2013 Naked GS Stalls Cold

[fetor56]

My Naked model stalls first thing in the morning when it's cold & put in gear for the first time.Once it's stalled & put in neutral & restarted it shifts perfectly.

The clutch plates must be sticking but as yet everything i have tried hasn't worked,including a combination of these things below:
1.Blip throttle before putting in gear
2.Pump clutch lever before putting in gear
3.Run through gears when not running
4.Rock bike forewards/backwards in first gear when not running
5.Long warm-up period
6.Adjust clutch to Specs(not yet with adjustments under Clutch Release Cover)
7.Changed oil

When cold & not running & the clutch lever depressed(bike in first) it will not move forwards,even reluctantly.
From what i'v managed to find out it's a VERY uncommon problem with a new bike(5 weeks/700Km old) and it will probably go away with time....until then it's a constant annoyance.
Any tricks or solution suggestions guys/gals please.

[prmas]

Yes, I had the same problem from new. At 15k now and after several oil changes it has improved a lot but still happens. The clutch plates stick together overnight. To overcome the problem I use a cable tie to loosely hold the clutch lever most of the way in when I park the bike overnight. After I start it from cold and let it run for a few seconds while I put my helmet on I just slip it off over the bar end. I always mostly return the choke lever towards off and get the idle speed down as low as it will happily go at the time to avoid the clunk/jerk when selecting 1st gear. It will get better with time as the clutch plates settle in and is only needed overnight, never during the days ride. Several brands and grades of oil have been tried with little difference resulting except that for the last change when I decided to use a significantly heavier oil and it has improved the second problem of difficulty selecting neutral from 1st when stationary. It has only been a few hundred Ks since the change but it seems to be much better. I hope that this is some help.

Macka

[fetor56]

Yes, I had the same problem from new. At 15k now and after several oil changes it has improved a lot but still happens. The clutch plates stick together overnight. To overcome the problem I use a cable tie to loosely hold the clutch lever most of the way in when I park the bike overnight. After I start it from cold and let it run for a few seconds while I put my helmet on I just slip it off over the bar end. I always mostly return the choke lever towards off and get the idle speed down as low as it will happily go at the time to avoid the clunk/jerk when selecting 1st gear. It will get better with time as the clutch plates settle in and is only needed overnight, never during the days ride. Several brands and grades of oil have been tried with little difference resulting except that for the last change when I decided to use a significantly heavier oil and it has improved the second problem of difficulty selecting neutral from 1st when stationary. It has only been a few hundred Ks since the change but it seems to be much better. I hope that this is some help.

Macka

G'day Macka....thanks man,at least i know now i'm not alone.
I have never had the problem of difficulty selecting neutral from 1st when stationary,but i will try your tip of the cable tie overnight. 
Currently i'm using Castrol Activ 4T(15w-50) and the clutch seems to behave much the same as the factory run-in oil.......out of curiouity what heavier weight oil are u using now?

[mister]

Your problems are normal. Let me explain...

When you first start the bike you use the choke. Before riding off, reduce the rpm to 2000 or just a tad above it. Pull the clutch in and engage first. The bike will lurch forward a little and stop, but will stay running.

At this early stage, Your bike will Not be able to be pushed around in gear with cold oil. As you work your way through the services and better oil is used, this will change. I started with motul 3100 switched to 5100 and still couldn't push it cold in gear. Wasn't until I went to Motul 300v that I could push it cold. I now use Mobile 1 racing 4t and have no issues. As I went up the Oil ladder false neutrals also  went away.

Your bike is behaving normal.

[prmas]

Yes Mister, I agree with your summary except that my bike does not lurch forward. It just clunks loudly.
Tommett, the oil that I am currently using is Castrol 20w50 despite the very cold weather here. It is a general (car) oil and is not MA rated but has no Friction Modifiers so is fine for the GS. The Castrol Activ 15w50 that you are using (and thousands of others including myself) is a good oil to use. I tried the 20w50 as an experiment. As Mister says, the heavier oil also seems to help with reducing the false neutrals too. I had forgotten to mention that.

Macka

[prmas]

Sorry Fetor56, I mixed your handle up with Tommett with whom I have been posting on another thread. My apologies.

