2002 250TE. Recon has run fine since purchased in 2012, regularly serviced, mild use around 5 acre property. I've scoured the search engine here and google, haven't found anything quite like this.

Will shift from neutral to 1st & 2nd normally with gear indicator lights properly illuminated. Shift to reverse, no indicator light, but runs in reverse. Shift to 3rd, 4th, 5th, no indicator lights but will run for awhile in higher gears, tho eventually 1st gear indicator will begin blinking, 12 blinks. Stop, cycle ignition, then can electronically shift back to neutral to restart.

First thing I did was check the batt, seemed a bit marginal on the VOM so had a local shop test. They said it needed a charge. Got a new one instead. Removed reduction gear cover, cleaned, lubed everything up with white lithium grease. Removed, cleaned, and lubed ECU connector with dielectric grease. No change.

Downloaded the service man, looks like I need to test the ECU and angle sensor. Angle sensor tests good based on serv manual, also verified getting proper (5V) from ECU.

Adjusted clutch. Now 3rd gear indicator light works, but still not 4th or 5th. Another odd thing, when I use emergency shifter to first, #1 indicator blinks 8 times (angle sensor). I know its not the angle sensor, I've interchanged two of them (one brand new), both check identically.

Suggestions welcome (running out of ideas)

 

May try taking shift motor off and take apart an see if there an stucking or stuck brush

 

"when I use emergency shifter to first, #1 indicator blinks 8 times (angle sensor)."

Think about it, the angle sensor has signaled a movement without you pressing the button, so the ECU thinks the angle sensor is telling lies, and brings up a fault code. This is normal.

You don't say what 12 blinks means.

If the gear indicator on the dash doesn't signal which gear it is in for 5th or reverse, this may throw the ECU out. I would suspect a faulty rotary switch inside the alternator cover.

 

The shift motor was my next target, will take apart and clean.

12 blinks is the Gear Position Switch System, gear position switch, related harness, or ECU. Pls elaborate on "rotary switch inside the alternator cover".

 

Honda have a habit of altering things slightly between similar engines, I can't remember if the switch that signals which gear the bike is in (rotary switch) is inside the alternator cover or the cover behind that, or indeed, if it sticks out the back of the alternator cover, but it is somewhere in the alternator area and fits into a slot in the shift drum.