I'm hoping you can help me with troubleshooting my clutch / transmission problem which happened suddenly yesterday. I started the bike and left the driveway normally, got on the street and tried to stop at the corner (still in first gear) but the clutch didn't release when pulled... lurching, stalling, falling to the side.... Ahh, the tip-over club dues, I guess.

Only after righting the bike and trying to start out again did I realize that pulling the clutch lever was not disengaging the transmission.

The clutch lever feels normal to pull.
I've gone through all the clutch adjustment and everything is good.
Oil is normal.
Still - with the bike on the center stand, if i put it in gear and pull the clutch lever in, the wheel is still very difficult to turn (engine off).

I don't know what to do next, as I fear that I might be in for a serious engine/transmission/clutch service. This is a 2004 with about 27000km.

Anyone have any ideas??

Take the side cover off the clutch actuator & front sprocket. Clean everything and take a close look. You'll see if something is broken or jammed. It takes an 8 mm socket. Not a bad idea to clean under this cover periodically, maybe every oil change. The helical cone-shaped gizmo that converts the clutch cable pull to the clutch pushrod push can use cleaning and a light dab of grease.

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2007 DL650A Whee! (SV cam transplant)

Manage the unavoidable.
Avoid the unmanageable.

How much free play do you, or did you have? When was the last time you adjusted it? The cables do stretch some over time, as well as wear to the clutch itself, but that should give you gradual notice that it needs to be adjusted, not suddenly.

Thanks guys. But I already took off the side cover and it is still clean from last years chain swap. All the engine side clutch adjustments have been done. Free play is within spec, and the cable was replaced just two years ago.

Pulling the lever operates the mechanism as expected and the push rod is moving in and out.

On the outside, everything looks 100%... It's just that it seemed like something is screwed up in the transmission inside, or something else.

I don't get how this can happen suddenly while the bike sat in the garage the last few days.

Did it happen yesterday, Friday the 13 th?

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2007 DL650A Whee! (SV cam transplant)

Manage the unavoidable.
Avoid the unmanageable.

Did you adjust the pushrod as per your user's manual?
I think it's specified in the user's manual.

I seem to remember you're supposed to screw it in until contact, then back it off 1/4 turn.

Does the 650 have a ball at the end of the actuating rod? Could it not be there?

Mechanism is very simple, Open her up and carefully remove the stack and you will find the problem

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8/2/2013

As a matter of fact it DID happen on Friday the 13th...

The pushrods has been adjusted properly with the backed off 1/4 turn.

I'll have to take a closer look at that pushrod mechanism and see if there is anything fishy there.

Thanks for the help so far everyone! It'll be tomorrow night at the earliest that I can work on it again.

There is a radial needle bearing at the end, #22.

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Pat- 2007 DL650A was ridden to all 48 contiguous states. 2012 DL650A is just getting started.
Nicknames for posting ease on my part, Vee = all DL1000s. Wee = 2004-2011 DL650s. Glee = 2012+ DL650s

Dang! I suppose that might be possible to break apart but it seems unlikely. Is it possible that something in the actuator mechanism (17) is broken so that it is not pushing as much as it is supposed to? I'll have to check if I can find a spec on that somewhere.

Thanks again... I'll keep you posted...

JB