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:

Camshaft Chain Tensioner Installation
Replace the O-ring [A] with a new one. Apply grease to the new O-ring. Release the stopper [B] and push the push rod [C] into the interior of the tensioner body [D] so that the position of the push rod is 3 or 4 notches [E] as shown in the figure. Install the tensioner body so that the ...

Water Temperature Sensor Removal/Installation
NOTICE Never drop the water temperature sensor especially on a hard surface. Such a shock to the sensor can damage it. Remove the throttle body assy (see Throttle Body Assy Removal in the Fuel System (DFI) chapter). Drain the coolant (see Coolant Change in the Periodic Maintenance c ...

Compression Damping Force Adjustment
To adjust the compression damping force, turn the compression damping adjuster [A]. The standard adjuster setting is the 4 1/2 turns out from the fully clockwise position. WARNINGIf both adjusters are not adjusted equally, handling may be impaired and a hazardous condition ma ...