[luke]

Ok, so there's this girl I know who just had a burning lust for rockets and finally got a ninja 250. So she's got her permit and rode it all this last summer. She bought it from her cousin who I think was kind of rough on it. I think its a 2000 or 2002 maybe. It's yellow, if that makes a difference about the year. But anyway, because her and her boyfriend are rather uninitiated to motorcycles and both are starting out riding, the input they give me on the problem might be missing some details. anyways, I'll give you all what I know of the situation and then we can debate what the issue is.

Issues: bike does not start. starter just clicks. when I attempted to pop start it, regardless of whether or not the clutch is pulled in or not, the gear is still engaged.

I was told that it started when the bike was tipped over in the garage on the right side. Either I don't remember or I never got any input on if there were issues before it got tipped. I think it may have started kind of hard but I don't recall.

The rear tire is bald. Here's my diagnosis, without actually getting a chance to take anything apart. I think something is up with the clutch because it won't disengage the gear. I think this has to do with the fact that the previous owner has burned the rear tire down to nothing. but generally as the clutch would get more and more worn, wouldn't it get tighter and slip more and more? because this is the opposite. I think there are over 10,000 miles on this bike, but I don't have an exact number. I think the starter is a separate issue. I don't think a low battery is what is causing the starter to click because I'm thinking they hooked up a charger, but maybe not. I'm not sure if the tipping over is really relevant at all, but I still mention it. I'm thinking to myself, "my kz440 has been tipped over in the garage a half a dozen times and it's clutch is still fine!"
anyway, the first thing I would do is take the clutch cover off and see if there is anything visually wrong there and use that as a starting point. I'm curious what the readership here thinks. let me know if my logic is flawed or if I'm looking at the wrong stuff for a solution.
thanks.

 

[Guest]

Try charging again or change the battery, I just had a hard time getting a 6-month old battery to take a charge using a Schumacher automatic charger. Finally started charging after a dozen restarts of the cycling, a totally dead battery won't take a charge and this one was almost there. The starter on mine acted exactly as your friend's did with this near-dead battery.

The gears won't unstick? Try rolling the bike a few feet with the clutch out, then try to shift. This changes the tension between the tranny's gears and may allow you to get it into neutral. Try a few times it may work.

Have your friends take MSF or similar course, all this is covered. They may have to wait until spring, the courses locally have adjourned for the winter.

 

[knightslugger]

Check your clutch cable first.

i imagine there's a mechanical malfunction in the clutch cover. drain the oil and take the cover off.

 

[AntiAndy]

the click def sounds liek a dead batt problem, happened to my bike when i first got it, charged it overnight and was off riding itn he morning.

as for the cltuch, not a clue, sorry.

 

[bitzz]

If the thing has been sitting for any length of time it is normal for the clutch to drag. The oil has drained from between the plates.
Charge the battery and try to start the bike on the center stand in neutral. If the battery won't take a charge, boost it.

 

[luke]

the battery stuff doesn't particularly concern me, because I think that either a new battery or a charge will solve that. The clutch issue concerns me. I think KS and I are thinking along the same lines in that the clutch is probably messed up and the first step is to pull the cover and make sure everything is functioning. The cable is functioning as it pulls the arm on the outside of the case.
As for Bitzz's comment, I can see how that would make sense, but at the time it hadn't been sitting at all. it had been ridden that day and the day before without incident. or so the owner claims, I think. It's been awhile since I've been approached over it.
thanks for the comments guys,

Luke

 

[fog]

Luke,
Your clutch is just stuck, wet clutches do that when they dry out. you'll have to bust it loose. try rocking the bike in gear back and forth. or even push it in neutral then bang it into 2nd gear.
FOG

 

[ChopperCharles]

Thick oil will make the clutch drag quite a bit, and it may even seem like the clutch is not disengaging. Then again, it may very well be stuck together.

Fix the battery problem first. The acid probably drained out when the bike was on it's side. Buy a new battery, put it on a charge for 8-12 hours, and then try starting the bike on the center stand. Even if the clutch is stuck, it will still start, and the mere action of oil flowing over the plates and the engine warming up may be enough to unstick the clutch.

Otherwise, warm the bike up on the center stand in neutral. Rev to 5000rpm, and kick the bike off the center stand. While you're on the bike, of course. It'll either stall or the plates will break free. (Or it'll shoot forward, but with a mere 250cc that's highly doubtable.)

Charles.

 

[MrSciTrek]

And don't try that in the garage or with a friend or car right nearby... or course! Right?

 

[MaximX]

You might also think about adjusting the clutch slack. Remember that the arm that activates the clutch is on the right hand side of the bike. The bike tipped over on the right side, so it may have bent something.