Ducati Monster Forum

Moto Board => Tech => Topic started by: ungeheuer on September 16, 2009, 04:38:42 PM

Title: M1100S hard to engage neutral
Post by: ungeheuer on September 16, 2009, 04:38:42 PM
G'Day Ducatters,

I'm having a little trouble engaging neutral.  On my 696 I could pop it into neutral first time every time but on my 1100S I have to sit there like an idiot flicking up and down between 1st and 2nd hunting for neutral.  Very annoying.  Bike has only done 500kms so far....  and its possible I have created/magnified the issue coz I have fitted Pazzo levers and Rizoma rear-sets... so a different clutch lever and gear lever. 

Anyone else found neutral hard to locate on M1100?  Any other thoughts on the subject much appreciated.....

Thanks.
Title: Re: M1100S hard to engage neutral
Post by: Spidey on September 16, 2009, 04:44:50 PM
Ah, the good ole Ducati clutch.  Good times . . .

It'll loosen up with more mileage and finding neutral will grow easier.  That said, you'll get better at shifting from 2 to 1 and then shifting to neutral before you come to a stop.  Also, you'll probably find that if you're at a stop and you rock the bike back n' forth, you'll be able to find neutral easier.

I don't know why the 696 was easier to shift, but the problem you're describing is common.  It's not your lever or your rearsets, though adjusting the position of the shift lever may help you out a bit.
Title: Re: M1100S hard to engage neutral
Post by: Slide Panda on September 16, 2009, 05:37:08 PM
For snicks, set the lever to it's furthest position from the bar and see if that makes any difference. 
Title: Re: M1100S hard to engage neutral
Post by: Howie on September 16, 2009, 08:07:34 PM
Bleeding the clutch may help, as well as adjusting free play.  I don't know the right spec for the new bikes though.  Chances are, like Spidey said, all is good, but do tell the dealer about this when you go in for your first service.
Title: Re: M1100S hard to engage neutral
Post by: ScottRNelson on September 21, 2009, 10:16:09 AM
I spent plenty of time not being able to find neutral on my ST2 until I switched from an Evoluzione clutch slave back to a stock slave.  Normally I would find neutral a foot or two before coming to a stop.  I also found that I could roll the bike forward about four inches and often get it to go into neutral.

But after changing to the stock slave which is a little bit higher effort, but separates the clutch plates a bit more, I can now always find neutral when stopped with the engine running.  Unless the clutch fluid needs to be bled, then it can still be a problem.

If you don't want to learn to live with the problem, your best bet is to see if adjusting the lever to the furthest position out will make a difference.
Title: Re: M1100S hard to engage neutral
Post by: 09/1100 on September 24, 2009, 12:38:54 PM
i have a 2009 monster 1100 the clutch lever is adjusted all the way out and everything is stock i have had no problems getting it into neutral.
Title: Re: M1100S hard to engage neutral
Post by: lpgoldtop on September 09, 2013, 07:52:00 AM
brand new 2013 m1100 does it too.  no problem once it's warmed up. seems like a clutch adjustment issue to me...
Title: Re: M1100S hard to engage neutral
Post by: ScottRNelson on September 09, 2013, 07:56:12 AM
Wow!  A four-year-old thread brought back from the dead.  [clap]

Quote from: lpgoldtop on September 09, 2013, 07:52:00 AM
brand new 2013 m1100 does it too.  no problem once it's warmed up. seems like a clutch adjustment issue to me...
You have a wet clutch in that one, right?

If not, there is no good reason for a dry clutch to behave differently when cold than once warmed up.
Title: Re: M1100S hard to engage neutral
Post by: ungeheuer on September 09, 2013, 01:01:55 PM
Quote from: Slide Panda on September 16, 2009, 05:37:08 PM
For snicks, set the lever to it's furthest position from the bar and see if that makes any difference. 
This "fixed" mine.  New Pazzos..... and expecting that I could adjust the lever position as I had on my M696.... but M1100 no likey. 

I got used to the the longer lever reach  [thumbsup]
Title: Re: M1100S hard to engage neutral
Post by: lpgoldtop on September 09, 2013, 01:08:15 PM
wet clutch. Semi-slipper( some new-fangled servo-actuation thingy). Clutch feels great(for a hydralic wet clutch...) the adjustment on the lever shouldn't effect how far the plunger goes into the master cylinder, but mabey Brembo makes theirs diffrentlly. I haven't had a chance to fully reverse engineer anything on that bike yet...
Title: Re: M1100S hard to engage neutral
Post by: ScottRNelson on September 09, 2013, 01:50:20 PM
Quote from: lpgoldtop on September 09, 2013, 01:08:15 PM
wet clutch. Semi-slipper( some new-fangled servo-actuation thingy). Clutch feels great(for a hydralic wet clutch...) the adjustment on the lever shouldn't effect how far the plunger goes into the master cylinder, but mabey Brembo makes theirs diffrentlly. I haven't had a chance to fully reverse engineer anything on that bike yet...
If you adjust the lever to be out a bit further it DOES effect how far the plunger goes into the master cylinder.  It goes in further when you pull the lever to the bar.

I have big hands, so I always adjust all levers all the way out when I have the choice.  And as I mentioned here four years ago, you can always get used to popping it into neutral while you're still moving, while it's easy, during the times that it doesn't release well.
Title: Re: M1100S hard to engage neutral
Post by: lpgoldtop on September 09, 2013, 02:26:44 PM

If you adjust the lever to be out a bit further it DOES effect how far the plunger goes into the master cylinder.  It goes in further when you pull the lever to the bar.

it does look that way. I would like to think that with the clutch nominally adjusted you could have the lever as far in or out as you wanted. The manual does say to adjust the lever distance " for comfort." Not a huge isue though...