Walking away from me...

[Unsterbliche]

When I start my bike with clutch pulled in all the way and in 1st gear, in cold weather, the bike starts to set off , quite strongly, without me releasing the clutch, and as soon as its started then its fine again. It does not happen in neutral, and only when engine is very cold. Anyone else's MT done the same?

 

[HypotheticalVex]

The bike uses a wet clutch. For the clutch to actually separate the engine from the transmission the engine must be running. The initial jolt of movement comes from the starting of the bike, when the clutch is still engaged.

 

[Kipawa]

The bike uses a wet clutch. For the clutch to actually separate the engine from the transmission the engine must be running. The initial jolt of movement comes from the starting of the bike, when the clutch is still engaged.

??? Then how is it when the bike is not running and you pull the clutch while in gear you can roll the bike or if you are on a slight slope like my driveway it will roll back?

 

[HypotheticalVex]

At first it still engages the engine, but by doing so separates the engine from clutch.

 

[Nuggets]

Your clutch cable has probably stretched and needs some adjustment. The clutch consists of a series of friction plates and metal clutch plates sandwiched together in a two part clutch basket, one basket connects to the engine, the other the gearbox and the clutch plates sits between the two. Normally the plates are squeezed together by several clutch springs which engages the clutch and creates the drive connection between engine and gearbox.

Pulling in the clutch lever actuates a thrust rod which pushes the two parts of the clutch basket apart very slightly, this separates these plates reducing friction and thus disengaging the drive between engine and gearbox.

I had this problem with my old Suzuki when cold. Cold engine oil has a higher viscosity (thicker).

Because the thrust rod only separates the plates enough to break the friction of the clutch plates when cold oil (being thicker) is involved it can cause the plates to stick together or act like an automatic transmission and cause drive.

If you were to put your bike on a paddock stand and run the engine with no gear engaged then the back wheel will move, it will move more in with a cold engine than a warm engine. This is because the clutch is always engaged and even without a gear being selected the circulating oil is just enough to cause drive.

As soon as the engine reaches temp and the oil thin's the problem should go away.

Try adjusting the clutch cable, you should have 10mm of free play at the lever end (from memory when reading the handbook) anymore and the cable is likely to have stretched meaning when clutch lever is pulled in the clutch isn't disengaging enough, cold oil exacerbates this problem.

 

[Unsterbliche]

Thanx for the info, its only a minor nuisance, and happens once in a while, will adjust clutch cable and report back if problem persists.

 

[Nuggets]

Thanx for the info, its only a minor nuisance, and happens once in a while, will adjust clutch cable and report back if problem persists.

Did adjusting the cable work for you? What's your current mileage? Be interested to know if this pre-first service as speaking to the service manager at my dealership yesterday, they adjust every cable (including clutch)and the drive chain to account for stretch, as part of the first service shake down.