm although I did adjust it last night a bit so I might have had more than 4 mm yesterday. Will report after today's ride.
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