Starting your bike in gear

[rwk5159]

Alright,

I never noticed before (maybe cause' it never happened)...When I went to start my bike, it was in gear (I didn't know it) and hit the starter with the clutch in. (very unlike me to do this)

I was quite surprised that the bike jerked when I pressed the starter.

Did Yamaha not put a clutch over-ride on the starter?

[DAVINCI]

Some of the later models had an override, earlier ones didn't. Confused about statement "clutch in", you had the lever pulled in? If so, and the bike jerked hard, you may need an adjustment. You may not be getting full dis-engagement of the clutch.

[CatatonicBug]

Only a very few of the '81 Specials have any kind of clutch lever override switch. It was kind of a mid-year change, according to the knowledge base here. It connects the neutral light to the clutch lever and prevents starting if one of them is not activated. None of the other XS1100's had anything but a neutral "idiot light".

The XJ added a kickstand switch to the mix, and kills the engine if you put it in gear with the kickstand still down, IIRC.

[motoman]

Incorrect info C Bug. My 81 Venturer, Specials and MNS all had the clutch switch in 81.

[CatatonicBug]

Incorrect info C Bug. My 81 Venturer, Specials and MNS all had the clutch switch in 81.

Well, the Venturer IS a Special, kinda... It has a few mixed parts.

Not ALL the Specials or MNS's had the clutch switch though. Even the electrical diagrams often don't include it.

[planedick]

No switch

Was a good thing the day I broke my clutch cable. Had to turn off the engine at stop lights and put it in first and when the light turned green, hit starter button to go.

[jetmechmarty]

sidestand switch

I have a 1981 XS650. It does not have a sidestand switch.

I have a 1983 XS650. It does have a sidestand switch.

The 1982 XS650 parts fiche shows a sidestand switch. I suspect it must have been some sort of mandate for that year.

[crazy steve]

The 1982 XS650 parts fiche shows a sidestand switch. I suspect it must have been some sort of mandate for that year.

There's never been any sort of 'requirement' for 'safety' interlocks on motorcycles to my knowledge; this is something the Japanese manufacturers have done all on their own. I have mixed feeling about them; they complicate the operation of the bike, there's more stuff to troubleshoot if you have wiring issues, and in some cases they're a hindrence (PlaneDick's case). While not neccessarily a bad idea on their face, this was mostly an effort to make the bikes a bit 'idiot proof'; my personal feelings on that are that if you need this sort of assistance to ride a bike, you really have no business being on one in the first place....

But that's me.

[DGXSER]

MY first SH did not interlock the clutch with the starter. But this one does. In fact, this one requires neutral to start it, not just pull the clutch.

[jetmechmarty]

that if you need this sort of assistance to ride a bike, you really have no business being on one in the first place....

Mine is disabled, as it's the only bike I have that has a sidestand switch. I wish I could tell you that I have never started moving with it down. Fortunately, I've never launched myself on the sidestand.

[planedick]

Sidestand launch

I am always forgeting the sidestand when I go. Luckily it seems to be an "automatic" sidstand and just goes up when I turn left and doesn't launch me. I sometimes wonder if that was engineered that way. When someone mentions I forgot the sidestand I just tell 'em, "It's automatic, another nice thing about the XS".

[jetmechmarty]

I sometimes wonder if that was engineered that way.

It is not! It WILL launch you under the right circumstances. Search this forum and read about the severe injuries caused by driving with the sidestand down.

[DGXSER]

I know John, Kat's husband, had a VERY traumatic wreck from the side stand being down. I myself had a circumstance where I left it down and although on other occasions, a slight brush put it up for me. This time it did not, and pitched the bike back. Fortunately, it was on a straight section and I was just adjusting lane position when it hit.

Even then, I had to keep the bike from leaning left, hit it with my foot to put it up and not run off the right side of the road.

Yeah, pucker factor of 12 on a scale of 1-10.

[petejw]

my 81 sports came with that so called safety feature
on the clutch.

with the clutch sticking a little as davinci stated, try
adjusting it, both at the side of the case and then at the lever,
mine would do that if it was cold,
if it isnt slipping under load and otherwise working fine i wouldnt worry to much about it.