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 ...

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Self-Diagnosis Procedures
NOTE Use a fully charged battery when conducting self-diagnosis. Otherwise, the light (LED) and symbol do not light or blink. Turn the ignition switch to ON. When a problem occurs with DFI system and ignition system, the warning indicator light (LED) [A] goes on and FI warning symbol ...

Clutch Plate Warp Inspection
Place each friction plate or steel plate on a surface plate and measure the gap between the surface plate [A] and each friction plate or steel plate [B] with a thickness gauge [C]. The gap is the amount of friction or steel plate warp. If any plate is warped over the service limit, repla ...

Washing Your Motorcycle
Rinse your bike with cold water from a garden hose to remove any loose dirt. Mix a mild neutral detergent (designed for motorcycles or automobiles) and water in a bucket. Use a soft cloth or sponge to wash your motorcycle. If needed, use a mild degreaser to remove any oil or greas ...