Ok, so I've got this model '89 xt600 that does not want to shift into neutral when the engine is running and the bike is at a standstill. In fact, it takes a major effort to get the bike into second gear at a standstill. When the engine is off, shifting into neutral (and through all of the gears) is as easy as it should be.

This is more of an annoyance than anything else. Whenever I pull over to the side of the road to get something out of my bag I have to kill the engine; I can't just let it run in neutral. Plus I'm trying to prep the bike for the big sahara trip, so I want to make sure that the bike is in good working order. I wonder if this problem is a sign of worse things to come? If I was at home, I would get down to business opening up the bike to see what's wrong but my access to gaskets, etc. right now is limited.

Suggestions? Similar experiences?

Brian

hi again Brian, have you tried adjusting the clutch wire? shouldnt be more than a 3mm gap at the handle

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Laromo \ '02 KTM 300 EXC "Jake"
'05 KTM 640 ADV "Fatman"

When at standstill with engine running, have you tried revving the engine while trying to shift (pull clutch lever, turn throttle a bit, shift)?
Works for me...

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/Jonas

I will try adjusting the clutch cable, but if there was too much slack in the line wouldn't I be experiencing problems with all of my shifting? If that doesn't work, I'll try the clutch-rev-shift thing. Will let you know how it goes.

Brian

I have an 86 Tenere and had exactly the same problem which I solved very easily. I don't want to insult your intelligence because you've probably tried this but when I stop my bike, to get it into neutral I go down to 1st, then lift the gear peg up, and then a light tap down will put in into neutral every time and that is the only way I can manage it.

Well, I've adjusted the clutch cable, but it made no difference. There was only an extra mm of slack.

The clutch-rev-shift works for getting the bike out of first gear and into second, but it is still an effort, and neutral just isn't happening.

As for being unfamiliar with shifting into neutral, this is my 4th bike in 6 years. I know how to finesse the transmission into neutral from 1st or second. In fact my first bike was an '83 Yamaha that was a little difficult to get into neutral, but with a little patience I always got it. This particular xt I'm working on now is just being plain stubborn.

If anyone else reads this and wants more clues, I can easily shift into neutral from 2nd gear while going 20+ kph.

Any other leads would be helpful.

Hi

It sounds like your clutch isn't properly disengaging, also known as dragging.

Older bikes such as my XS650, Z650 etc have a second method of clutch adjustment.
This is for the free play of the mechanism that the engine end of the clutch cable goes to, and the procedure is typically:
Put as much slack in clutch cable as possible.
Remove small cover from left side engine case.
Slacken loc nut and screw the screw in until it just touches mechanism behind it.
Back screw off half a turn and loc the loc nut.
Reset cable slack and refit cover.

Now the XT600 doesn't have such an adjuster accessable fron left side engine case, but loking in my Clymer manual they appear to have a screw and loc nut at the other end of the clutch push rod,in the clutch basket pressure plate, accessable by removing the right side engine case (which holds oil)

I havent seen a procedure for setting this on the XT, but it might be worth checking it's setting and trying half a turn out if it isn't already.
And while the case is off, I would take the plates out of the clutch basket and check how grooved the slots in the basket are. Ideally they should be no more than polished.
I would also chech the push rod and any ball bearings.
You don't need to remove the clutch basket to do this, but you will need to use a new gasket when you refit the cover, and possibly drain the oil from the engine too.

Good luck

Mark

I would say you have warped clutch plates, had that same trouble on a GSXR1100 I once owned.

Hmmm, I may very well open up the side of the engine and look at the clutch plates. However, I would like to have a little more confirmation before breaking things open. Are there other symptoms of a dragging clutch (besdies difficulty shifting into neutral)? Also, I seem to recall there being two different types of plates in the clutch assembly. One type is actually referred to as clutch plates. The other is kind of a spacer (I think). My friend told me that it is the spacer that gets worn, not the actually clutch plates. What are your thoughts on that? I would just open it up and look at what's worn, but I gettting close to the departure date and time is somewhat of an issue.

Thanks for the advice.

Brian

Dont muck about thinking of whether to open the engine up to look at the plates just do it, and dont just look at then take them out and give them a visual, then measure them on a glass plate with feeler guages checking for trueness, or just buy new plates anyway they are not exactly dear.

P.S. my gixer had some cork pads missing, new plates sorted that and the draging and trouble getting into 1st gear.