The bike ran fine today but I decided to check the clutch adjustment on the wife's '05 anyway because the dealership we bought it new from screwed everything else up.  I followed the manual's instructions and found the adjustment screw way off, about 4-5 turns out.  I adjust it to 1/2 turn out and then try to take up the slack through the other adjustments.  I have to turn the adjustments way out just to get some resistance in the lever and even then it feels like the clutch push rod is bottoming out.  I'm not feeling the clutch disengaging.  So I pull the cover off and discover that he adjustment screw is bottoming out instead of contacting the push rod.  Then I notice that the rear wheel turns freely even when I shift into gear.  I start the bike up and shift into gear (it's on the center stand), and the rear tire doesn't move an inch. 

I think the clutch is stuck disengaged!!!  WTF!!  This is a brand new bike and I can't think of any reason why it would do this.  Is there any secret with these bikes that I may not know?? 

Does the clutch lever have free play?

The cable is adjusted all the way in (the most freeplay).  After adjusting the screw at the clutch push rod 1/2 turn out, I start adjusting the cable.  I have to adjust the cable way out to even feel anything but freeplay.  What I do feel is the clutch push rod bottoming out because the clutch is totally disengaged.  I don't get that: little bit of feeplay, then nice easy clutch disengagement feel.  When the cable is adjusted way out, it feels like i'm about to bend or break something when I pull the lever.  Also, I can kick the bike in gear with the engine running, without pulling the clutch in, and the rear tire doesn't move. 

Yeah you have over tightened the clutch cable so now it always has the pushrod slightly pushed in. This bikes clutch only grabs when its almost completly let out. SO here is what you have to do, you need to do the exact opposite of how you got into this mess,

Did you do this check when its cold?
If you did this, it is common to feel like the clutch wont disengage when its cold, this is completly normal and has to do with the friction between the plates due to viscous oil. So that is my guess why you feel that the clutch needed adjustment, when you tried moving the bike in gear.

To fix it here is what you need to do, you need to follow the end of these directions to get it back into a usuable range,
http://gstwins.com/gsboard/index.php?topic=20468.0

You don't need to open up the sprocket cover or anything, but jsut follow the clutch adjustment part.

Cool
Aaron

Aaron,
I understand what you are saying, but as I stated before, the cable is adjusted to it's shortest setting (the most cable freeplay).  Even with the sprocket cover off, the bike will shift into all gears without effecting the rear tire.

Also, with the sprocket cover off, the adjustment screw threads in and stops the same way as if the cover was on which leads me to believe that the pushrod is at it's furthest from the adjustment screw (disengaged). 

Is there anything that could override the clutch lever to disengage the clutch plates??  I'm almost positive that this issue has nothing to do with the cable because the symptoms remain the same with the cable totally taken out of the equation.

Hmm, mybad I guess I miss read it.

Yeah if you have the sprocket cover off, and you can shift it into various gears with out efecting the rear tire sounds like somethign is really f'ed up. Since the clutch is disinganged with the clutch cover off, the only thing that I am aware of that opperates the clutch are two push rods, one that you see when the clutch cover is off, and then there is another one behind that one tha actully connects to the clutch assembly in the motor. I am not sure, we will have to wait for the experts to come in on this one.

Qucik question
How far does the clutch push rod(inside the sprocket cover) stick out, and how much force is it taking to pull in the clutch lever?

Well, I double checked everything this morning to make sure the same problem existed from last night.  I was hoping I was just dreaming.  Sure enough, the same thing, no dream.

I pulled the right-side cover off to expose the clutch itself.  My suspicions were confirmed.  The clutch was fully disengaged.  Not just a little like when you pull the clutch lever, I'm talking all the way out.  There was alot of space between the plates.  By the way, the sprocket cover was totally off at this point which means that the clutch cable had nothing to do with the disengagement. 

I played with it for a while and everything was spinning the way it should when disengaged.  The next obvious step.... grab a big hammer.  I tapped on the pressure plate lightly in a circle and on my second time around, the clutch slammed shut.  It sent the push rod out the other side and against the garage wall. 

After fully grasping what just happened, I put the sprocket cover back on and adjusted the clutch per the manual.  Beautiful.  It adjusted up perfect and I was able to watch the clutch respond to the lever movements because I still had the right-side cover off. 

The only thing that I can think of is that the thrust bearing got wedged on the transmission shaft.  But even then, how did the clutch get disengaged so far out???

Whatever........  I'm going to replace the oil and filter (at 200 miles) with synthetic and hope this doesn't happen again while my wife is riding to work.  I am also planning on purchasing the proper tools to pull the clutch fully apart to see WTF is up. 


I would still like to know if there is anything that would cause this problem.  Any little secrets about this bike.

Thanks.

Being an 05 I doubt it's been ridden enough for the clutch basket to develop notches where the friction plates normally ride.  It's possible that the something wedged, or a burr left on the basket caught a plate.  It is also possible that the clutch rod actuating cam inside the left case got a piece of crap stuck in it.  (You should clean this area out and re-lube the cam on a regular basis.  The chain slings all kinds of muck and dirt up in there.)  I think those are the most likely possibilities, in no particular order.

Little problems aren't uncommon on new bikes, so you may never encounter it again.  I wouldn't as yet consider your problem justification for a tear down and inspection.  My suggestion would be to ride near home until you are satisfied that it will not happen again.  If you can't get it to repeat when you pull the lever all the way to the bar you should be fine.

Let us know what happens!   

Quote from: GeeP on May 21, 2006, 01:19:28 PMIt is also possible that the clutch rod actuating cam inside the left case got a piece of crap stuck in it. (You should clean this area out and re-lube the cam on a regular basis. The chain slings all kinds of muck and dirt up in there.)

Can't be that, since the clutch remained disengaged with the sprocket cover removed.

Right now I'd say ride her cautiously and observe. At least you seem to know what you're doing.