Sometimes can't put first gear on, have to roll bike forvard half a metre toget it in, also some smoke coming out of front of the bike (kawasaki zx6r ninja)

Hi doojook26,

Sounds like a Kawasaki to me! Great bikes mechanically and performance wise. Many bikes have shifting difficulties from neutral into first gear and require a bit of rocking the bike back and fourth to get into gear. This becomes a bit worse over time and use of the bike. I would try using an oil cleaner or detergent additive with your oil. Your engine oil on this bike also lubricates the transmission and clutch. Go to your local auto parts store and ask for a motorcycle oil additive that cleans internal carbon build up. If there are no products specific to motorcycles, use an automotive product such as sea-foam brand and add the appropriate amount as specified on the bottle. Run the bike for about 50-75 miles with the oil additive and then change your oil after. I recommend Mobile 1 synthetic 10w/50. Do not use the additive with the new oil and see if the shifting improves.

As far as your smoke in the front of the engine, it could be coming from your exhaust manifold coming right out of the engine or else from an exhaust connection further down the manifold. What is causing this smoke is more than likely oil residue from your engine which is not very desirable. The most likely cause for that is worn piston rings, and/or the oil scraper ring on the piston. This isnt a cheap repair to replace the piston rings of course but it will depend on how bad the smoking/oil consumption is getting, and how much you are willing to invest in repairs.

Quite possibly the two issues are linked. If you have worn piston rings, oil will be escaping through to your exhaust causing the smoke, and, burnt fuel and carbon is building up and getting past the piston rings into your oil which may be contaminating it which would cause sticky shifting.

Try the oil additive first. If that helps, then decide if you want to invest in piston ring replacement.

The shifting problem is a bent shift fork. It will only get worse and is expensive to fix. The smoke is probably getting past a exhaust pipe gasket. When you fix the shifting it would be a good time to rebuild the top end with new pistons and rings.