is it normal for an ac 500 to jerk while shifting to a lower gear

 

i find it helps to keep the throttle on a bit while downshifting...

 

I have to agree with pvwheeler. Keep a little throttle on while down shifting. I believe the jerk is the engine braking kicking in.

Also need to be a little careful downshifting when riding in ice and compact snow. When engine braking kicks in when down shifting it can cause the machine to spin. Its actually a lot of fun when you are expecting it.[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif[/img]

 

Manual shift, right?
When you downshift, there are two actions, pressing the lever down and releasing.
When the lever is down, the auto clutch is disengaged. So you can do what the big trucks do, blip the throttle while in the down position, just before you release the lever. This allows the motor to match the rpm of the tranny better, and once you get used to it, will make for some real smooth feeling( and sounding) downshifts.