I have had a Savage for three months now.  It is my first bike.  While I love the bike, the one thing that bother's me lately is the shifting from first to second and back.  When I go from 1st to 2nd, it does not always go into 2nd on the first try.  About 20% of the time I end up in neutral.  It takes a really firm lift on the foot to get it to go into 2nd and often there is a chattering or ratcheting sound.  Down shifting often gives the same affect of chattering and I cannot get it into 1st at all until I stop.  Once stopped, I can usually get it into 1st, but not always without a real hard stomp down and rocking the bike fore and aft.  Sometimes even then I am still in second when I start out again.

I began to think it was just my inexperience and lousy shifting ability until last Friday.  I had the privilege to ride a Victory Vegas for 50 miles.  There were multiple stops and starts due to the roads taken and it shift like magic.  No false starts and no issue getting it into first, second, etc.  Downshifting was easy and quite

Clark

Clark Zellmer wrote on 12/31/69 at 16:00:05:

When you're stopped, if it won't easily downshift, let off the clutch a bit to allow it to partly engage/move and the pull the clutch back in and try downshifting again.  Never stomp on it in this situation because you will bend your linkage and make downshifting more and more difficult until it becomes nearly impossible.  I know because I did it.  I have since replaced mine and carry a spare just in case.  You may want to take a peek at yours to see if it has been bent yet.

Thanks for the input.

The problem with down shifting in motion is that many times the ratcheting/chatter going from second to first is so bad that I don't want to force it.  That is why I am waiting until stopped to shift to first.  It almost sounds like I am griding the gears on down shift from 2 to 1.  The other gears do not do this.

Clark

What weight motor oil are you running, a thicker oil will help with the gears when downshifting. Check the clutch cable, they streach and will cause shifting problems. Baby the shifter, don't stomp on it. It is easier to drop the bike into 1st when rolling instead of when stopped. Ed L.

The oil is shared between the engine, clutch, and gear box - you might want to give 20w-50 a go - you know thinking about - mine will clatter some time if i don't firmly shift it - not talking about stomping it just a solid, firm push and it doesn't

Sounds to me like a clutch problem.The bike has low miles, otherwise I was going to suggest grooved clutch basket.

I hammered my link straight and my bud TIG welded around it, then ground it back round.
It is still on there and  now I got a spare.
WD wrote on 12/31/69 at 16:00:05:

Mr 650 wrote on 12/31/69 at 16:00:05:

While waiting for my replacement, I hammered mine back straight and slipped a small piece of steel tubing over it to strengthen it.  If I'd had a torch, I would've brazed it in place.  Since I didn't, I used plumbing epoxy putty and it is one strong bastard.  I keep it the new one on the bike and the "rebuilt" one as an emergency spare.