Kawasaki Ninja Owners Manual: Shifting Gears

Kawasaki Ninja Owners Manual / How to ride the motorcycle / Shifting Gears

Close the throttle while pulling in the clutch lever.
Shift into the next higher or lower gear.
Open the throttle part way, while releasing the clutch lever.
For smooth riding, each gear position should cover the proper rate of speed shown in the table.

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:

Electrical Wiring
Wiring Inspection Visually inspect the wiring for signs of burning, fraying, etc. If any wiring is poor, replace the damaged wiring. Pull each connector [A] apart and inspect it for corrosion, dirt, and damage. If the connector is corroded or dirty, clean it carefully. If it is da ...

Battery Installation
Place the battery in the battery case. Connect the (+) cable to the (+) terminal, and then connect the (–) cable to the (–) terminal. NOTICE Installing the (–) cable to the (+) terminal of the battery or the (+) cable to the (–) terminal of the battery can seriously damaged ...

Cylinder Head Warp Inspection
Clean the cylinder head. Lay a straightedge across the lower surface of the cylinder head at several positions. Use a thickness gauge [A] to measure the space between the straightedge [B] and the head. Cylinder Head Warp Standard: – – – Service Limit: 0.05 mm (0.0020 in.) ...