Hard shifting

[zagnut55]

Hi all. New member here and I have to say that I made the right choice! All my friends bought 4 strokes but I just couldn't bring myself to do it...glad I didn't because I have never had so much fun as I do on my 04 500! I do however have a slight problem. I found a post for the same thing a few years back, but no one answered the guys post. Here goes... My K5 shifts great 1st through 5th and back down to second but sometimes, not always, I have a hard time getting it into 1st. It just wants to stay in nuetral until I hit the shift lever a few times then it goes into 1st. This is a real pain when you got your groove going or approching a hill at slow speeds. The only thing I did was change the oil. It was my first as I bought the bike used. I tried the redline oil 10/40 because they were out of 20/50 like I wanted for the vegas heat. If you guys can help me out with any info, that would be GREAT! Also, I also noticed that when I pull in the clutch with the bike off and cold it makes a snap or popping sound. Not real hard but just enough to hear it. Thanks, Paul.

[Timbowe]

Hi Paul good choice of machinery! Being an 04 should'nt be too much wrong with the box. Sounds like you may have a clutch worry tho. Some one here is bound to give the expert opinion and you'll be away leaving those dirty ol 4 strokes in the dust!

[hughes]

Does the clutch give any problems while riding? Could be a bent shift fork or worn but I don't think an 04 should have worn shift forks. Mine seem to have the same issue with using 10/40 motor oil in the gear box. I switched to Bel-Ray gear saver and then went full ATF Type F and have not had any issue between 2nd to 1st gears. Welcome to the site.

[gowen]

Hi Paul, welcome to the site.

I'd suggest a few things for you:

First is the snap popping sound, to me, sounds like your clutch is sticking and is popping free. But, to be sure, take the clutch side cover off and look at the mechanics of it when you pull in the clutch. I'm assuming it is just a sticky clutch though. Maybe take the clutch plates off and soak them in oil individually.

The hard shifting transmission I'd almost bet is your shifter adjusted too high or low. I've been extremely hard on my KX and never had this issue with the transmission and yours is a '04. I'd doubt your clutch because you can shift with or without the clutch. But that could be the problem.

Find out what the noise is in the clutch. Let me/us know.

PS: Hughes, I ran 10w40 for 4 years without a transmission issue. Smooth as silk.

[Danger4u2]

I most likley don't have to tell you to start with the easy cheap stuff first.  Oil the clutch cable, pull the tank and make sure it's not binding.  Just because it's an '04 does not mean it came from the factory working correctly.  I bought my bike new and had kick starter problems from day one.  The rachet spring was installed wrong and the kick starter stop was never installed in the bike.  I hope someone will come on here with real answers for you.  I was hurt on my K5 and did not ride it for along time so it does not have but 30 or 40 hours on it.  After fixing the starter issue the only problems have been trying not to run over other bikes and trying not to roost my friends in the face.  Here is a link if you want to check out what I had to do.
http://www.kxriders.com/coppermine/thumbnails.php?album=80
Good luck,
Danger

[hughes]

Gowen, Good call on the shifter location. Mine hits the mounting bracket for the skid plate if I move it to far down. My bike didn't really start shifting smooth until I switched to ATF but my is bike old and tried.

[serafin]

Zagnut

Where in Vegas are you?  I'm in Henderson.  Maybe we could get together for a ride.

Serafin

[Polar-Bus]

Hi all. New member here and I have to say that I made the right choice! All my friends bought 4 strokes but I just couldn't bring myself to do it...glad I didn't because I have never had so much fun as I do on my 04 500! I do however have a slight problem. I found a post for the same thing a few years back, but no one answered the guys post. Here goes... My K5 shifts great 1st through 5th and back down to second but sometimes, not always, I have a hard time getting it into 1st. It just wants to stay in nuetral until I hit the shift lever a few times then it goes into 1st. This is a real pain when you got your groove going or approching a hill at slow speeds. The only thing I did was change the oil. It was my first as I bought the bike used. I tried the redline oil 10/40 because they were out of 20/50 like I wanted for the vegas heat. If you guys can help me out with any info, that would be GREAT! Also, I also noticed that when I pull in the clutch with the bike off and cold it makes a snap or popping sound. Not real hard but just enough to hear it. Thanks, Paul.

Hmmmm, this ones a unique issue. I don't think it's clutch (or it would tend to behave the same way in all gears). I also don't think changing oils will have any positive effects. I am thinking there is a burr of some kind in the shift drum, or possibly something is causing the shift shaft to bind as it tries to slid into first gear. Try to figure out a specific pattern as to eactly when your bike doesn't want to go into first, ie: if you come to a complete stop, does it click easily into 1st? If not, try operating the clutch severall times. In my experiences Kawasaki clutch plates can be prone to "sticking" from lack of oil between the drive plates.

[gowen]

In my experiences Kawasaki clutch plates can be prone to "sticking" from lack of oil between the drive plates.

That is what I've run into alot too. Between my KDX's and KX's. As far as the gears go, You have a larger shift from 1-2nd gear then you do from 3-5th. So, usally you can do half shifts on all gears but 1-2 and 2-1st. That is my thought.

[FuriouSly]

Ditto Gowen, 2nd to 1st and vice versa take more effort (false neutral scenarios). If the clutch plates are glazed from heat, low quality, or poor oil choice you will tend to get a popping of the plates upon clutch pull (seperating of the plates).  Generally when the oil heats up the plates should function better, but if not they probably have been burned.

It looks like there are more people in the Las Vegas area than I thought.  I live in Henderson as well serafin.  Zagnut in Vegas it looks like.  Arigato and 1alldave live in Vegas as well.  Wonder who else?

FuriouSly

[John]

Did the bike work OK before you changed the oil?

//John

[zagnut55]

Hi guys and thanks a lot for all the input. Well, I went with the easiest, cheapest thing to try...change the oil to a 20w/50. In answer to the last post, yes, the bike ran great before I changed the oil and put in Red Line 10w/40. Today I changed the oil again and squeezed the clutch to make sure it was all out. I put in some super maxum4 20w/50 oil and ran it up and down the back yard(1acre). Can you believe it shifted great?!?! No trouble with down shifting to 1st or anything. The real test will come this weekend when I take it up north to rainbow canyon and put some real heat on it!...I'll keep everyone informed. P.S. I also lubed my clutch cable down low and it stopped making the click pop sound. Of course, I did this after I dropped the oil but had not refilled it yet. Paul.

[Polar-Bus]

I have no clue how changing oils rid your bike of the trans woes??? Bottom line your bike is all good again (and for CHEAP MONEY)!!

[hughes]

Does the clutch give any problems while riding? Could be a bent shift fork or worn but I don't think an 04 should have worn shift forks. Mine seem to have the same issue with using 10/40 motor oil in the gear box. I switched to Bel-Ray gear saver and then went full ATF Type F and have not had any issue between 2nd to 1st gears. Welcome to the site.

Mine had the same issue when I got it but just thought it was old and tried. Starting using ATF and issue went away. The ATF did make my shifting butter smooth where with motor oil it was rough. Hope your issue is gone for good. 

[KXcam22]

I have found that different oil's can have a radical effect on how some bikes shift.  My last street bike was very notchy and rough. A change to Amsoil 20w50 synthetic was the cure making it butter smooth.  On my K5, I run either Belray Gearsaver or regular 20w50.  I recently noticed that with the gearsaver I kept missing quick downshifts to first.  Next ride I'm going to test it against 20w50 and next ride try Hughes recommended ATF (i'm scared) to see how the 3 compare. Cam.