Have a 1983 Suzuki GS550. When downshifting, the bike stays in the downshifted gear, however shifter stays in "first" rather then popping up back into "neutral". Have to pick up by foot in order to do

It's a guess, but looking at the wiring diagram, very loose contacts inside the starter relay.

https://www.justanswer.com/motorcycle/1dzu4-anywhere-online-diagram-1983-suzuki.html

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I did this on my Vstar recently.

My solution was, engine off, ignition off. Hands off the clutch, Rock and downshift, rock and downshift a good half a dozen times to make absolutely sure you are in 1st gear. Now, still without touching the clutch, rock and VERY gently upshift. If you can push the bike back and forth without the clutch and the gears aren't engaging the engine, you're there. NOW turn on the ignition and pray for the green light.

Your shifter cam bolt has backed out, this is a common problem on earlier GSXR's. Happened twice on my 2000, both times during race weekends.

Stop riding the bike and shifting at all and do the following repair:

Remove clutch cover - you'll drain some oil so make sure you have a drip pan underneath

Remove the 5 the clutch housing plate bolts - careful as they have pretty stiff springs behind them providing torsion

Remove all the clutch plates - make sure you keep the same order and re-install the same way; matter of fact if you have never replaced your clutch plates, do it along with this repair.

Once the clutch case is basically empty, you will see at the lower left a small assembly that looks a bit like a tuning fork, at the end of the shifter shaft. There is also a cam there with rounded cogs. There is a 8mm or 10 mm hex head bolt that holds this cam, and I'm sure it has backed out and is causing the cam and shifter to not engage the gears properly.

Remove the cam bolt. Spray some compressed air or even a light spray of brake cleaner in the threaded area where the bolt you just removed is. Make sure the threads are clean and dry.

Place the cam bolt and assembly back in its position, and take some RED loctite to the shifter cam bolt threads. Make sure to torque the bolt to specifications, I think it's 24 or 28 nm.

Let the bolt set for 24-8 hours, then reassemble the clutch and replace the clutch cover gasket. Top off the oil and go riding.

My bike is 96 1400 Intruder. I researched the problem of my inability to downshift to first after having been in fourth gear. Sometimes I could not even get into second gear. The solution for my bike was to squirt spray lithium grease into the where the the shift lever rod comes out of the transmission. There is apparently a bushing that got hung up as I had never lubricated it before. The shifting worked perfectly. I plan to open the small ccover so I can get inside the case and hand lubricate the bushing completely.

This does happen on many other bikes; the shifter pawls do not mesh smoothly at low RPMs. Simply let your clutch out partially to "bump" the pawls and gears into better alignment, then engage it again, and it should be much easier to downshift when at a stop.

The screws holding the backing plate for the gear selector fork may be loose, allowing a slight shift in alignment of return gear. There is a spring under some pressure holding everything in place, this maybe coming out of its location as well. It will require the removal of the sprocket cover and gear selector cover to access these retaining screws.
Depending on the type/model of the bike, it is a relatively simple motorcycle toolkit fix.
Would need to know specific bike for optimum advice, cheers.

Even the linkage on the outside of the transmission looks good, the problem is on the inside. I think your shifter pawl hold down spring is broken. Have you tried to shift the transmisson up and down with the engine not running? Just rock the bike backwards and forwards while trying to shift the transmission. If the transmission does not shift doing this, the problem is definately in the transmission. Harley has a problem with their shifter pawls and shifter pawl return springs. I've replaced many of them. A complete disassembly of the transmission is required. Verify by pulling the top cover off the transmission and watch the shifter pawl as you try to downshift.

Good Luck
Steve

Your bike has the TwinCam 88 motor which is rubber mounted to the bike. The slight ticking noise is coming from the tappets in the cylinder heads and is normal. When you are downshifting, are you going down in steps (5th to 4th then release the clutch and let it slow, then 4th to 3rd release the clutch and let it slow, etc.) or are you just running through them all at once (pressing down on the shifter without releasing the clutch until you are in 1st and then letting it out)?

There is some "clunking" that occurs in the tranny that is NORMAL but if the "clunk" is more pronounced, it could have something to do with the way you downshift...downshifting in steps as described above is the best way to downshift. If you can give me more info, please respond here so I can help you further.

check the spark plugs better replace them make sure they are to the specs of the engine of yr bike.
You may have to clean the carbs too!

Good luck.
Knight (Yamaha Seca XJ750 A 1981)