Riding a Motorcycle

Step 3: Find Neutral

Switching gears on a motorcycle is much different than a manual transmission car. In a car you could go directly from first gear to fourth gear but in a motorcycle you must go through the gears sequentially. When shifting on a motorcycle you have two choices, shift up or shift down. The vast majority of motorcycles have the one-down, five-up gear setting. This means that the gears are in ascending order and there is one gear below neutral and five gears above neutral. In other words neutral is between the first gear and the second gear. Every time you switch gears on a motorcycle you must let the gear shifter return to its normal position. To shift down, put your foot on top of the gear shifter and press down. To shift up, put your foot under the gear shifter and press up. Remember to either remove your foot from the gear shifter after shifting or move your foot back to the position it was in before you shifted. You will not be able to shift again until the gear shifter returns to its normal position.

Unlike in a manual transmission car, finding neutral can be quite confusing for a new rider. Neutral is almost hidden on motorcycles and simply switching between gears will not get you into neutral.

Before starting your motorcycle, you should ensure that it is in neutral.

1. Pull in the clutch lever.
2. Press down on the gear shifter and release it repeatedly until you are in first gear (it can no longer be pressed down).
              Note: If you cannot press the gear shifter down than you are already in first gear.
              Note: You will hear a click every time you switch a gear.
3. Place your foot underneath the gear shifter.
4. Slowly press the gear shifter up until it clicks. The gear shifter should be about half way raised.
              Note: Neutral is between first and second. It isn't really its own gear which is why the shifter is only halfway raised. Pressing the shifter up all the way will put the motorcycle into second gear.
5. The green neutral (N) indicator light will turn on when you are in neutral. If it did not, repeat from step two.
6. Release the clutch lever.