Ninja 300 False Netural/Shifting Issue

[Angela McWilliams]

Yep... the response from a rep at Kawasaki was to remind me of my now voided warranty... and recommend that I take it to a mechanic.

This is not an issue I would expect under normal operation. I wouldn't bring up a race issue on a bike built for economy.

[Kasey Lewis]

I can't speak for Walter but I don't think he would have an issue with this modification. I suggest having a conversation with him. At the last ECR round I was coming out of turn 2 in the LW endurance race approaching a 300 at a pretty quick clip when the rider had a shifting issue. I barely avoided a collision, it was extremely close and I don't think it would have ended well had we collided.

All I can say is Factory Pro has been making shift kits for motorcycles that have sold very well for years. I don't own a 300 but I do ride the 250 which exhibits a similar problem however the 250 does not have the same type of internal shifting mechanism. The 300 shifter was updated to be more like bigger bikes which by the way is a better system in my opinion.

There are several things that could contribute to this issue and some have been mentioned already.

1. The external shift set-up is important. The angle of the knuckle on the shift shaft should be as close as possible to the angle of the shift pedal actuation arm. Imagine you are standing on the left side of the bike looking at the shift rod.

I_____I , /_____/ and \_____\ work best.

\_____I , /_____I , I_____\ and I_____/ are okay.

\_____/ , /_____\ are not optimal.


2. The heim joints need to be free to move and not in a bind. I’ve seen these jammed all the way to one extreme or the other when adjustments are made to the shift rod. The joints must have some room to rotate.

3. Eliminate as much free play in the external shifter/rear sets as possible caused by any loose bolts or nuts.

4. The spring on the internal shift mechanism that helps maintain the selected gear is often not up to the task of racing. This is where the Factory Pro shift kit may help. The stiffer spring makes it more difficult for the conditions experienced in this thread from occurring.
Example of internal shift parts:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=voi70IqJJfM

That's a very good write up, and ill be checking the shifter angle. Now I'd love to get a shifter kit in and demo it, but it takes 7 days to process, any way you can speed that up?

[Kasey Lewis]

Yep... the response from a rep at Kawasaki was to remind me of my now voided warranty... and recommend that I take it to a mechanic.

They are much more understanding on the race models, but not on a 300!

[Michael De Simone]

They are much more understanding on the race models, but not on a 300!

Their service sucks. My ZX-6 has and issue when you sit at 10k RPM in any gear (which happens to be a real nice spot to sit at when you cruise the highway or commute to work) where it would deliver inconsistent power at when at a steady throttle. I called them and they response was that it wasn't happening, even though my mechanic could reproduce the problem.

[Sloan Essman]

I can't speak for Walter but I don't think he would have an issue with this modification. I suggest having a conversation with him. At the last ECR round I was coming out of turn 2 in the LW endurance race approaching a 300 at a pretty quick clip when the rider had a shifting issue. I barely avoided a collision, it was extremely close and I don't think it would have ended well had we collided.

That may have been me, green 300 and red leathers. I know toward the end of the race climbing the hill after turn 2 I somehow managed to click the shifter twice and lost all my RPMs. I somebody came by really close on the outside when I lost the drive and we both gave the "oops, it's all good" wave.

[Brad Thomas]

I tucked in behind ya to go up the hill and suddenly that O-****e moment got me. Glad we made it Sloan.

Sent from my SGH-T889 using Tapatalk

[Manny Poulis]

I had the same problem with 2 of my 300s, it only happens when I'm leaned over so I changed the oil and went to rotella cause that's what we use on all the dirt bikes for a sec I thought the problem was cured but as I put more and more laps down the problem came back, it felt like I'm just not getting a positive shift or the clutch was not out all the way, I drilled a hole on the clutch arm coming out of the case and ran a spring to the frame to pull the clutch further back and it seems like its working then once in a while it would still do it and then I read somewhere that the peak horse power is made way down on the rpm range 10-11k rpms and i started short shifting when I did this it has not popped back any more, when I go into the high rpms 11500-13000 it does do it but under that it does not, I'm just thinking maybe vibration oil level / viscosity break down all have affect, just my 2 cents,

[Manny Poulis]

Oh I have a picture of the spring that I I stalled but I do t know how to post it
512-567-0381 if anyone wants to see it.

[Greg Sheldon]

My 300 seems to have a similar problem when under heavy engine braking. Tipping into corner after letting off brakes, it will seem to pop out of gear, which usually causes a pucker moment due to loss of engine braking. Worse still, it will then catch again and has almost high sided me on a couple of occasions. Have not experienced any problems what so ever with missed shifts, or it popping out of gear during upshifts. Any possibility of it being a malfunction in the slipper unit?

[Kasey Lewis]

Try to adjust your shifter geometry as well, that may play a part. We moved the knuckles on both my 300's and it reduced the issue. Still happens occasionally, but not nearly as often