Accidentally shifting into neutral while riding?

I find that when I'm downshifting I sometimes accidentally shift the bike into neutral. It makes a grinding sound and I quickly shift it into first. Is this damaging the bike? And does anybody else find this bike is a little rough shifting down?

I wish I could find neutral that easy, but yeah...downshifting sounds rather painful on my bike sometimes.

The gear boxes are no doubt rough!
They clank alot but its never good to hear grinding.

I rarely down shift to first unless maybe slowing down for a speed bump in a parking lot.

Take a look at your clutch cable where it connects to the lever at the handle bars and see if it is frayed at all or needs to be tightened.

Do your clutch adjustments, both the cable and the one in the primary - both are outlined in the downloadable Service manuals. Also, if you don't already, start using a Full Synthetic, Motorcycle-specific Oil - it will help a great deal and is best for your engine.

Somewhat the nature of the machine: large crankshaft flywheels, heavy primary & clutch assembly.
That much mass accelerates and decelerates with authority, force. Gear changes don't snick, they smack :)
Care and throttle control help. Pre-loading shifter moments before making changes makes my shifts smoother, too.
+1, second-to-first is toughest change in the box.

Blipping the throttle - lol - and if the cluth adjust doesn't work, then it is time for the Shift Pawl adjustment, new Detent plate and clip, chamfer the stator wire protection plate, even out the drum pins, and inspect and clean up your primary, perhaps a new primary chain guide as well.
EZ

The shifter forks are actually brass on these machines,S don`t force it.A good oil helps,and see if adjusting your shifter lever up or down just a little helps.Find a good comfortable position where you don`t have to force any thing with your foot.If I remember right they have reverse threads on the adjuster.I also wait till I slow down just a little more,before I shift into first,that way there isn`t as much of a load on it at that time.

Funny thing is though - those shifter forks are strong and made to take a lot of power, stock trannys have been known to last more than 1 drag racing season in the hot modified twins before a rebuild is needed - so we are not talking about a part that needs real special babying, just respect that it can bend given enough force enough times - lol
EZ