Issue with Neutral when bike is hot

I'm having an issue with my bike not going from first gear to neutral , but only after bike gets hot. I do a 12 mile commute to and from work each day and by the time I get to work the bike won't shift from first to neutral while the bike is running. When I hit the kill switch it goes right to neutral. We've tried adjusting the clutch several different times with no luck. Any suggestions before I take it to the dealer to look at?

Just an Internet guess.............Improve your shifting technique..........I suspect the dealer tech will not have the problem ????? Very likely the dealer will not be able to do much.

Edit......I would.say try different shoes or boots and see if that changes anything. Also remove the shifter and clean and lube the shifter and support. Any dirt or grit can cause poor shifting feel.

Manual version?

Thats odd, ine of the things I like very much is the gearbox feeling and the easiness to find gears.

For me this has been common on most of the bikes I have owned. I will put a bit of drag on the clutch, then release it and find neutral. I always felt it was better to have a bit of trouble finding neutral when stopped then find it when going through the gears, up or down.

I was going to say it was a Honda. But my Yamahas have been the same way.

You didn't mention how many miles on the bike? What oil grade and type are you using? Sometimes the wrong oil can cause the clutch plates to stick together. I would start with an oil change using a motorcycle specific oil and use something different than what your presently using. Also make sure the level is bang on.

Since he only has the problem when the motor is warm I dought he has a problem with shoes or riding technique.

Manual version, 32,000 miles, same with boots or sneakers. Over 100,000 miles on my other bike so I doubt my shifting style an issue.

Also, all oil changes done with oil recommended in owners manual

Tbh the manual gearbox on this bike is one of the best I have encountered. There is never a problem getting neutral from first. Imho something is not right with the clutch, especially as it has been adjusted, and the correct oil is used. Boot size or technique have nothing to do with shifting from first to neutral when stationary. Best get the dealer to have a look. Please keep us posted.

I doubt that there is anything wrong with the clutch or oil. It may be that the shifting forks are a tiny bit off. Like I said before, it has been common to me. It is not all the time but more often than not. I had the same thing happen on many dirt bikes I have owned. You adjust your clutch to engage where you want and to fully disengage. I have never adjusted a clutch to find neutral.

Try adjusting the shift link lever up or down one notch.

I just push the "N" button and it works every time!

All kidding aside, "I can't find neutral from 1st" is probably the most common complaint from students taking the basic MSF course. If you roll the bike back and forth a tiny amount, it often helps to find neutral. I was an MSF instructor for 16-years.

Motorcycle transmissions are different than those in a car where any gear or neutral can be selected easily while stopped. The typical car transmission uses small synchronizer rings to select gears that don't move while a motorcycle transmission moves gears, out of/into engagement. The shifting mechanism for a motorcycle also uses a detent stop for each gear and the detent for neutral is not as positive as for the other gears. If they made it any more positive, you wouldn't be able to shift smoothly from 1st-to-2nd.

Other than your dealer adjusting the clutch freeplay and perhaps changing oil, there isn't much more he can do.

DirtFlier said:

All kidding aside, "I can't find neutral from 1st" is probably the most common complaint from students taking the basic MSF course. .

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I do believe I saw it mentioned by Throttlegirl that she has 100,000 miles on another of her bikes. Perhaps She is beyond the student stage ?

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And the other bike listed is a cruiser with floor boards............could there be any more different foot position, shifter position or shifter action????

At a stop I find myself in 4th gear. Yeah, I was looking at the scenery and not paying attention.

My technique is to release the clutch slightly to shift down, one at a time, through the gears. No forward motion required.

Just as a side note - The bike is a 2012 which I've had since new, and have only started having this issue within the last month.

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Did you clean and lube the shifter pivot and linkage yet ?????? Makes a huge difference if the shifter lever is not returning to the middle position.

Shifter pivot and linkage cleaned and lubed today. We'll see tomorrow. Thanks to everyone for replies

Was reading in the manual just now. It said oil level can affect shifting- also additives in the oil.
I'm just grasping for something for you to think about . Hope you find the problem soon!

You may have to go thru Section 11 of Service Manual, troubleshooting. In worst case talk to authorized Honda mechanic.
If you don't have Service Manual maybe this would help.

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After looking at the list above, one other item comes to mind ....too much oil in crankcases ?