Hey guys,

As some of you might know, or not, I recently purchased a used 02 Warrior that I believe is in relatively nice shape overall. Anyway this weekend I dropped it off at my second home, where I have about 200 acres to drive fields and trails with it. When I first purchased it and other times since bringing it up getting it into neutral with it on was no problem at all. It went in very smooth and easily. Same thing with the forward/reverse lever.

So after letting the bike warm up in my second house I drove it. The bike performs very nicely lots of power, and can handle the trails to. I'm use to smaller utility atvs, so this bike is a big change. After about 20-30 mins of driving it, I notice it's damn near impossible to get the bike into neutral. Even with rolling the bike, blipping gas etc. I do notice it goes right it neutral once I turn it off, or if the bike isn't fully warmed up.

This kind of leads into the second issue I had about 2-3 times this weekend. When putting it into reverse, I didn't always have it in neutral. I was stopped with the clutch in, and it would go into reverse. The problem is it wouldn't come out. The lever would get stuck half way, and would require a very hard pull to get into forward. Sometime it would take about 2-3 minutes for me to do.

I'm just wondering if I should be majorly concerned? My best friend who rides motorcycles, says most bikes are extremely hard to get into neutral too, including is motorcycles. I just looked at a 300EX with my cousin who was going to buy it, but didn't because same issue, couldn't get it into neutral, but it looks like it might be more common? We also talked to a tech at a Suzuki/Polaris/Cam Am dealer, and he said it's not suppose to happen, but it's very common on older sport bikes.

I'm wondering what I can do to help the problem? I spend $1800 on the bike, so I'm not looking to do a major overhaul. I was thinking change the motor oil to a full synthetic, like Amsoil or Maxima to help improve the shifting? I'm just wondering if that's a good idea or bad since the bike has about 50 hours on it and is an 02? I really would like to know about the whole forward/reverse lever too. Anything I can fix on that to avoid problems shifting back and fourth?

Any help is greatly appreciated. I'm new with quads, but I'm your weekend warrior with this kind of stuff and cars, I'm willing to learn.

Thanks in advance!

 

few tips and possible wrongs...

tips first.. when going from reverse to forward, move the lever JUSt as the the quad is coming to a stop. It may click a little try not to grind it though, it takes some getting use to but will go in everytime when done like this. If it doesn't you can hold it bakc and slip the clutch and it usually goes in, or try rolling it back and forth a little.

possiblities..

Most likely the clutch is not adjusted right and is not fully disengaging.

Or something internal may be bent slightly. I know on my dads quad you can't put it in neutral with it running due to the previous owner rolling it and bent something

 

For your first tip should I have the clutch completely in? I assume yes. And what do you mean about slipping the clutch in?

More then one person has mentioned if the idle isn't correct this might be a problem. I was thinking about trying to adjust it next time I go up, but I'm not sure if I feel comfortable doing that, especially since the manual is pretty vague about which one is the idle screw, as well as the process.

So should I not even consider going the synthetic route on the bike? I did notice the bike gets pretty hot from the engine. Granted it was sunny in the 80s, and I had shorts on, but that seemed like a concern and reason to get a synthetic for better protection.

 

I rode a Honda Xr400 dirt bike once that would do the same thing when you stopped and went to put it in neutral it wouldn't go but when you shut it off it would go right in neutral no problem. As said before the clutch could just need to be adjusted, or it may be wore out and need to be replaced. The clutch just isn't disengaging properly. As for the idle its just a screw with a spring on the carb., just screw it in to idle up and out to idle down you really can't hurt anything messing with it.

 

Ya i'm not sure what I want to do with the bike. It runs overall pretty well, and I only use it once a weekend every month or two, so it's not like my daily driver or anything like that. I am pretty OCD, and like for my stuff to be perfect. I'm thinking maybe taking it to a Yamaha dealership later down the road since I need to have the valves adjusted anyway, and maybe tell them to readjust the clutch, and idle and go from there. If it needs a new clutch I really don't think it's worth it.

 

where are you from? I'd be more than happy to help you do any kind of troubleshooting or maintenance/work to it. Also, slipping the clutch as is letting it out slightly to spin the trans to help the gears mesh.

Just stick with yamalube oil for it.

Also, make sure your quad is in gear before putting it in reverse, it's usually easier to engage with it in gear

 

Thank you for the offer, but I'm from NJ and my bike is kept up in PA, where I only go once a weekend every 2 months or so, so it's kinda hard for me to go up there, let alone meet you up. Thats what I though slipping the clutch meant. The owner's manual doesn't specify if the bike needs to be in neutral or not when switching to reverse. I was always under the assumption it should be in neutral before shifting into reverse, at least that's what all the utility bikes I've driven required. I did as I said before had trouble getting into neutral, so I was forced to keep the bike in 1st when shifting into reverse. It would go in fairly easy, but would not go back into forward easy at all, which really is my main problem. I can live with the bike not going into neutral, but I need reverse. Thanks!

 

it doesn't matter if it's in neutral or in gear, but you will never get it back into forward without it being in gear. the warrior uses a unique reverse mechanism and you can be in any gear when you put it in reverse. Just practice trying to get it in neutral and reverse some with rolling a little bit and such so you can tell what to do when you get in that situation again.

 

That's weird my limited experience seem opposite. Whenever it's in gear and put in reverse it's very difficult to get in forward, but whenever i'm in neutral and put in reverse, it goes right back to forward.

Does the fact that I have these problems only when the bike is very warm mean anything? I never got any issues when the bike has just turned on, especially with getting it into neutral which was easy. It seems like once I really get on the bike and go through most of the gears, and it's fully warmed up that the neutral problems start to occur

 

I have the same problem. It must be a thing with the 02 warriors. I wish they could have made the reverse easier to use.