Topic: can't find neutral with bike off

[andy8190]

So I am putting my bike back together after it sitting for about 2 years. I can't for the life of me get it to go into neutral. I put new clutch springs on it several months back. What should I look for as the problem? I tried rocking it back and forth and shifting into neutral from 2nd and even 1st and still nothing. Bike is a cb350f

[andy8190]

Just to add more info. I can shift up and down between all the gears. I just can't catch neutral. The bike doesn't have any oil in it right now but I don't think I should be having a problem getting the bike into neutral when it is not even running.

[Don R]

 I'd start it with the back wheel off the ground, the clutches are oil lubricated. I'm wondering if that would shake it loose and also oil the shift mechanism inside.
 I'm paranoid about leaving anything with no oil in it. I've seen guys forget. If I'm working on it and can't oil it I hang a big tag. But that's just me.

[andy8190]

I had a super dumb moment yesterday and the solution came to me while in the grocery store. I have some DIY rearsets and I installed the shifter link on the bottom instead of the top. So when I thought I was in 1st or 2nd I was actually in 5th or 4th. While I was at it I took another spare shifter and made the link longer and now it shifts up and down the gears super easy, even with just my fingers.

[Don R]

 Thanks for the problem solved post.