Bike dies when put in gear

If it doesn't die when you put it in gear on the center stand (rear wheel off the ground), CAREFULLY try revving it to 2 or 3 grand in gear and then pull in clutch lever and step on rear brake....do not lean back...keep wheel off ground...safety first and all that....might break the clutch plates free if that is your problem......good luck.....and remember safety first..........ff

Len1300ST said:

so stuck clutch plates still sounds like the problem.

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While it certainly appears to be a non-disengaging clutch, stuck clutch plates are just one possibility, a failure of any of the components in the clutch hydraulic circuit could also appear as a stuck clutch.

A methodical and logical approach to this problem will be your best course of action...

On the other hand, if you're confident that the clutch hydraulic system is functioning properly, and the engine oil has not been contaminated with water or coolant, then "stuck clutch plates" is a strong possibility. You could try to free up the clutch plates by rocking the bike whilst in gear.

While straddling the motorcycle:

1. With both tires on the pavement.
2. The ignition switch in the OFF position.
3. With the transmission in 1st or 2nd gear (whichever affords the most rocking action).
4. With the clutch disengaged (clutch lever pulled in tight to the handle bar).

Attempt to rock the motorcycle forwards them backwards, try to establish a rhythm of rocking the motorcycle back & forth. The goal here is to develop enough inertia in the rear wheel, that the clutch plates can no longer resist the torque coming from the rear wheel, and the clutch plates start to slip.

Email sent....awaiting by the white courtesy phone :call:

Anna'sDad said:

On the other hand, if you're confident that the clutch hydraulic system is functioning properly, and the engine oil has not been contaminated with water or coolant, then "stuck clutch plates" is a strong possibility. You could try to free up the clutch plates by rocking the bike whilst in gear.

While straddling the motorcycle:

1. With both tires on the pavement.
2. The ignition switch in the OFF position.
3. With the transmission in 1st or 2nd gear (whichever affords the most rocking action).
4. With the clutch disengaged (clutch lever pulled in tight to the handle bar).

Attempt to rock the motorcycle forwards them backwards, try to establish a rhythm of rocking the motorcycle back & forth. The goal here is to develop enough inertia in the rear wheel, that the clutch plates can no longer resist the torque coming from the rear wheel, and the clutch plates start to slip.

Click to expand...

This looks like a good method to free up the clutch plates if indeed that is the problem. However, the most torque multiplication will be applied from the rear wheel to the clutch when the transmission is in 5th gear.

OK so in neutral you can push the bike so the brakes are not the issue.

Put in on the center stand.
Side stand up. In a gear. Kill switch set to run. Pull in the clutch. Hit the starter. Does it start?
Is the back wheel turning?
Let the clutch out is it still running?
If so it's not electrical.

Pull the clutch in push on the brake pedal a little. Does the engine load up? If so the clutch is not working.

At that point it's stuck plates possible since it sat so long and you started it a lot without operating it (don't do that LOL) or the clutch hydraulics aren't working.

So...
You were able to do a manual bleed so there's some pressure being developed by the clutch master cylinder.
We'll assume the bleed got any air out and didn't introduce any more.
Was the reservoir at a normal level when you started the bleed?
Pull in the clutch most but not all of the way and hold. Does it still give resistance or fade to the handle.
If it keeps resistance assume the hydraulics are working.

Then I'd run it on the center stand in gear.
Pull in the clutch wind it up a little and lean forward so the rear wheel can't rock back and drive it off the center stand.
Then with the clutch in bike running on the center stand in gear. Stomp on the rear brake and quickly release trying not to stall the engine. Do that a few times and hopefully you'll hear a pop and the plates break free.

So Len what have you done with all the information that's been presented? I may have missed it but does the bike run if its on the centerstand and in gear?

I'd put it on the center stand and in Neutral and let it run for a while letting the engine get the oil good and hot. That should make freeing up the clutch plates a little easier.

OK guys I tried just putting bike in 2nd gear and rocking the bike back in forth still no luck, the plates are stuck, that's all I can figure. The bike starts fine and I lean forward put in gear while on center stand and wheel turns fine, and when I apply back brakes, it chokes down like it should in gear. Maybe I'll try and shift into 4th or 5th and try to rock it and unstick plates with engine off. Thanks guys for all your help!!

Have you changed engine oil?? The clutch is bathed in engine oil. If it has sat for 3 years even with starting there is sure to be moisture and contaminate damage to the clutch. When you start a bike that is "in storage" always pull the clutch and shift gears while it is on the stand to keep ALL internals lubricated. A bike that sits collects moisture and the internals will rust. I would change the engine oil and use a seafoam additive or something similar to clean/lube an engine from storage. Once it is "free" and all is working put a few 100 miles on it and then do another oil change.

Ding...ding...ding...we may have a winner!
The first thing I would do is flush & bleed the clutch system, then the very next thing I would do is drain the engine oil and replace it along with a new filter.
I would use a hdeo and add a few oz. Of mmo to clean things out. Run it a few hundred miles and dump it and put fresh oil back it.

Igofar said:

Ding...ding...ding...we may have a winner!
The first thing I would do is flush & bleed the clutch system, then the very next thing I would do is drain the engine and replace it along with a new filter.

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Are you saying you would replace the engine and filter before trying to find the problem
Sounds like an extreme measure to me, just sayin'

Don B said:

Are you saying you would replace the engine and filter before trying to find the problem
Sounds like an extreme measure to me, just sayin'

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Sounds expensive to do that!! I would just bleed the clutch and change the oil and filter.

big thumbs....small phone....no sleep....

Thank guys for all the replies, still no go. Oh well to the Honda shop I'll go....

Please let us know what they find....

Igofar said:

Please let us know what they find....

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i know this thread is a few years old, but I'm having the same issue, with no luck...
reached out to the Original poster as he said he was taking to the shop, but no reply.
replaced side stand switch and worked the clutch plates (in case they were seized) and neither is helping. I didn't ride the bike for about 6 weeks, but was fine before, now all of a sudden it dies when put in gear. Any help is appreciated!

So the side stand is up the clutch is pulled in and when you click it in gear it dies.

You replaced the side stand switch no joy. You didn't do anything with the clutch switch? There's also a clutch diode maybe in the fuse box that might be a/the problem.

There's a neutral safety switch too I think but if the bike is running in neutral than it should be good.

There's always the possibility of a loose or dirty connection at each one of these switches or a chaffed or open/shorted wire (that'll be some fun to find).

Thanks for the reply!
yes to the first question.
ill check the clutch switch and replace if necessary.
clutch diode... not familiar with that, I’ll do some research.

see if it will start in neutral...no clutch lever pulled in.

Too bad that the threadstarter never followed up on this thread that had so much invested in by other members.

The ignition unit needs an earth in order to keep the sparks going. That can be either through the neutral switch (in neutral) and the diode, OR the sidestand switch (up).

Given an ignition cut out as soon as you drop into gear, I would suggest the path through the sidestand switch is broken somewhere, even though the switch itself may be OK. You should check for continuity in the Green/White wire, from the ECU plug to the 2P sidestand plug, and from the green wire at that 2P plug to the chassis (earth).

You can bypass the sidestand switch with a jumper across the terminals in the 2P plug as well, just to rule the switch out.