[steell]

It's a Positive Neutral Finder, and it consist of three little ball bearings with corresponding holes for them to ride in. As the output shaft turns the centrifugal force moves the balls to the outside, allowing second gear to engage. Some people remove them so they can do second gear burnouts.

 

[steell]

Remove these balls and you'll have permanently fifth or first gear engaged.The balls you describe are only to hold the first gear/fifth in to a spot where it isn't engaged with any other gear allowing you to choose either neutral or second gear.

When you shift to from 4rth to 5th gear,the 1st/5th gear moves from the neutral place where the steel balls hold it and slots with the 3rd/4rth output shaft gear to give fith 5th.

And JGIG,yes shift more positively!!

Bull, the shifter forks control the gears. The balls just keep it from going into second at a stop. It's been that way since at least the original Z1.

My ZX11 has those balls removed, as does my buddy's ZX11C turbo and his ZZR1200 motored ZX11D.

 

[steell]

Here you go genius, please indicate the part number for these invisible springs.

I have my 12 motor apart on the bench at present, and the trans works just like I said. works just like I said.

 

[steell]

Yeah, they help in finding neutral by not allowing you to shift into second while stopped. Take the balls out and you can take off in second gear.

That is a real common mod by the drag racers locally, they like to do second gear burnouts out of the water box.

If you start at page 8-25 in the 2000 ZX12R Factory Service Manual, you will read exactly what I've been saying all along.

Oh yeah, it has a warning about packing the holes with bearing with grease. You know what it says?

"Warning, Positive Neutral Finder may not work"

Not a word about fifth gear or anything else, if the balls aren't there, or not moving, the result is no more Positive Neutral Finder.

Now, go argue with someone who hasn't been a certified gearhead for over 50 years.