Can't peddle the bike? Clutch issue?

[Jacksonsman]

Just finished the build on my bike and Itook it out and have been trying to pedal the thing but I can't get the bike up to speed. I can only pedal for about two to three feet and then I hit compression on the engine and stop dead in my tracks. Is this due to my clutch not disengaging or is it just a new engine and things are really stiff?

 

[bluegoatwoods]

Well, let me make sure I understand....

You're not trying to pedal from a dead stop against the engine's compression, are you? You won't get far that way.

You are holding in the clutch handle (dis-engaging the clutch, in other words) and pedaling up to speed, then letting out the clutch handle and allowing your own momentum to drive that engine into start-up. Is that right?

 

[Jacksonsman]

Yeah I didn't explain that very well. In essance I'm trying to do what you stated. The problem is that there is no way to pedal the bike up to the speed required to start the engine. I have the clutch handle in but just can't pedal the thing. Feels as though my clutch is engaged despite the fact my clutch handle is depressed.

 

[bluegoatwoods]

Okay...then the suspicion is that the actual clutch is not disengaging even though you've pulled in the handle.

When you have the handle pulled in can you feel tension in the cable? Can you feel the clutch spring pulling against your fingers? If not, then you surely only need to adjust and tighten the cable. Even if you can feel that spring pulling back, you might still need to adjust the cable.

One thing you might do is to lift your rear wheel off the ground, then reach down to the clutch lever. We're talking about the lever that is mounted on the top of your crank-case (nearly on top, anyway) that the cable hooks up to.

Push that lever toward the pedal chain as far as it will go and then see if your back wheel turns freely. That would at least establish the fact that the clutch is engaging and dis-engaging.

Also, there are folks here who can help you more than I can. They'll find you before too much time passes.

Good luck.

 

[wbuttry]

sounds to me either the clutch plate is to tite or like you the cable doesnt have enough tention on it to diengage clutch

 

[Stan4d]

Try reading this thread: http://www.motoredbikes.com/showthread.php?t=32259 and http://www.motoredbikes.com/showthread.php?t=27681

Hope it helps.

 

[motorpsycho]

adjust the clutch arm on the left side of the engine. when the clutch handle is released you should be able to wiggle the lever on the left side of the engine with your fingers, this will tell you that the clutch is fully engaged, and that there is no tension on it from the cable.
when the clutch handle is squeezed, there shouldn't be any play in the lever on the left side of the engine that the clutch cable hooks to,

 

[Stan4d]

Another tip.....look at the bottom of this page for more links to other threads. Post your question in the appropriate one.

 

[Jacksonsman]

Hey appreciate the links! I did a search but it just wasn't coming up. I wasnt pushing against the actual clutch spring enough. Any tips on depressing the actual clutch lever so as to get the cable tight to the point of of the clutch being disengaged? I've got it pretty close but the back wheel still isn't turning freely. The clutch spring is tight as all get out.

 

[Jacksonsman]

it seems that the clutch pads were just stuck. they seem to have broke lose and it is going smoothly now. I'll report back if it gets running