Honda 2004 XR400R Owner's Manual page 45

Shifting Gears
6. To continue shifting up to each higher gear,
repeat step . 5
7. To shift down to a lower gear, close the
throttle, pull the clutch lever in, and depress
the shift lever. After shifting, release the
clutch lever and apply the throttle.
Remember to close the throttle and pull the
clutch lever in completely before shifting.
Improper shif ting may damage the engine,
transmission, and drive train.
Learning when to shift gears comes with
experience. Upshift to a higher gear or reduce
throttle before engine rpm (speed) gets too high.
Downshift to a lower gear before you feel the
engine laboring (lugging) at low rpm.
36
Basic Operation & Riding
Downshifting can help slow your motorcycle,
especially on downhills. However,
downshifting when engine rpm is too high can
cause engine damage.
To prevent transmission damage, do not coast
or tow the motorcycle for long distances with
the engine off.