Help Need - GPZ500s won't engage into gear

[juliansellars...]

Hi there

I was taking my wife's bike out for a spin this morning (it has been sat a couple of weeks). I was sat at traffic lights and i think i heard a small metallic sound from the clutch but i can't be certain. Anyway the lights changed i pulled the clutch leaver in clicked into 1st gear let the clutch out and nothing happened. No bite, no drive. I pushed the bike to the side of the road and tried again with the same result. I then turned the engine off and clicked from first to neutral to second and back down. Started it up again and still no bite from the clutch to provide drive. I have checked the cable and that is fine, not frayed broken and it operates the clutch arm that i can see without any problems.

Do any of you much better mechanics come across this before and if so any ideas as to diagnosis, where to look, what to replace, ease of fixing, costs? Any help or ides greatly appreciated, mainly on behalf of my wife who was planning a trip this weekend......

Thanks

[stinkwheel]

Seemingly silly question: Is the chain still attached to both the engine and the rear wheel?

My number 1 suspicion from what you describe would be that the front sprocket has come off the splines or the chain has come off the sprocket.

I presume it is actually going into gear, lever moves as normal, slight clunk, neutral light goes out?

I can't think of anything simple/likely that would abruptly happen to a clutch which would cause those symptoms.
____________________
“Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.”
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.

[juliansellars...]

Hi there

Sorry forgot to mention that i had checked the chain was still in place.....
but in answer to your other question there is no clunk when going into first.
As a guess i was thinking that the springs or something similar had gone in the clutch leading to it being permanently disengaged, but as i say that is only a guess. If it comes to it i will drain the oil tonight, take the cover off and poke around and see what looks out of place

[stinkwheel]

I find it HIGHLY unlikely that the clutch would have catastrophically failed in such a way as it is permanantly disengaged while stopped at the lights.

Only time I've seen that happen was following a prolonged burnout and the resulting noise left one in no doubt as to the nature of the failure.

One suggestion is that the primary shift mechanism could have either worn or broken. There are a couple of little "hooks" that grab the gear selector drum and pull it round into position. The ends of these hooks can wear round so they don't get hold or the small spring that holds the hooks in position could have pinged off.

Fortunately, unlike many bikes, the GPZ has the shift mechanism under its own little cover on the left hand side under the front sprocket. It's a fiddle but you can remove it with the engine in the frame. If you're draining the oil to check the clutch and find nothing, check under there too. It's a paper gasket.
____________________
“Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.”
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.