Clutch Not Engaging - Sportbike Addicts

**njf4i** · 06-14-2005, 05:36 PM

Well it has happened a couple times but don't know why. So i'll throw this out there and hope for some help.

The first time i was traveling at 60mph, grabbed the clutch, shifted up and let the clutch go. Well when i hit the throttle the rpm's shot way up, i pulled the clutch and released it again, and than the bike felt like it was in gear. Now that has happened about 5 times this year.

Now last night i was traveling at 30moh grabbed the clutch shifted down, and let the clutch out. The same thing the bike acted like it was in Neutral when it wasn't. Grabbed the clucth and realeased it and it engaged.

Now is this the clutch going bad? If it iwas, is this an expensive part to have replaced? Also could it be something else?

Thanks

ezpunkx · 06-14-2005, 06:28 PM

Sounds like one of those wierd problems.. Do you notice any difference in the tension of the clutch lever when it happens? It sounds almost like theres something wrong with your gearbox. On my F4 i've mis shifted and caught the middle of the gear and it felt like i was in nuetral.. but yea its either ur clutch cable, ur clutch, or ur gear box ... if that narrows it down lol.

**njf4i** · 06-14-2005, 06:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ezpunkx

Sounds like one of those wierd problems.. Do you notice any difference in the tension of the clutch lever when it happens? It sounds almost like theres something wrong with your gearbox. On my F4 i've mis shifted and caught the middle of the gear and it felt like i was in nuetral.. but yea its either ur clutch cable, ur clutch, or ur gear box ... if that narrows it down lol.

Well the one thing that always stays the same is the tension in the clutch cable. It never feels any different know matter how the bike is acting.

Hmmmmm

ezpunkx · 06-14-2005, 06:38 PM

If you cant think of anything else, you might want to pop open ur clutch cover and have a look at the clutch, see if you notice anything. It doesnt sound like its the actual clutch plates because your not getting any slipping. Its possible one of the return springs are worn out? have a look at the service manual.

**Ripp53** · 06-14-2005, 07:51 PM

sounds like a false neutrel it happens when you don't hit it into gear hard enough

**FigNewTon** · 06-15-2005, 12:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ripp53

sounds like a false neutrel it happens when you don't hit it into gear hard enough

My thoughts as well

***Cakes206*** · 06-15-2005, 01:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WSprtuaL

My thoughts as well

Was thinkin the same thing. Nick are you usind different footwear when this happens...I notice when I wear sneakers I'll sometimes end up in a false neutral...or even neutral for that matter...but with a firm boot it doesn't usually happen(for me anyways.) If you're still getting false neutral with boots then maybe take a look at the shifter position...it could be set a little to high and might have to lower it a little.

**njf4i** · 06-15-2005, 05:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cakes

Was thinkin the same thing. Nick are you usind different footwear when this happens...I notice when I wear sneakers I'll sometimes end up in a false neutral...or even neutral for that matter...but with a firm boot it doesn't usually happen(for me anyways.) If you're still getting false neutral with boots then maybe take a look at the shifter position...it could be set a little to high and might have to lower it a little.

No i'm always wearing the same pair of boots. I kind of thought it was a false neutral. But it seems to be happening more and more. I guess the one that freaked me out was the down shifting. I never had it get stuck when i went from 3rd to 2nd before.

But the bike does have 18k miles on it. So maybe its time to go in for a check up.

CBRBob · 06-15-2005, 06:19 PM

Try draining the oil and putting in some plain old Castrol GTX 10/40. You may have an oil with a high Molybednium Disulfide content. These make bike clutches slip. The other thing is stop 'grabbing', 'hitting' and 'letting go' of the clutch and it may last a while

IrocRob · 06-16-2005, 04:40 PM

Nick - Try upshifting without the clutch - I've had a few
"false neutrals" myself, but it's only happened to me
while I was using the clutch while shifting.

To shift: accelerate, and at the same moment that you put
pressure on the shift lever back off the throttle just a little
The transmission should snap cleanly into the next gearset.

Commuta_Busa · 06-17-2005, 08:34 AM

since this doesn't happen everytime and it's not specific to one gear I would think your trans gears may be ok.

When this happens do you hear the gear ingage and it's just the clutch which doesn't engage or do you shift and it only pulls out of the current gear and hits neutral? you need to try and determine if it's your clutch or trans... try and determine if it's a repeatable problem.