After changing the oil in my XT 125 X 4T yesterday the gears have become

very stiff and hard to change. It is almost impossible to find neutral unless

I turn the engine off. Before I changed the oil the gears were smooth and

were no problem at all.

sound like oil to thick grouch o "

The oil was Castrol Power 1 Racing 4T 10W30, the exact type specified in the

owners manual. It is really pissing me off. I expected an improvement after

replacing the oil, not a hinderence. Maybe it will correct itself after a few

more miles.

I had this problem, and it was castrol classic W50 i used, quiet smooth box, but changes were slow[ return spring] and stuck between gears some times changed to light gear oil , and solved,

What would be a thinner top quality oil?

Hey Grouch! hahaha it would seam i changed the oil on the same bike and same day as you. maybe even same oil. was it that red colored Castrol oil in a gold pot? maybe there all like that idk but i have noticed your having trouble with stiff gear change after you changed your oil, just thought that i would let you know that it did NOT have this effect on my bike, all in all seams abit smoother but also more noise? haven't a clue whats going on there..... best of luck matey

Cheers, it might be the clutch going or something.

It should get better with a bit of use Grouch, check you havent put too much in though. Perhaps you will get netral better while you are coming to a stop but not yet stopped it's always easier like that IMO theres never any value at all in going to 1st before stopping either on 2 wheels or 4. It's also possible because you use your bike a lot that you have by now a little clutch plate wear and so adjusting the clutch at the clutch may help

Cheers Airhead, I never knock down to 1st before stopping, I just pull the clutch in lol.

My plan is to leave it a few days and see if it improves, if not I will play about with

the clutch. If I can find no solution I will be straight on here winging at you all lol.

Point is though, It's easier to select neutral from 2nd with the bike in motion

I am a bit rough with the old gears, I am really aggressive with them

and just pull the clutch in and knock them down right fast while I am

stopping. Do you think this may have caused the problem?

I'm a bit of a gear stomper myself...... my excuse is that i'm trying to get down a few gears quickly to 'back it in' the corner. that's my story and i am sticking to it

I am a bit rough with the old gears, I am really aggressive with them

and just pull the clutch in and knock them down right fast while I am

stopping. Do you think this may have caused the problem?

you only need gentle pressure to go from 2 to N, like I said before , personally I think the new oil and a clutch that may benefit from adjusting are the problem

I'll have a mess about with the clutch then (once I have consulted my Haynes).

When I wear my boots, I'm even more heavy handed with the gears.

how can you be heavy handed with boots?

Been 'heavy handed' means being very rough and hard where I am from (West Yorks) regardless of what body part you use. Its just a common working class saying.

It has improved a lot now. I'm still going to

investigate the clutch though.