Chain broke on the interstate and now the clutch is trashed

[Minus]

Yeah that was exciting stuff, thankfully I didn't go down but now I think my clutch is trashed. When I removed the front sproket cover I found the chain bunched up (https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/2348749/Photo%20Jun%2028%2C%203%2003%2059%20PM.jpg) and I can't find neutral. What should I be looking for when digging around? I have a parts engine and a day to fix.

[Suzuki Stevo]

You also bent the clutch pushrod...easy fix 

[Minus]

You also bent the clutch pushrod...easy fix 

Oh man please do tell!

[Suzuki Stevo]

You also bent the clutch pushrod...easy fix 

Oh man please do tell!

95%+ of the time when a bike tosses a chain and it gets wadded up under the countershaft cover, the clutch pushrod gets bent, it's the rod in the upper left of this image.

[Minus]

The good news is that it was bent and I was able to swap it out in about 30 seconds. The bad is that its still having the same problem. It only goes between two gears.

[Soloratov]

Did it lock up when this happened or were you quick on the clutch? Only reason I ask is just in case maybe something was bent internally.

[Minus]

Did it lock up when this happened or were you quick on the clutch? Only reason I ask is just in case maybe something was bent internally.

It locked up. I was going 60ish so there's no chance that something didn't get jogged inside. I was more having to hold on while the bike bucked around for a few hundred feet and wasn't able to grab the clutch.

[fetor56]

Why did the chain break do u think....was there a joining link?

[Minus]

Why did the chain break do u think....was there a joining link?

It was the masterlink because I'm a huge idiot.

[Minus]

Also I found this: https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/2348749/Photo%20Jun%2029%2C%207%2046%2028%20PM.jpg

Should that piece be bent?

[Big Rich]

What piece are you looking at? I've never really looked at a GS500 clutch basket, but those ripples on the inside look like they are machined in. Are all the teeth straight, along with the fingers for the clutch plates?

If you can get in 1st and 2nd gear but not 3rd, I'm wondering if your transmission somehow didn't get boogered up.

[Blueknyt]

if your talking about the washer type thing in the middle of the clutch basket, then yes, its spose to be folded over to lock that nut in place

[Soloratov]

The basket looks ok. I would guess the issue will lie in the gears themselves, inside the case. The gears themselves will most likely be fine unless a tooth was taken off, but the shafts that hold them would be what I am concerned about. With a sudden halt in the rotation, those shafts will have a lot of shear force put on them, and may have either been bent or broken. You may have to remove the motor and split it to really see whats going on.

[Minus]

Update: The clutch was fine and so were the gears, the only issue now is that it doesn't indicate neutral, and won't start unless the kickstand is up even with it in "neutral" which is weird. It's late so I'm going to check the contacts around the clutch and report back with what happens.

[cWj]

Why did the chain break do u think....was there a joining link?

It was the masterlink because I'm a huge idiot.

Care to be a hair more specific?

[Big Rich]

I can't help with the kickstand up / neutral starting issue since I'm not that familiar with the 500 wiring. But as far as the neutral light not coming on, it's probably a loose wire under the sprocket cover.

[Minus]

Why did the chain break do u think....was there a joining link?

It was the masterlink because I'm a huge idiot.

Care to be a hair more specific?

I didn't secure the chain properly.

[GS4me]

Why did the chain break do u think....was there a joining link?

It was the masterlink because I'm a huge idiot.

Care to be a hair more specific?

I didn't secure the chain properly.

Since the original chain doesn't have a master link / is 1 piece, I'm guessing (possibly) that when your chain was replaced, the clip for the new master link may have been installed in the wrong direction??? 

I've only heard of that / seen that once.  Pretty scary man...

[MARider]

Bright side is you are okay.

[cWj]

Certainly glad that no one besides the bike was hurt....and hoping the bike gets back up and going as soon as feasible. I just spent a month and a half without Pokey due to charging issues. It was a painful waste of spring weeks.

I am interested, though, on collecting anecdotal data about clip type master failures.

If you have time and patience, I'd like to know how you feel you didn't secure it properly (wrong direction, plates not compressed sufficiently or compressed too much when installing, brand, age, number of wheelies pulled with nubile youthful person as pillion).