Apologies if this is a dumb question or even a non-issue, but I haven't found any mention of this in the other threads on the forum.

I've been getting practice in on my 2013 now that the engine's back together and the leak's stopped, but I've been finding that when I slow to a stop and try to shift down to first, I'll get stuck a neutral A LOT. No other problems in shifting up or down but this. If I rock back and forth I'll get it to drop back into first but that's a whole lot easier said than done when trying to roll it forward at a stop sign going uphill. When I first got my bike a month back, the lady selling it said the clutch lever needed to be pulled all the way in tight to disengage the clutch and that's what I do. When I had trouble getting into first, first I thought it had to do with the slop in the clutch cable so I tightened it up but I'm seeing no improvement.

After reading through clutch-related posts on here I'm now a bit concerned I've over tightened my clutch cable so I'll be checking the free-play when I'm able again. With tightening it up being the only idea I had on how to fix it not working though, what're y'all's thoughts on it?

The way my friend's been teaching me to ride is to stay in second when coming to a stop and once fulling stopped, drop back to first.

When I was having this trouble yesterday, a way he said I could try avoiding the problem until we got back was to downshift to neutral while coasting to the stop, then shifting to first once at a complete stop.

He's told me to never downshift into first while coming to the stop; only once I've actually stopped. I'd like to know if that's really the case or if its a nonissue since I've had no issues shifting to first while in motion; just while dead stopped.

Agree with Surviving Philly, make sure you don't have too much slack in clutch lever. You may want to change your oil as well, as that can affect shifting. If you find it's not wanting to go into 1st try letting out just a little on the lever as you try to shift down.

The linkage from the shift lever can bend if someone mashed on it.  I would make sure it's still straight.  If they get bent shifting will be a little off and the rod can break.  Good luck.