kz650 tranny problem

i got a 1980 kz650 e and having shifting problems its difficult to switch from 1st to 2nd but it is possible b4 i got the bike it sat with bad oil and wondering if the shifting forks mights be gummed up and sticky with bad oil thats why its hard? Any ideas? I had a 1982 nighthawk that sat for a year with grime in the sprocket cover over the switcher itself and it wouldnt shift then i cleaned it and it worked fine is this the same principal for mine? How can i fix this w/o cracking the engine? I have heard something about taking off the engine sidecover but im not sure. thanks in advance!

Btw it was shifting fine b4 and only yesterday this has happened, i was told to switch the 10w 30 i was running in it to 20w 50 so this might help i havent tried it and this bike has 24,885 miles on it too.

check oil,adjust clutch;)

When I run 20w-50 I notice sticky, well, I guess I would call it "thick" shifting until the engine gets very warm. You need a firm poke on the shifter when cold, that's for sure. Now I only run 20w-50 when the average daily temps are getting above 85-90 degrees.

Don't use 10w-30, it is not recommended by Kawasaki. Use 10w-40.

There are a few things I suspect. All of them clutch related. Odds are that your bike has had a steady diet of mineral based oil all it's life . Trace elements from these are absorbed by the fibre plates in your clutch. Changing to a different oil type or grade can cause the fibre plates to swell up especially if you are now using a synthetic oil. I've had a few GPZ750 & Z650's in the workshop that have similar issues and everytime it's been the clutch. Try adjusting the clutch first and by that I mean at the clutch itself & not at the lever . If that still does work then pull the clutch and install new plates . Using a 10/30 in Zeds is never a good idea . Stick with a good mineral 20/50 and the bike will last longer. Avoid synthetic based oils in engines that have not been rebuilt anytime recently as the detergents in the synthetic oil react with the the last 30 odd years of carbon & crud in the engine making them re-circulate in the oil and acting like an abrasive in your engine . All the carbon & crud in your engine generally just sits there doing little harm but using a synthetic oil in a worn motor is something that kills more older engines than almost any other cause I see. Flush your engine out , got back to a mineral based 20/50 weight oil and get the clutch sorted.

Thanks everyone i tried adjusting the clutch and draining the oil and now it runs like a bat out of hell!!! Im so happy it wasnt anything serious. Thanks again!!!

One last ? My bike was smokin just slightly but i have put 120 main jets in it with stage 3, is it that it might be a lil rich or the fact i had 10w 30 in my bike?