Outboard motors having flexible connector assembly for shift actuation

An outboard motor is for propelling a marine vessel in water. The outboard motor has an upper cowling that covers an internal combustion engine, a driveshaft housing located below the internal combustion engine, and a lower gearcase located below the driveshaft housing. The lower gearcase encloses a transmission gearset configured to transmit power from the internal combustion engine to a propulsor. A shift actuator is covered by the upper cowling and a shift mechanism is located at least partially in the lower gearcase and configured to shift the transmission gearset into and between forward, neutral and reverse gears. A flexible connector assembly operatively couples the shift actuator to the shift mechanism so that actuation of the shift actuator causes the shift mechanism to shift the transmission gearset.