Motorcycle Moving In Gear Without Clutch Pulled In?

[DRider]

Hi everybody,

A week ago, I was involved in a collision with my 2000 Suzuki GSX600F. Car pulled out in front of me and I went into the back of them. Thankfully I had slowed right down, but the hard fall onto the left side of the motorcycle split my starter clutch cover and lost all the bike's oil.

I've had the bike checked out by mechanics, who say the bike needs a new cover, new oil (obviously), and new indicators. Something that's playing on my mind however, is that when the bike crashed, just after we got it up off the ground, somebody wheeled it to the side of the road. The bike was in 4th when it crashed, and they were able to move the bike without the clutch being pulled in. The bike still moved, thought it showed some resistance and made a fairly horrible grinding sound that went away when you pulled the clutch in. I was also able to get it moved down to neutral, although it was a right bugger to do that as well; it went into 3rd and 5th easily enough, but you really had to use a bit of force to get it any further down.

Just wondering if it's somehow possible for this to have happened (the bike moving without the clutch in while in gear) and there not be any damage to the clutch itself, or some other part of the mechanics? Confused, and really don't want to fish the bloke for any more money. (he claimed full responsibility and will fork out the full £400 for repairs).

Thanks!

 

[dandoolittle]

Id defo get the bike to a dealer for a quote and claim the lot!

Clutch plates might have gone!!

You sure they didn't hold the clutch in and move it?

 

[jthomas]

Definetly get that checked. As Dan mentioned clutch plates probably had it or something could have broken off in the gearing. Bad thing is whenever somethings been wrecked and repaired, despite being fully fixed, they just never feel the same. Glad you came out alright.

 

[Marbro_za]

you should be able to push the bike in a higher gear. Depending on the gearing and compression

I dont think it would have broken your clutch etc, Check the linkage however

 

[Pigs]

My clutch cable just broke tonight on my way to class today. I was noticing lately that my bike wanted to start moving a little bit when at stoplights. I adjusted my clutch cable but little did I know it was because my clutch cable was frayed and was on its last leg. Definitely recommend checking the cable and the linkages.

 

[Lurch]

Chain come off? Unlikely but it'd probably grate if it did.

 

[ChunksLife]

the grinding noise could just have been a lack of fluids in the bike

 

[Marbro_za]

And now we wait to see if i was right, or the rest of you are wrong

 

[DRider]

Got the parts today, putting them on bike now. Occasionally the bike got stuck in a "hidden neutral" between 4th and 5th. Hoping that might be the case here. Won't take long to build the bike back up and put the oil in it. Will keep you guys updated.

 

[DRider]

To add: Marbro seems to have been correct! Bike shifts gears fine and transmission is fine.

HOWEVER! The bike doesn't want to start off the starter motor. It gives the slightest impression that it's trying to crank over, but then does nothing except knock all the electronics off. We thought the battery might have just died after the crash and with it sitting doing nothing, but replacing the battery hasn't helped. Starter relay clicks, but that's about it. Still kills the lights and the dash when button is used. We ended up starting the bike off jump leads, and even then it took a bit of time.

So, question is; is this somehow damage related to the starter motor, or to the starter clutch? As far as I can work out, if the starter clutch was bonked, then the starter motor would still work freely but wouldn't do anything. As it stands, it's just not doing anything at all. Don't understand how the starter motor could've been damaged though, as it's tucked away in the middle of the bike, whereas the left side (start clutch side!) was the side that took the damage.

Seems I'll be bumping the bike to and from work. Yay.