Bike won't shift into neutral

[smoskal]

I am looking to buy a 1978CB750. The owner said that he can't shift it into neutral. It looks as though it has been sitting for some time (dusty and alot of stuff around it). He also doesn't have the keys (I lloked and think that I found an ignition shift so I am not to concerned about that). Is there an easy way to know how serious of a problem it is for it to not shift into neutral?

 

[Travis]

Welcome to the site! Does the bike run? Does the clutch work? Can you shift through the gears but just can't find neutral? If the bike doesn't run, can you rock the bike back and forth while trying to find nuetral? It could be a few things from the clutch cable, clutch, bent shift forks, or something wrong with the transmission. Depending on what it's doing, you'd typically want to start with the clutch and clutch cable before splitting the cases for the shift forks and transmission.

 

[smoskal]

Travis,

Thanks for the reply. It is actually a bike I am looking to buy and the owner is just warning me that he can't get it into neutral. I was just looking for some input as to potential issues. I know that it is nearly impossible without taking a look at it in more detail. Just shooting in the dark a little.

Thanks.

Welcome to the site! Does the bike run? Does the clutch work? Can you shift through the gears but just can't find neutral? If the bike doesn't run, can you rock the bike back and forth while trying to find nuetral? It could be a few things from the clutch cable, clutch, bent shift forks, or something wrong with the transmission. Depending on what it's doing, you'd typically want to start with the clutch and clutch cable before splitting the cases for the shift forks and transmission.

 

[dirtdigger]

Potential causes....bent shift forks, bad gears or bushings, broken gears, seized gears from lack of oil, bad tranny bearings, bad shift drum, the list goes on and on. See if you can get it in neutral by rocking it back and forth. You normally need to have some transmission shafts moving to get the gears to slide in and out of gears thus the rocking back and forth if the bike wont run. You really need to have the bike running to know what you really have in terms of problems.

 

[Travis]

smoskal, did you get a chance to look at that bike yet? Or did you decide to look for something else?

 

[Kevinhunt2526]

Hey everyone I’m having an issue with my bike not wanting to go into neutral every time as well I ended up getting it in but for starting purposes the bike wouldn’t go into neutral. It died because the battery is like a year old but it’s never been used.(the battery.) but the bike I bought is a 91 cb750 nighthawk. I changed the oil. And when I added a little extra oil I ended up getting it to act right. Coincidence? Idk.