My 83 650 Maxim isn't shifting through neutral. What should I look at?

A few times now when I've taken off instead of going from first to second, it goes from first into neutral and I rev up and don't go anywhere and it makes me look stupid. Now it also seems like it might be having trouble going into 1st from 2nd when I pull up to a stop. Where should I start?

 

Check to see if you need to adjust your clutch so that you have enough free play at the handlebar. Have you got a Haynes manual? You can also drain the engine oil and check the filter for small bits of the guide outlined below.

The starter clutch/alternator guide can break up and plastic bits get into the selector mechanism and lock the machine in gear. If it's that then you need to remove the engine and remove the lower crankcase half to replace the guide.

 

How to check the guide. But do all the easier things first, eg clutch adjustment.

https://www.xjcd.org/emergency_guidectomy

 

I don't have a Haynes manual. I know I should get one. I have some manual I found on a forum. The clutch was adjusted correctly when I put the bike away for the winter. Is this something that needs to be adjusted often?

 

Symptoms of a badly adjusted clutch. Revs increasing but road speed is not clutch slip or worn plates. If you have the engine running and in gear with clutch lever fully pulled in and machine is moving forward you have clutch drag. Manual says check every 4000 miles. Clutch plates can stick together in storage too (don't think that is your problem though) but from the symptoms you describe l think you should do the above checks regarding the guide. A few of us have changed our guides and can help you if that is the culprit.

 

Put the bike on its centre stand. Remove spark plugs. Try turning the back wheel anticlockwise and try and change up and down the gearbox as you move the wheel.

 

Could this be the disintegrating primary chain guide problem??

 

Once the engine is out of the frame it's not so bad. Case covers, pick ups, gear selector mechanism and clutch removal then split cases.

 

you could try an engine flush ,with flushing oil, it could be gunged up oil standing over winter, drain oil , put in flushing oil then warm engine up , get it hot , then keep changing it through gears, see if it clears the problem , if so , drain flushing oil and replace with good clean oil of correct grade