Most motorcycle riders understand that different bikes come with different quirks and inconveniences. One common annoyance is the inability to find the neutral gear when parked or stopped at a traffic light. Kawasaki offers a transmission unique from other brands with its Positive Neutral Finder (PNF). It's a feature now standard across all of its modern motorcycle lineup. Kawasaki's PNF system is a clever little mechanism that guarantees the transmission hits neutral when the motorcycle is not moving.
This works by using three simple ball bearings positioned in a slot on the output shaft of the transmission.
It relies on motion-dependent behavior, which means if the bike is moving, the shaft will be spinning. This causes centrifugal force to push the bearings outward, consequently freeing up the space to shift as normal. When the bike comes to a complete stop, the shaft stops spinning, allowing the bearings to settle back into the slot, preventing any shifts to second gear, while still allowing the transmission to shift to first gear and neutral as normal. Rider feedback have been positive, with one rider stating that without the bearings, finding neutral is impossible without killing the engine. However, some riders have pointed out that overly aggressive shifting or worn bearings can occasionally override the system, resulting in accidental shifting to second gear.
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How The PNF Transmission System Works
Being the only brand on the market to offer this transmission as standard on nearly all of its bikes and the straightforward, minimalist design that addresses a universal motorcycle complaint make this transmission a timely improvement for riders. Its predictable and consistent nature in what it does, and without the need for any electronics or extra hardware, gives Kawasaki's PNF system a huge ergonomic improvement over other modern bikes. The PNF operation does not affect performance either; because it's deactivated as soon as the bike is in motion, letting the motorcycle shift gears like normal, even while aggressive riding.
Because of its simple design, Kawasaki mechanics say the Positive Neutral Finder system is pretty reliable, reducing maintenance, while increasing reliability for riders who want to stay on the road rather than the repair shop. The PNF transmission does not require learning new shifting techniques like in other different motorcycle transmissions. It's easy to master shifting quickly, making riding more enjoyable. The predictability and comfort of knowing you won't have to fiddle with the shifter when stopped greatly improves the commuting experience, a key reason why many riders consider Kawasaki to be among the best motorcycles for city riding. Older brands like Harley-Davidson and Royal Enfield also dabbled in similar systems, but never officially offered the feature on their bikes.
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Read the original article on SlashGear.
