Quick bike question?

[R1 Indy]

Basically with the bike (08 R1) in 1st, with the clutch dipped, should it now move forewards?

Basically ive been trying to have a first drive in my bike engined 7, but whenever i engage a gear it stalls.

so i have tryed leaving it inn 1st, pressing the clutch, and trying to push it forewards, but it wont move, as if the clutch wasn't engaged at all? so might be stuck.

unless bike engines work completely different to car ones that is?

cheers for any help.

[balders118]

Not in my experience. I could start the bike in first as if the clutch was in, just like a car.

[Herman Toothrot]

I don't quite follow,.. but bikes same as cars with the clutch in nothings engaged and it shouldn't try to creep forward.

[Liquid Knight]

Are you using the bike slave with a car master cylindar?

[LC2]

No, that sounds like your clutch isn't disengaging.
Either it's not adjusted correctly, it's broken, it's not been put together correctly or it's seized on.

[tvrolet]

Clutches are clutches, in terms of releasing/pulling away a bike clutch will operate the same as a car clutch. But it's also not unknown to have a blke [multi-plate] clutch stick if it's not been used for a while. Try releasing the clutch in gear and either getting someone to push the car forward, or just touch the starter and see it it frees off. Don't don't run the starter for any time as you can burn it out, and make sure there's nothing in front in case the motor fires and you take off without a clutch! If it doesn't free off then check the adjustment - presumably it's still a cable.

[EvoBarry]

Bike clutches run wet remember, so if its not badly adjusted cable then could it be wrong oil in the motor causing it to be sticky?

Have you tried holding the clutch open for a few seconds before engaging the gear, I find a little pause helps free the plates in the morning, on my bike that is.

[R1 Indy]

Yes, ive got it in gear, ive been pulling on the actual clutch arm on the engine, so it should be disengaged, but its not moving anywhere.

yes its got a clutch cable rather than a master cylinder(hydraylic).

I will try giving it another push, as it is probably just very stuck, as wont have been used for over a year.

[Liquid Knight]

Does it stall or cut out? Because most bikes cut out if the side stand sensor is disconnected. You may have an extra pair of wires hanging somewhere.

[R1 Indy]

ahh barry, you might be onto something there with wrong oil.

I had a big plumbing mistake a few months ago, which resulted in a few litres of coolant getting into the oil.

has been drained and new correct oil in system.

could this have made it stick worse?

[R1 Indy]

im going to try running it up to temperature, and see if this will help it unstick?

ive tryed pushing it downhill with the clutch cable tied in, but it won't budge.

[Rubin215]

Clutch down, revs up, into gear.

If it still stalls then the clutch isn't disengaging at all.

I wouldn't expect the clutch plates to be stuck unless the engine had been left without oil in it for a considerable time, so my first port of call would be the routing of the clutch cable or the instalation of the release mechanism.

[EvoBarry]

If coolant has got in there it could have allowed the plates to corrode maybe, if you put it in gear and try rocking the car forward/backwards that might free it up enough to allow you to slip the clutch and burn it off, failing that I'd recommend whipping it all out and cleaning it up again, with fresh oil.

[saxxeblt]

Clutch plates are stuck, very common with bikes not used for sometime. You could put it in top and rock it forwards/backwards to free, might work otherwise it's a strip-down I'm afraid.
HTH

[R1 Indy]

Ive just got the engine stonking hot (whilst my neighbours starred at me disaproivingly!)

and there was still no movement by rocking.

so ive just undone the plug whilst its nice and hot and drained the oil. And the oil is still rather creamy so there must still be some moisture in there.

Is it likely to free with some new oil and getting it nice and hot? ir will it need stripping?

as i take it, i will need the oil drained to strip it down anyway?

cheers

[hman]

Check the basket castellations aren't ridged and also that the metal plates all lie flat with no buckling or bluing. I replaced the metal plates in my bike to solve the same problem.

[scorcher]

Clutch plates may have dried out.Might be worth striping the clutch and soaking the plates in some oil then re-assembling. Make sure you use bike specific oil.

[R1 Indy]

well i decided i would have a go at stripping the clutch, and hopefully find the problem.

ive taken the cover off, and have noticed that the small shaft that goes through the flywheel(that connects to the clutch lever) is all loose? it freely spins, and in and out movement.

is this suposed to be like this?

[littleredrooster]

R1 Indy said:

well i decided i would have a go at stripping the clutch, and hopefully find the problem.

ive taken the cover off, and have noticed that the small shaft that goes through the flywheel(that connects to the clutch lever) is all loose? it freely spins, and in and out movement.

is this suposed to be like this?

Yes - it's the pushrod.

Before you start taking things to bits, try this: Put it in a high gear (4th/5th), pull/press/disengage the clutch, apply brakes and try to start it - see if the starter motor will break it free.

Failing that, do a bump start in 2nd gear, clutchless changes up to fourth and press the clutch and rev it. See if the engine torque will free it off.

At the end of the day, it's only the plates which are gummed together with being left idle.

[TallPaul]

I've never known a bike with a wet clutch have a problem with the plates sticking together. My guess is if the plates are stuck together (either through water contamination/corrosion or wrong oil) then the best bet is to replace both the friction & intermediate plates. Has the engine been in the car chassis for long- was it previously fine with the last owner, or have you installed it recently? If its a fresh install, I would firstly strip & inspect the clutch, maybe even think about a stronger billet basket, then look more closely at the actuating mechanism from the pedal to the engine. There's every chance the cable is badly routed & you're not actually getting enough travel at the pushrod to disengage the clutch.