Maintenance & Technical > KX500 Original

Hard shifting

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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

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