Hi all,
My 2007 s40 has 3500 miles.  I recently noticed a problem thats starting to get annoying.

When I’m rolling to a stop I can shift down into First gear with no problem.  
But if I come to a complete stop and then try to shift into First, often I cannot.
I have to try to rock the bike back and forth, or just end up taking off in Second gear.

Anyone experience this?  Is there some kind transmission adjustment I can make, if so how?

Thanks

I just roll back about 3-4 inches and it drops right in every time.

I shift into first as I'm coming down through about 3 mph, right before the stop.  Otherwise, I often have the same problem.  If already stopped, I let the clutch out slightly while pressing down on the shift lever.

A bit of double clutching on the down shift into first gets the gears lined up. Don't wait till you come to a full stop before you shift into first gear. Try downshifting when you are at walking speed, don't stomp on the shifter, you will bend the shift rod.

Otherwise, you can just sit there in neutral, and when youre ready to take off, do everything as if you were already in first, except hold steady, firm, downward pressure on the shift lever. When the clutch gets into the friction zone, the gear should click in and you should be able to take off without any rocking back and forth or jockeying of levers.

I hope that makes sense. In other words, just wait till the light turns green and start moving with your left foot holding the lever down.

My 06 will do this every now and then, if I fail to get into 1st before coming to a complete stop.  I presume it's common, since the synchro in the tranny can't work (obviously) at a dead stop.

Letting the clutch out till it hits the friction zone, then pulling it back in allows the gears to rotate inside the tranny just enough that it'll then pop into 1st.  I don't put any down pressure on the shifter while letting out the clutch.  I allow a monent's wait for the rotating gears to stop before I put it into 1st.  Much easier on the tranny that way - no grinding or other signs of abuse.

Hey Chi-town,
I had this problem, too.  In fact, it's how I laid the bike down the first night I had her.  Was making a right hand turn from a stop and opened the throttle a bit too much.  Thought i was in first (was still in second).  Bike shot right out from under me when I let out the clutch.  

Now I always try and shift down before I stop.  Or I kick into neutral just to be sure of where I'm at so I can reset to first before taking off.   You might check the clutch cable adjustment just to be sure, but it seems to be a pretty common issue.  Just have to get to know the bike.  

So where in chicago you from?  I spent almost 9 years on the lower east side as a kid.

we're in the NW burbs, a couple savages out here (my wife's and a friend of ours)