Macka

[fetor56]

Sorry Fetor56, I mixed your handle up with Tommett with whom I have been posting on another thread. My apologies.

Macka

NP.....i thought it must have been some wierd new abbreviation i'v never heard of. 
I'v got the cable tie on the bike now for overnight & if that's unsuccessful i'll try "mister" solution(choke,tad over 2000rpm) but i don't know yet if it'll stall/clunk,or what....it's all a question of trial & error. 
Thank you both. 

[prmas]

Cheers Fetor56, let us know if it helps you. It works for me.

Macka

[mister]

When I say "lurch forward" I don't mean like a foot or something. Just as if someone bumped it from behind. Clunk is definite.

The reason for the 2000 rpm is, at idle speed the engine is revving too slow to overcome the intial inertia change and dies. At 2000 rpm the Clunk doesn't negatively effect the inertia and so the engine keeps running. If yours dies at 2000, try it at 2500. The clunk might be louder. But really, once you have your first service at 1000kms and get that crap oil out and can get some better stuff in, you should notice a change.

[Spotman]

Hey guys,
I also have a 2013 GS500 naked with about 900kms on the clock.
I parked it at work for the day recently and left it in first gear. (at home I leave it in neutral) On return I couldn't get it into neutral before starting.  So I tried starting with the clutch in and it actually jumped forward a bit as if the starter was turning engine whilst engaged.
Is this a similar symptom/issue to what the OP has described?

Eventually jumped on and by rocking back and forward with and without clutch I got neutral and away she went.

cheers
Spotman

[fetor56]

Spotman.
Different issues,oil related though i bet.
You could probably start yours from cold/neutral & it would go in 1st gear....mine can't without stalling the first time(clutch plates stuck together overnight)
Your problem sounds more related to cold non-viscous oil causing drag on the clutch....this will go away.

[fetor56]

I have temporarily fixed the annoyance with "prmas" tip.If it gets worse or anything changes i'll try "mister" suggestion.
After every 200Km i'll go back to normal (cold start,NO depressed clutch overnight) & see if it has improved.
Thanks guys.

[bombsquad83]

I think it wouldn't hurt to at least try adjusting the clutch with the little nut and screw under the side cover (number 6 in your list you mentioned you didn't do this).  Take off the smaller cover that is part of the sprocket cover (2 JIS screws) , loosen the lock nut with a socket, then turn the adjustment screw 1/4 turn clockwise and retighten the lock nut.

[mister]

Hey guys,
I also have a 2013 GS500 naked with about 900kms on the clock.
I parked it at work for the day recently and left it in first gear. (at home I leave it in neutral) On return I couldn't get it into neutral before starting.  So I tried starting with the clutch in and it actually jumped forward a bit as if the starter was turning engine whilst engaged.
Is this a similar symptom/issue to what the OP has described?

Eventually jumped on and by rocking back and forward with and without clutch I got neutral and away she went.

cheers
Spotman

Spot...

Bike hard to get into neutral from first. Gentle rock/roll forward or back While putting pressure on the gear change lever and she is all good. This is Normal.

Bike does a small noticeable lurch when starting in first gear. This is normal. Can even happen when warm, depending on the oil currently in it. But nothing to worry about, it is normal for this bike.

[fetor56]

I think it wouldn't hurt to at least try adjusting the clutch with the little nut and screw under the side cover (number 6 in your list you mentioned you didn't do this).  Take off the smaller cover that is part of the sprocket cover (2 JIS screws) , loosen the lock nut with a socket, then turn the adjustment screw 1/4 turn clockwise and retighten the lock nut.

Good point & something else to try.


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[Spotman]

Spot...

Bike hard to get into neutral from first. Gentle rock/roll forward or back While putting pressure on the gear change lever and she is all good. This is Normal.

Bike does a small noticeable lurch when starting in first gear. This is normal. Can even happen when warm, depending on the oil currently in it. But nothing to worry about, it is normal for this bike.
[/quote]
Thanks Mister!
Figured something similar.  The bike is in for it's 1000k service today so will see how it runs after that.
cheers
Spot

[fetor56]

Problem solved with proper config of the Adjusting Screw. 

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[bombsquad83]

Good deal!