This is a 2002 Honda Recon ES (yes, electronic shift, pain in my rear), I have not used the ATV for a year, I fire it up and below is the odd shifting behavior it has:

• First gear light not coming on
  • It shifts from Neutral and into first and can drive in first but the first gear indicator light does not come on
  • I can shift from first into second and the second gear indicator light will come on, when I downshift to first the first gear indicator light does not come on, I can also then to neutral but
• Cannot shift down to neutral if only went to first gear
  • So this is even more odd, if I start shifting from Neutral to first gear and stop there, I cannot go back down to Neutral until I at least go to second gear, then back down to first and then back to Neutral, even while after doing this if I simply shift from Neutral to first and try to downshift back to Neutral it will not let me do it until I go to second gear and then go back down to first and Neutral, repeating the sequence
• Cannot go into reverse in any scenario
  • Cable appears to be pulling enough (although the parking brake handle is loose) to be moving the rear cab

When I first got the ATV from someone else I replaced the angle sensor (around 2014) and I have used this ATV very rarely.

Help please?

I hate ES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

It must be an extremely early ES as, I thought they only came out with the new engine in 03. Anyway, check the light bulb hasn't failed, but I would guess the gear indicator switch is faulty, each gear has a wire from the rotary switch. On any I have come across this goes to the digital display but, being early, yours must go to a light for each wire. Check the colour of the 1st gear light wire, you will find the other end of it bunched into a wiring plug for wires which go into the alternator case. Fairly sure the switch earths each wire in turn, so check if the switch is doing so in 1st. If it is, the switch is OK and you have a problem with the wire from the plug to the light.

Try changing into reverse with the emergency lever, if you can't, the cable needs adjusting. If you can, the switch beside the reverse stop lever, in the alternator case, has failed, or the wire come off (common fault).

 

when you use the emergency reverse lever, do you need to also pull the hand grip reverse switch as well or does this bypass it?

 

Yes you need to press the red button and pull the brake lever to get reverse with the emergency lever. That is why, if it still won't go into reverse, it means the cable isn't pulling the lever on the alternator case far enough.