I wouldn't have a CLUE as to how to know what gear it's in just by looking.

You should be able to tell by locating the Neutral notch. 1st is to one side and 2nd is to the other. From there it is a bit complicated to fully explain without showing you the rest of the external shift mechanism bu rest assured, when you shift down with the pedal, the shift claw also turns down (counterclockwise). The star is in 2nd gear, no question about that.

I can't see any reason why it would not go into 1st and N.I mean,it kinda has to doesn't it.This is your NEW shift star?

I do not think there is anything wrong with the shift star, detent arm or shift shaft. I think I fucked up my shift forks torquing on the star. I was afraid to say it and was waiting for someone else to suggest that but I hope I am wrong.

Can the gears be 'in another gear' so to speak?Is the position of the star teeth where they need to be?

It certainly seems like the gears are in another gear. It is not possible for the shift star to do this however. It can only be installed in the proper position otherwise it won't fit. I may have bent something downstream out of whack which was my fear before I turned on that bolt. I asked a highly regarded ZX-14 expert and he said no worries. Kruz agrees. Shift forks are like a quarter inch thick steel. I hope they are right.

I can't remember if the gearbox was in N or 1st when I did this.I think I had put it in 1st..so the allen wouldn't turn as I loosened or tightened it.Does that sound right?

That was probably the case. The shift drum will shift a gear from N when you wrench the shift star bolt whether you are loosening or tightening, especially if you do not have the detent arm in there to help hold it. If I damaged my transmission, that's how I did it.

Maybe your '2nd' is actually,1st?

Yeah, now it is! Kinda seems that way almost don't it?

Mine was so tight,I thought the wrench was gonna break.

Mine too. 20 ft lbs to break a little 6mm bolt that takes loktite and 96 inch lbs. the detent arm was about that tight too. Normal. Usually takes twice as much torque to break as it did to torque.

The thing that disturbs me is that the SM says to remove the whole drum and place in a vise to take the star off. It does not say to leave it all in and torque against the transmission.

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