I've got a stock 2004 Honda TRX 450 FE4 Foreman. The only modicfication is the additional of a warn 2.5 winch. It was purchased in March 2004, it has 41 miles on it, it has 15 hours on it. The oil and filter was changed at the 6 month mark using factory filter and Honda GN4 oil. The bike is clean and has seen no abuse or any deep mudding. Always cleaned and garage kept. Last week, the bike was spotty shifting out of first gear. Sometimes no problem, sometimes it wouldn't upshift. Seems no problems in downshifting. The bike has always jolted a little when placing into 1st from neutral. When it fails to shift, you can still hear the scissor like noise that it makes when it shifts normally, just no shifting occurrs. The motor runs like a top and there are no other problems. Can anyone help? Thanks. Pete

 

Do a search in theHONDA catagory for "ES INFO". This will explain what fixed my ES problem. Hope it helps.

 

Some of the es hondas, are a bit picky when they dont get used much, and the motor/tranny arent fully warmed up.
Does it get better when the motor warms up?
You could try doing the clutch adjustment. Theres a screw with a nut, on the front side of the motor, right in front of the clutch.
After youve warmed it up, and got the oil circulated, stop the motor. Loosen the nut, lightly screw the screw ccw, until you feel resistance, then go cw 1/4 turn. Then snug the nut, without changing the screws adjustment ( 16 ft lbs).