I have a clutch problem...

[MadXX]

Everything I broke this last weekend was minor except one problem I could use some help to figure out. When I start the bike up and put it in gear and the clutch pulled in, the rear wheel moves.  I mean moves significantly enough that I cant stop it with my shoe.  It seems the clutch is always about 1/2 to 3/4 engaged.  I checked the cables and the pull seems correct and nothing was amiss.  the bike did take a pretty good slap to the right side, absorbed mostly by the right clip on, frame slider, exhaust, and rearset.

any ideas on where to begin?

[duc995@aol.com]

Two questions:

1) If you are sitting on it and it is in gear and you have the clutch pulled in but the bike is in gear, does it stay put or does it creep forward?  

2) Is it any better when the oil and engine are up to temp?

[MadXX]

to answer: 1 yes, 2 not that I found.  I warmed it up about half warm and it wasn't better.

The gear shifter works fine. It rotates through the gears without problems.  The clutch always seems to be somewhat, but not fully, engaged though...

[Protein Filled]

What kind of bike is it?

[MadXX]

Doh. I guess all the info would be nice.    :P

Its a 2000 SV 650 standard version with an unmodified engine and clutch.

[Protein Filled]

On the SV, there is a round adjuster on the left hand side under the cover that goes over the front sprocket. Double check that to make sure it did not go out of adjustment.

To get to it, you will need to remove the cover. There is a flat screw head that you can rotate to make it push further into the pushrod. You will need a 10 mm wrench to loosen the locknut first, and then a small flathead. Try turning it in 1/2 a turn at a time and see what happens.

There is nothing on the right hand side that would affect the clutch, so I am not sure how your crash is to blame. It could also be that the clutch plates are worn down, so if the adjuster I mentioned above does not do the trick, remove the clutch and measure the thickness of the fiber plates. They could have been marginal before the race, and gotten worn down from the launch during the start.

[MadXX]

thanks edgar.  I will check this tomorrow night.  I was confused about this as well.  The only thing I thought it could be is that the impact may have knocked something out of whack.

[MadXX]

Ok. I tired adjusting the cable and the clutch adjuster but no dice.  It got better, enough that I could stop the wheel, but did not resolve the issue.  Is this a sign that my clutch is toast and needs replacing? or is there something else I could be missing?

[Super Dave]

How did it get stored in the off season?

[MadXX]

in the garage ???

If you can tell me why you asked that I may be able to answer it more thoroughly.

[Super Dave]

 ;D

Sometimes, when the clutch is left engaged for the winter, well, the oil gets pushed out.  Now if it was on a side stand...the oil would even end up to one side of the engine.  For any kind of longer term storage, I usually zip tie the clutch lever against the bar so that oil will remain between the plates.  

Sometimes the fiber pieces will leave a little bit inbedded in the steels and make them a bit grabby.

Barnett plates always seemed to have some of the characteristics that you're having.  I "stick"  :D with the stock plates....  Making a change this weekend...but I'm not having a "grabby" problem.

[MadXX]

Ahh. I stored it in neutral with the clutch disengaged on a front and rear stand upright in the garage.

I know this wasnt a probem before this last weekend though since I oiled my chain with the bike on the rear stand without this problem.