1 down, neutral, Nothing up.

Just got my bike today, never seen or rode it, don't know much about its history except it hasn't been used in 5 years.

Im currently charging a battery, but what I've noticed to far is.

I can only engage 1st and neutral when sitting, rocking or walking the bike.

The shift leaver moves up, but doesn't engage any gears above neutral.

Six50_kz650 wrote: Just got my bike today, never seen or rode it, don't know much about its history except it hasn't been used in 5 years.

Im currently charging a battery, but what I've noticed to far is.

I can only engage 1st and neutral when sitting, rocking or walking the bike.

The shift leaver moves up, but doesn't engage any gears above neutral.

Likely walking the bike too slowly.

If rear wheel is rolling forward fast enough, should be able to shift into second gear and higher gears.

It's a design feature of the transmission so that the bike will be underway before shifting into second gear or other gears above low gear.

When the bike is on the center-stand with transmission in neutral, should be able to hand-spin the rear tire fast enough to shift into 2nd gear. And probably with or without using the clutch.

Good Fortune!

That's normal for your bike. There's a feature that prevents upshifting unless the output shaft is spinning. Ed

Gets em every time. :whistle:
Steve

:laugh: I chuckle every time I see this question. It got me too. I called a local Kawasaki Guru to get the info. I was so bummed out before I found it is was designed that way.

I've been thinking about removing it from my tran's.
At the track I run low enough gearing I can launch in second and
use 5th gear at the finish line.

I can do it now but it's a PITA to make sure I shift it to second as I roll up
to stage and then I can't shift back to neutral if they shut us down for a few minute's.
Another thimg about launching in 2nd. is the first shift I make doesn't have to go
through neutral so less shifter travel to make the shift.

You might want to plug in a 1977 KZ650-C1 or B1 tranny or the appropriate parts to eliminate it. The 1977 models didn't have that new fangled gizmo with 3 balls to save riders from themselves. Ed

I'm sure Kawasaki regrets adding this feature. The same question is asked 10 or 20 times a year on this forum. A feature no one really needs or expects. I guess it's nice to be able to shift to neutral at a stop without worry of shifting to second, but really, how difficult is it to be gentle and shift to neutral? I guess the feature never bothered me, but to live without it is no problem.

I don't see how they would regret it, just another feature that put them ahead of the competition. They may regret the longevity though. :whistle:
Steve

Reason I thought they regretted is 600,000 people never understood the feature out of 600,100 sold. All these years and still every 4 days someone asks the same question just on this forum. I'm sure dealers got sick and tired of same old question, probably every 15 minutes someone calling every dealer. :sick:

I can hear it now, "sure bring it in and we'll fix it," after two or three days of shop time, "it's ready, BTW, we've installed a safety feature to prevent you from being too STUPID." "Here's your bill.":whistle:
Steve

Ha it got me good the other day, I was mating the crankcase halves but testing to make sure the gears all were in place and shifted smoothly and I could not figure out for the life of me why I could only switch to 1st and back by hand. After about 10 minutes of cursing and lifting off and replacing the bottom half, I realized I was an idiot. Spun the shaft a lot faster and it snapped right up to second. I dumb.