Interceptor VF500R

Hi, I have an 84 Honda Interceptor VF500R that was running just fine
in the fall when I winterized it to store it for the winter. After
getting it out from storage, there seams to be a problem. It starts
just fine, but when I try to shift it from neutral to first gear, it
stalls. When shifting, the clutch is pulled in, but when I shift from
neutral to first, it shifts to first but instantly stalls as if the
clutch is not engaged.
Any ideas?

 

Check the wiring diagram in your owners manual to see if the ignition
circuit runs through the sidestand switch.

Possibly the sidestand switch isn't making good contact.

Kawasakis and Yamahas have a weird safety interlock system that will
kill the engine if you put the tranmission in gear with the sidestand
down.

Suzuki just used the sidestand switch for a sidestand warning light.

 

I'll second that this sounds like side stand behavior.

Mike


--
Mike W.
96 XR400
99 KZ1000P
70 CT70
71 KG 100 (Hodaka-powered)

 

As others say, either a sidestand ignition cut-out (if fitted) that's
gone AWOL or, equally likely, given the lay-up, a clutch that needs
freeing off. Put the bike into gear, engine off, and rock it forward.

Then try. If it still conks out, it's the switch.

 

Or you could ask someone who has a 500 Interceptor sitting in the driveway...

<lifts cover>

No sidestand switch.

You may need to bleed the clutch actuator system. It's hydraulic, like your
front brakes. If there's air in the system or a seal has failed, your clutch is
not releasing when you pull the lever.

 

Heh. I'm glad I added the caveat 'if fitted'. I sold my VF500 a few
weeks ago and it had no switch, but one of those rubber sidestand
extensions (always the simplest and neatest solution, I think). I had
no idea whether US models had a switch or not.

Could be duff hydraulics, but I reckon it's just a good old-fashioned
sticking clutch.

<Happy sigh and memories of freeing off the clutch on old British
bikes>

 

The OP's description gave me the impression that the engine *suddenly*
stopped when he released the clutch. He said that he could get the
motorcycle into gear, but he wouldn't need the clutch for that.

Possibly the problem *is* a clutch that doesn't release because of
sticky plates, or air in the hydraulic system.

The OP would likely be able to get the transmission in gear if the
motorcycle was on a centerstand or a work stand and the engine should
keep running if the carburetor's idle circuits passed enough gasoline
to carry the relatively small load of spinning the rear wheel.

But, if the idle circuits are dirty, the engine might wheeze to a stop
on fuel starvation.

I wonder what happens if he tries to put the transmission in gear when
the engine is still running on the "choke".

 

There's more to motorcycles than carburettors, tha' knows....

 

Hey Guys, thanks for all your help so far, but I may not have
explained the problem well.
If the bike is NOT running and I put the bike in first gear and pull
in the clutch, the bike will not move.
And,
If the bike is running, and I pull in the clutch and try to shift into
first gear, it stalls.
The bike responds as if I do not have the clutch handle pulled in.

I have tried putting the bike in gear and rocking it, but this has not
solved the problem.
Any other suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

 

Maybe a lot of your clutch fluid wept out, around the
seal on the piston of the slave cylinder.

You'd never notice leakage because the seal side faces the
transmission, unless maybe there was puddle of clutch fluid under the
motorcycle.

And you might tend to blame that on your cat...

Is there a sight glass on the master cylinder, so you can see how much
clutch fluid you have?

I decided that a clutch fluid change was long overdue on my GSXR, so I
disconnected the clutch hose and drained the system into a container.

I removed the slave clinder and turned it upside down and drained it
too. Then I reassembled eveything and filled the master cylinder with
nice fresh clean fluid and started pumping the lever and working the
clutch lever and opening and closing the air bleeder screw while
holding the clutch lever in.

Half an hour later, I was still pumping the lever, but wasn't building
up any pressure.

So I removed the slave cylinder again and pushed the
piston all the way in to push air out of the slave cylinder so it
could rise up the clutch hose to the master cylinder.

I reinstalled the slave cylinder. Then I started pumping the lever and
pressure immediately started rising.

Clutch fluid and brake fluid are the same thing, they are glycol based
and they will damage painted surfaces, so have some clean rags and
water handy to wipe up any fluid spills.

If your slave cylinder leaks badly though, you'll have to replace the
seal. And, be careful with any hose fittings and banjo bolts. It's
easy to screw up an expen$ive aluminum casting by tightening a fine-
threaded steel bolt too much.

Don't ask how I know that.

 

It sounds like you need to bleed the air out of your clutch system,
between the master cylinder and slave cylinder.
A complete change of fluid will probably give even better results.

If you can't get your desired results, try bleeding the system by
pressuring up on the slave cylinder and push the air back up into the
master cylinder. Be careful not to let the brake fluid in the clutch
system get on your painted surfaces.



********************************

*************************
Wudsracer/Jim Cook
Smackover Racing
'06 Gas Gas DE300
'82 Husqvarna XC250
Team LAGNAF

 

Right. Well, it does sound like the clutch system needs purging and/or
new fluid and/or seals. Have you tried pumping the clutch lever half a
dozen times, to see if it builds up some pressure? If it does, then
yes, it's the hydraulics.

 

Except for the fact that they DON'T WORK.

-gc

 

Heh. Worked the one time I needed it to, but I can easily see a
situation in which they'd be seriously overloaded, as it were.

I remember when Kawasaki had that dreadful lock-down sidestand linked to
the clutch cable via a secondary cable. That didn't work either, after a
while. Come to think of it, I'd have three Kawasakis conk out from
sidestand switch failure as well...

 

OK, general question here. Why hydraulic clutches at all? OK, so they're
supposedly low maintenance, but when they do give trouble they give a
lot. And the fluid needs changing rather more often than a cable does.

And they're supposedly self-adjusting, but I've never found giving a
twiddle to a handlebar adjuster much of a chore.

And I can only assume that they're more expensive to make (master
cylinder, slave cylinder, reservoir, piping, etc, instead of... um, a
cable and an adjuster at either end).

So why hydraulic clutches?

 

Hey Everyone, thanks for your help.
We changed the clutch fluid and everything is working great now.

 

I've had more experience with cable operated clutches than hydraulic,
but I've had clutch cables break and I've never yet had a hydraulic
clutch that failed outright in the middle of a ride.

Hydraulic clutches can be designed to give you more mechanical advantage
since you don't have to design in any extra motion to allow for an
out-of-adjustment cable. Less friction, too.

I've never had to scrabble around in the dirt looking for all the little
3mm balls that fell out of the ball screw from a hydraulic clutch
actuator, either.

 

Yes, that's true. Mind you, you can always get home without a clutch -
and decent maintenance will show you if a clutch cable is starting to
fray.

I don't think that's really relevant. There are some powerful bikes that
cope quite well with cable clutches (my K1100LT, for one). And modern
cables are super-slippery.

Ah, yes, well here you hit the nail on the head .

 

You're welcome.....

 

That's great.
Ride safe.


Wudsracer/Jim Cook
Smackover Racing
'06 Gas Gas DE300
'82 Husqvarna XC250
Team LAGNAF