Clutch problem

[Aches n Pains]

My bike has been sitting for a year and I'm having clutch problems. I assume the clutch plates are just stuck together. Spent quite a bit of time searching the site and am still confused.

Symptoms

1. On center stand, the bike starts nicely in neutral, warms up well and idles down nicely.

2. When I try to put it in gear and let out the clutch she stalls. Wheel does not turn. Even if I blip the throttle when letting out the clutch.

3. I have tried putting it in second or third gear and it stalls there also.

4. There is plenty of oil in the engine.


What am I doing wrong? I would expect the clutch plates to break free.

Hate the thought of pulling the clutch plate.

Thanks in advance

Aches n Pains (Doug)

[Schming]

Are your rear brakes stuck on ?

[bikerphil]

After the bike is warmed up, roll the bike out to your driveway or the road, get on it, put it in first gear and start the engine and start to ride. It will break the clutch plates free once there is a load on it.

[jetmechmarty]

If it stalls going into gear on the centerstand (wheel off ground), I can't wrap my brain around how it could be the clutch. Can you push the bike around the garage in neutral?

[BA80]

If the pickup coil wires are shorted. Inside the loom to the neutral light wire it will kill the engine when the light goes out.

[jetmechmarty]

If the pickup coil wires are shorted. Inside the loom to the neutral light wire it will kill the engine when the light goes out.

Excellent point! Try it with the neutral switch wire disconnected.

[Ranger_xs1100]

Just thinking out loud here....Is there a kick stand safety switch that could cause that problem?

[jetmechmarty]

Just thinking out loud here....Is there a kick stand safety switch that could cause that problem?

Nope. It doesn't have one.

[Aches n Pains]

Thanks guys. I really think the problem can be resolved with some for of the "rock it in second gear" solution.

Question - On the center stand I'm not sure why the brake needs to be on. The rear tire rotates easily in neutral so I would think that pulling in the clutch, putting it in second gear and releasing the clutch would break the clutch plates free. What am I missing?

Thanks again,

Doug

[Radioguylogs]

If the clutch is stuck, you'll get an abusive clunk as you shift into second on the center stand. There will be no "letting out the clutch".

Hard on the transmission gear dogs that we normally want to baby.

My clutch was rusted stuck when I first got the bike running. I had to disassembly it, clean the rust, and replace the disintegrating friction plates.

[mack]

I used

to have the same problem every spring when I stored my SF in an unheated garage over the snow season. Just push it to the road, start it and warm it up. Then get off it and push it fast enough for you to be able to jump on and kick it into first(it won't stall this way). Giver some throttle then pull in the clutch and hit the rear brake hard. That will break it free. Then slip clutch for a hundred yards to allow the oil to get into the steels and friction plates. You'll be good to go then.

[MaximPhil]

to have the same problem every spring when I stored my SF in an unheated garage over the snow season. Just push it to the road, start it and warm it up. Then get off it and push it fast enough for you to be able to jump on and kick it into first(it won't stall this way). Giver some throttle then pull in the clutch and hit the rear brake hard. That will break it free. Then slip clutch for a hundred yards to allow the oil to get into the steels and friction plates. You'll be good to go then.

Hi Mack,
I have read the above and have the following observations:
I can do step 1) It's after the "get off" I run into difficulty. Now I can do the 100 yard dash in a minute or two I can even, given enough time, push the bike 100 yards....but not fast enough to kick it into gear. At which point both of us would collapse in a heap. All the co-ordination required for clutch, brake and throttle would definitely be out of the question, until I had a short nap.
I still remember a time when I could do that sort of thing......but it was a long time ago.
Phil

[mack]

Hi Phil

Yes Phil: everything was easier back then wasn't it. As we age we get a bit smarter. Heated garage for my toys now.

[Eveready1100]

Phil, an easier way is to start the bike and warm it up a bit, then switch it off.
Hop aboard, select first gear, hit the starter while assisting forward motion with a bit of a push off with your legs and that should at least get you moving down the road in first gear.
If you have any issues with your gearbox, go up to a gear that doesn't skip and proceed with freeing the clutch.
Once you've achieved that bit, pull in the clutch lever and hold it there while blipping the throttle. The bike will probably lurch and jerk a bit while rolling on and off the gas, but at some stage, the clutch will release and you'll be good to go from there. No need to try dabbing the brakes either. That just complicates things some more.

[trbig]

Once you've achieved that bit, pull in the clutch lever and hold it there while blipping the throttle. The bike will probably lurch and jerk a bit while rolling on and off the gas, but at some stage, the clutch will release and you'll be good to go from there. No need to try dabbing the brakes either. That just complicates things some more.

And if that doesn't work, just take a nice ride, disregarding all stop signs and lights! lol.