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81 550 cafe clutch and starter issues...

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    #1

    81 550 cafe clutch and starter issues...

    Hello everyone, first time here, great site.
    Last year I purchased a 1981 GS550L on ebay. It's got clubman bars, a cafe seat, it's alot of fun to ride. It's my first streetbike.

    My father, brother and I took a road trip on our bikes to the motorcycle hall of fame in ohio. From where we are that's about 380mi one way. My GS made it back, However Now it won't start. I seem to have two problems.

    One,
    the starter sometimes would not spin when I hit the start button, all I'd hear was the solenoid click, so I'd put it into first, rock the bike backwards, and it would usually start after that. It's not working anymore, All I get is the clicking noise. Tried to jump the starter directly, it's a no -go.

    Second,
    My clutch seems to be frozen! It worked fine the entire trip, the cable pulls just fine, I tried adjusting it, but that dosen't seem to help.
    With the bike in gear, and the clutch lever pulled, it takes two full grown men to push the bike. It almost feels like the engine is froze. I pulled the stator cover and can turn the engine by hand so I think it's fine. I feel like the clutch is the culprit here.

    Any ideas why the clutch would freeze like that? It was a little low on oil when we got back, but only about half a quart or so.
    Thanks for the help!
    Tags: None
    #2
    Hate to say it, but you may have transmission problems. From what I've read, it sounds like the tranny isn't going into neutral. Best case scenario, it's clutch or cable related. How far does the actual clutch lever (the one on the engine case) move? It might be that you've snapped a few strands on the cable and it's stretched too much to be adjustable. If you can, have someone carefully engage the clutch directly at the engine lever with some channel locks and try to start it that way. Although, if the bike is in neutral, it seems like the clutch wouldn't affect it in any way unless there actually is a problem with the transmission.

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      #3
      Transmission is working ok. I think I have the clutch figured out, the plates are pretty worn down and I think that's what's causing it to be tight.

      Second question. If I try to start the bike normally, pull in clutch lever, hit start button, all I get is the solenoid clicking.
      But, If I put the bike in gear and rock it backwards, pull the clutch lever in, hit the button, it usually starts.

      Is this the starter going bad?

      Comment

        #4
        Jump the starter solenoid and see if the starter turns freely. Sounds to me like a bad connection.
        1983 GS 1100E w/ 1230 kit, .340 lift Web Cams, Ape heavy duty valve springs, 83 1100 head with 1.5mm oversized SS intake valves, 1150 crank, Vance and Hines 1150 SuperHub, Star Racing high volume oil pump gears, 36mm carebs Dynojet stage 3 jet kit, Posplayr's SSPB, Progressive rear shocks and fork springs, Dyna 2000, Dynatek green coils and Vance & Hines 4-1 exhaust.
        1985 GS1150ES stock with 85 Red E bodywork.

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          #5
          Originally posted by bi0s View Post
          Transmission is working ok. I think I have the clutch figured out, the plates are pretty worn down and I think that's what's causing it to be tight.

          Second question. If I try to start the bike normally, pull in clutch lever, hit start button, all I get is the solenoid clicking.
          But, If I put the bike in gear and rock it backwards, pull the clutch lever in, hit the button, it usually starts.

          Is this the starter going bad?
          Question One. Probably not the clutch problem. When the plates wear they get loose. Yours is not releasing fully when you pull the lever in. Could be a worn or stretched cable, warped disks (the metal ones that go between the plates) or debris in between them. You have the clutch out so check the disks for warpage.

          Question Two. When you try to start it is it in gear and does the bike try to move? I've had clutches that would stick when they got cold and wouldn't let the engine turn, but would try to move the bike. Rocking the bike back and forth would free the clutch plates and let her start.

          Comment

            #6
            Yeah but does the GS have an interlock?? I have a KZ with a similar problem ( i actually think its an electric issue) and the KZ's dont have interlocks, the bike will try to start whether you have the clutch pulled in or not or whether or not the bike is in gear.

            Comment

              #7
              Sounds like starter about gone. When you rock it,while in gear, it turns the armature in the starter, slightly, causing the brushes to contact a different place. A good cleaning may help for a while, but a rebuild is probably in order. Clutch sounds like stretched, almost broke cable. Just my opinion
              1983 GS1100E, 1983 CB1100F, 1991 GSX1100G, 1996 Kaw. ZL600 Eliminator, 1999 Bandit 1200S, 2005 Bandit 1200S, 2000 Kaw. ZRX 1100

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