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:

Exhaust Pipe Installation
Replace the exhaust pipe gaskets [A] and premuffler chamber gasket [B] with new ones. Install the premuffler chamber gasket to the premuffler chamber [C] until it is bottomed so that the chamfer side faces exhaust pipe [D]. Install the exhaust pipe clamp [E] as shown in the figure. I ...

Connecting Rod Twist Inspection
With the big-end arbor [A] still on V block [C], hold the connecting rod horizontally and measure the amount that the arbor [B] varies from being paralleled with the surface plate over a 100 mm (3.94 in.) length of the arbor to determine the amount of connecting rod twist. If the conne ...

Air Suction Valve Installation
Install the air suction valve so that opening [A] of the reed faces downward. Apply a non-permanent locking agent to the threads of the air suction valve cover bolts [A], and tighten them. Torque - Air Suction Valve Cover Bolts: 9.8 N·m (1.0 kgf·m, 87 in·lb) ...