How to Shift a 1981 Honda GL500
Shifting your GL500 is an important part of riding it. Shifting allows you to keep better control of the bike, reach a higher top speed, keep the engine at low revs and accelerate more quickly when needed. Learning to shift your GL500 can prove difficult if you don't have experience with manual drivetrain, but given enough time and practice anyone can learn to ride and shift like a pro. Take the time to learn to shift your GL500 properly.
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Instructions
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1
Put on your helmet and sit on the GL500 with your feet on the ground. Kick up the kickstand and turn the key to the "ON" position. Pull in the clutch lever (on the left side handlebar) with your left hand, then use your left foot to kick the shift lever down into first gear, then up slightly until the green light comes on on the dash. The bike is now in neutral.
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2
Press the starter button on the right side handlebar to start the GL500. Pull in the clutch lever and kick the shifter down one time to put the bike in first gear. Let the clutch out slowly until you feel the bike start to pull forward. When this happens, pull the throttle open slightly before releasing the clutch completely. You should now be moving forward at a moderate pace.
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3
Continue accelerating forward until you need to shift into second gear to accelerate further. This should be around 15 mph. At this point, pull in the clutch lever and close the throttle. Kick the shifter up once into second gear, then release the clutch lever and apply a small bit of throttle. You should now be accelerating in second gear.
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4
Repeat this procedure to shift through all five gears of the transmission as necessary. Shift down one gear using the exact same procedure, but be sure that you are traveling slow enough to do so by keeping an eye on the tachometer. Usually you should not shift down unless the tachometer reads below 3000 rpm.
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When you are ready to come to a stop, pull in the clutch lever and brake using the brake lever on the right handlebar and the foot brake by your right foot. Shift the bike into neutral by shifting into first gear, then pushing up on the shift lever until the green light comes on on the dash.
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