Could be that the clutch cable needs to be tightened up a bit. That might explain the groaning noise too while downshifting. Around 2,900 miles mine started shifting a little sloppy & needed the lever pulled back to the grip to shift right. Also, at a stop some bikes are a little stubborn getting back into first without rolling the bike a little forward or backward with the clutch pulled in. Every bike I've owned did that to some extent. I used to pull the clutch in & out until it dropped into first, now I just push back a little with my right foot with the clutch in & shift into first. Clicks right in.

When downshifting it definitely helps to do it while still moving.  If stopped, let out the clutch enough to allow the current gear to engage and then pull in the clutch and downshift.  If you stomp on it, you'll bend the linkage.  You may want to take a peek and see if that rod in the linkage (it's 5 or 6 inches or so) is bent at all, because it could make it more difficult to shift now if it's bent at all.

i may be wrong, but i don't downshift with out using the clutch.

I've noticed the gears are more clunky on a savage than other bikes I've ridden, especially between 1st and 2nd.  You need to be deliberate in your shifting without stomping on the shifter.  When you down shift to 1st, it will want to stop at neutral. Make sure you keep pushing till you are all the way through neutral.  Same with upshifting.  You don't want to hammer it or yank on it, but you need a firm, deliberate move with your foot till it stops all the way.   Also, downshifting to first you can check to make sure it's there by stepping on it again.  If you notice the shifter doesn't move, it's there.

Hey all and thanks for responding........

Ive gotten only about 350 miles on her so far (been tough with a 7 yo at home and my teen in sleep away camp to get time out on the road) I look foward to school starting again so my days off are free again!

b.t.w. that headlite upgrade to the silverstarl is amazing! we were out wed evening and the high beam was so white and bright!

I do use the clutch as much as possible when im shifting up or down and you are all correct that i need more time in the saddle.

My recent rides have been with hubby and his H.D. 1200 which he claims will be my bike in a few years (he is thinking even bigger may be better for him)  I like my savage, will never get rid of her regardless.  I worry about the sheer weight and tipability of the HD especially the sporty.  as it is i have a shoulder injury that didnt get repaired right two years ago that im gonna give another doc a try at fixin this october.  So at this point if im on a hill and my suzi rolls back alittle on a stop it hurts my shoulder, couldnt imagine how that would feel with another 300+ lbs of bike to hold.

I will get some saddle time in on my own so i can concentrate on my "skills" without trying to keep up with hubby or be under scrutiny of how im doing things.

I did on my own realize (never had a car with a clutch in my life, this is my first) that one mistake i was making was not having the clutch totally disengaged (pulled in) when i was stopped and trying to get her into first so i was "getting alittle tire" from the stop.  Im working it.

The heat here in NY was totally blowing me away a few weeks ago, I dont know how you all in the southern or south western states handle the heat, not only was it like l00 but the humidity was around 80%! Im a girl that would pass out practically with all my gear in in that environment. (im in my 40's and have my Own personal heatwaves occasionallyl) I simply refused to ride during some of that period of around 2 weeks.

But what is strange is that I have has a moment or two where I had  been comming to a stop and clicking her her down to first and not seen the green N light and tried to continute to click down and then up and not sure what gear I was in "warm engine", that I really hate because with a cager behind me if i stall they are NOT expecting that, Ive gotten very quick to restart and take off fairly quickly  when that happens but i cannot wait until that is no longer an issue for me.

Thanks for taking the time to read and for your responses you all are a great group of internet buddies!

You can be in 1st with the clutch in so the the bike still rolling without the engine slow it down.  And if you have to, upshift to second and let out the clutch and goooooo! It is way easier to upshift on our bike than to downshift to 1st. The main thing is to make sure you are in the right gear at the right speed to get away from the cager when needed.

starmom wrote on 12/31/69 at 16:00:08:

Every bike has it's own sweet spots that are slightly different, even from other bikes of the same make and model.  As you ride you adjust your handling of the controls to mesh with the bike and you will become smoother and smoother until you are no longer thinking about controlling the the bike, you simply do.

I'm not sure when I did so, but it was somewhere in the 8500 miles I've done since I've gotten Thumper.

My Method of Procedure:

Stopped, in first gear, declutched.  Twist throttle/release clutch/accelerate.  Momentary roll off throttle with firm (to pass by neutral) toe up pressure on shifter.  Repeat, but not as much pressure needed.  Again into fourth, one last time into fifth and roll off throttle to cruising.  Being a Big Single, the Savage has a lot of compression braking available.  Coming to a stop am completely off the throttle.  A momentary blip of the throttle as I toe down the shifter.  Repeat. Repeat.  Repeat.  (you can repeat again but nothing happens.) I'm into first gear somewhere between 20 and 10 mph.  Just before stopping grab the clutch.  Return to the top of this paragraph.

The downshifting happens before any brakes are applied, except in those few cases where I was not looking far enough ahead.