98 450s won't go into first gear

[[email protected] 0]

I repaired the reverse control handle lever and it goes into reverse just fine. Lifting the shifter will let it easily go into second gear but pushing the shifter back down goes into neutral but will not go into first. It acts like it has no 1st gear. Does anyone know what is happening and how to resolve this?

[jeepwm69 7,686]

First gear should be between neutral and second.

 

Are you having to hit the shifter twice to go from second to neutral?

 

Don’t mean to stay for obvious, but trying to ascertain if there is a click from neutral to first and then I second click to second  or if it goes straight to second….

 

Or is there a position for first but it doesn’t pull in first?

[[email protected] 0]

I was told that the shift pattern was 1st gear down with neutral between 1st and second gear, as you lift into second. It sounds like you are saying that neutral is the bottom and all gears are up from there? If that is how it is supposed to work, that it is working normally. Do you know this for certain? All the Honda motorcycles I've ever known of were as I've described. If this is different that would be great news!

[jeepwm69 7,686]

Neutral is Neutral.

 

to shift to reverse, you hold red R button down, pull back left brake lever, then push down on the shifter.  
 

to shift to first from neutral, pull up on the shifter, then up again to second, etc etc

 

on the ATV’s pulling up on the shifter shifts up, pushing down on shifter downshifts

 

 

[ATC4ever 1,084]

12 hours ago, jeepwm69 said:

Neutral is Neutral.

 

to shift to reverse, you hold red R button down, pull back left brake lever, then push down on the shifter.  
 

to shift to first from neutral, pull up on the shifter, then up again to second, etc etc

 

on the ATV’s pulling up on the shifter shifts up, pushing down on shifter downshifts

 

 

You mean from Reverse to N? 🤔

[shadetree 5,951]

4 minutes ago, ATC4ever said:

You mean from Reverse to N? 🤔

no, jeep was explaining how to shift to reverse.

[shadetree 5,951]

17 hours ago, [email protected] said:

I was told that the shift pattern was 1st gear down with neutral between 1st and second gear, as you lift into second. It sounds like you are saying that neutral is the bottom and all gears are up from there? If that is how it is supposed to work, that it is working normally. Do you know this for certain? All the Honda motorcycles I've ever known of were as I've described. If this is different that would be great news!

sounds like you were told this by a honda motorcycle owner ?..lol. the shift pattern for honda motorcycles ( and most other brands ), is down shifting ( when pulling clutch lever at bars ) puts the motorcycle into first gear, then to shift to second gear, pull in clutch, lift up into second. motorcycles are not the same as atv engines. on motorcycles, when you shift as i am saying here, the space between 1st gear, neutral, and 2nd gear is very very close on the shift drum. where is on a atv engine, clutch design/transmission : you have neutral, press red button on left side of handle bars, pull back brake lever, push the foot shift arm down, now you got reverse. let go of brake lever. to get back to neutral ?, simply lift up with your left foot, now your back to neutral. when you want 1st gear ?. starting from neutral, lift up with left foot one click, now you are in 1st gear, work throttle up a tad, ease off throttle a tad, lift up again, now your in 2nd gear, rinse and repeat this 5 times, as most manual shift atvs are 5 speeds. to get back down to neutral, ease off the throttle and speed, just push the foot shifter down easy, one gear at a time, each time you down shift, the atv, engine will rev up, let the engine and tranny catch up tp your speed, down shift again..do this 4 times ( leaving 5th gear ), and then you will get back to neutral, green light on dash.