Just bought a new AC500 automatic. Nice machine, runs great, but the gear shifter doesn't easily move between N/H/L/R modes, ... especially going into L or R. If the machine moves a bit forward or back, the shifter usually eventually finds the right position, but its a constant struggle. The gear lever conections to the gearbox aren't loose or anything like that -- they're certainly secure and tight. Could this be a newness issue, or maybe a weather issue (i'm in Ottawa and its pretty chilly these days - about 6 deg F.) Any ideas? Thanks for all replies.

 

I don't think its a weather issues - my 07 does this too, and its fairly new (40 miles / 4hrs).

 

its the new! mine is the same way, u have to rock it a bit to shift it. was the steering tight too?

 

i didn't notice any steering tightness.

Ibrokeit: so did your shifting stickiness correct itself with use over time or did you have to adjust something ?

 

the shifting is getting better. a friend put a longer handle on his and said it helps. i just thumb the gas and hold the shifter till it slides. good tip for cats oil changes, go to autozone for filters. they half what the dealer charges, and use synthetic oil, change it regular and it will never turn black.

 

my 06 400 is like that too. its normal or what cat consideres normal just rock the atv forward and back like youve been doing with your body motion and it will work. it will never completely go away but it wont be so stiff

 

Yep, the rocking seems to work. I guess the transmission and gears just needs to be ground down a bit ??? [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-confused.gif[/img] Anyway, the bike seems to run great otherwise. Thanks for the replies -- its esp nice to know this isn't a problem issue with just this new bike.

 

I have a 2007 500 auto. I found the same thing. I dropped the idle speed below "as delivered" and it made a huge difference. Before that I played with the shifter linkage but that didn't help. Make sure it's warmed up before you change the idle speed.

 

Thanks for the suggestion on reducing idle, Fossil. Problem is, I find she likes to stall on me even with it set now at 'delivery' idle. I assume the cold weather is the culprit. It starts up no prob, warms up nicely, but then after running for awhile it likes to die on me when just idling. This makes it tuff to drop the idle any lower than it currently is.

 

my 07 650 h1 does the same thing. 100 miles on it now and its getting better.
was teaching my wife how to drive it (I was sitting behind her) and she told me to quit the rocking stuff, she was trying to drive. I told her it helps get the shifter into the correct position.. For some reason she didn't believe me...