Bike Riding Tips: Why is neutral gear in a bike between first and second gear? The reason behind the 1-N-2-3-4-5 pattern

• Why is neutral gear in a bike between 1st and 2nd gear?
• The reason behind the 1-N-2-3-4-5 pattern
• Why is neutral only after first gear?

Bike Riding Tips Marathi : Almost all motorcycles these days have a green light with an ‘N’ written on their dashboard. It means neutral. When bike When in neutral, the engine runs but does not move forward. That’s why riders put the bike in neutral when parking it at a red signal, in a garage or in a parking lot, so that the bike stays comfortably in place and doesn’t jerk forward without pressing the clutch. But have you ever wondered why the neutral gear of a bike is not on the lowest gear, but between first and second gear? There is an interesting reason behind this. Know more details…

How to put a bike in neutral

Putting the bike in neutral is slightly different.

First method: When your bike is in first gear, gently lift up the gear lever.

Another method: When the bike is in second gear, push the lever down gently. Many riders find it easier to shift from second gear into neutral. As soon as neutral is engaged, a green light flashes on the meter console.

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Why is neutral only after first gear?

The standard gear pattern on most bikes is 1-N-2-3-4-5. This means, first gear is in lower gear and all other gears are in upper gear. It may sound strange, but it is deliberately designed for the rider’s safety.

If a rider is driving at high speed and suddenly comes across an obstacle, one would panic and hit the brake and then push the gear lever down.

What would have happened if the neutral was in the lowest gear?

If neutral was in the lowest gear, a hasty foot press would have put the bike into neutral. Once neutral is engaged, engine braking stops and the vehicle begins to accelerate, which can be extremely dangerous.

But with this current pattern, the car always goes into first gear when the foot is pressed down, not neutral, which helps the engine stop the car.

What happened before?

According to a report by SlashGear (reference), prior to the 1970s, bike companies around the world developed their own gear systems.

Bridgestone 175 DT – This bike had a unique rotary gear. Pressing the foot down would shift gears 1, 2, 3 and 4 back to neutral.

British Bikes – In many older British motorcycles, the gearshift lever was on the right foot instead of the left, allowing first gear to go up and the rest down.

A law by the US government

To eliminate this confusion and prevent road accidents, the US government enacted a strict law in 1974, mandating left-foot gear shifting. Because the US market was so large, companies around the world were forced to follow suit, and this system continues in motorcycles today.

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