Connector Rod - Help needed!

Sooo... I just replaced the gear shifter on my 2001 SV650S, which I just happily got on the road two days ago. However, I did not fully tighten the connector rod (the metal bar between the transmission and the gear shifter), and it fell off the bike on the highway somewhere. Since I was hours away from home, and had some friends in a car I was following, we searched and searched for this one little piece so I could get my baby back home. Luckily, we found it!

I put on the new rod and drove the bike back home. After riding around for a bit the next day, I realized the rod was becoming loose, so I tightened it. Suddenly, I couldn't get into 1'st gear (I could get from neutral to second, but not into first or third). I adjusted it a bit more, and then I could get from neutral into first, but not into second. I continued adjusting it for an hour, but I couldn't fix the poor thing.

I got pretty fed up and started toying with the controls, which might have led to me flooding the carb, but that should be ok today.

Any ideas on my problem, guys? Thanks!

the 'rod' just changes the angle/height of the leaver .. unless you have it at a stupid angle now and the leaver is catching on the footrest, I really can't see what you have done.

As a tip, once you have tightened the lock nuts, stick a bit of duc-tape over them to stop them coming loose again

Ergh.... That means I'm gonna have to take it into the shop today... That bike has brought me nothing but bad luck, but I still love it to death!

Thanks