Diagnosis and tips repairing a wrecked 1980 xs 400

[Kapats]

Tech info and etc begins 3rd paragraph
I'm so glad i found this site, it seems so helpful I've read through a number of topics thus far and learned a lot.

Onto my problem though, i bought a 1980 400 xs special less than a year ago i found it at an amazing price and absolutely fell in love with it! Then in October i was riding home and two deer ran out rammed the side and the other jumped in front of my bike.

The front forks were bent probably 30 degrees buying a new set isn't a terrible problem to replace but I'm a mainly self taught in the little mechanics i know as far as i know to diagnose there is a problem with the transmission. The transmission is locked and refuses to shift gears (even with some monster torquing down) the gear shift moves but won't move the gears. I've made an attempt to open up the engine although one of the heads was rounded off (not a big problem just a stall).
Any tips on what i should be looking for to be broken when i get into the transmission?
or anything else i should be looking for in general i'd love to get this thing running again.

 

[HoughMade]

So this problem with the transmission- is the engine running when you are trying to shift?

 

[ThePsuedoMonkey]

The gear selector is a little finicky: it really needs the engine to be running to work right, otherwise it takes more effort. Keep downshifting and give it time to reset the ratchet mechanism before doing it again and you will eventually get it into neutral. Like Houghmade mentioned, if the engine is running and it won't shift... that's another story.

 

[Kapats]

The engine won't start hitting the electric start it sounds alright but the wheel in the back does a semi spin and then nothing. Wouldn't want to try to ride it in current condition. The clutch doesn't seem to have any effect on trying to start it the clutch cable grinded pavement but doesn't seem overly damaged

it has seen better days the left side seems to have taken about all the damage not sure if maybe the gear shift was pushed inward when it laid down. I have no recollection of the accident had a quite bad concussion

 

[HoughMade]

You may have nothing wrong with the transmission. It will not shift without the engine turning. You can get it to shift if you spin the rear wheel, so try that.

With the back wheel in the air and no resistance, it can spin a bit regardless of the clutch being in or out.

 

[XSLeo]

On the forks, being bent that much, when you install different fork, make sure the front and rear tires are inline. If not this could indicate a bent frame.
On the tranny depending on how you went down the shift lever may have gotten pushed one way or the other to far and the shift shaft may have gotten disconnected from the shift drum.
If as Hough says, get the rear wheel in the air and spin the wheel as you try shifting. If this doesn't seem to help, you will need to read the repair manual. It will show you how the shift pedal hooks to the tranny and how to check the any adjustments.
Leo

 

[Kapats]

Couldn't get the gear to shift myself gonna get someone to give me a hand with it to try to it spinning better and try again later on i did notice a difference clutch vs no clutch trying to spin it though. I'll post results when i get that far and i've been reading through the repair manuals thanks a lot for the feedback so far though

 

[HoughMade]

Don't touch the clutch. Spin the rear wheel forward, then push the shifter down. It should click into gear and the wheel stop dead. Won't hurt anything. If it does that, you're fine as far as the transmission (chances are).

 

[OleDoc]

Like leo said,i had an old dirt bike that had the shaft come apart from the shift drum.i could only get neutral and first