KDX200 Clutch Problem

[kamikaze]

I'm having a problem with the clutch on my '90 KDX 200. Sometimes it works fine, but often it won't work. By "won't work" I mean I am not able to pull the lever in and engage (or is that disengage?) the clutch.

The bike was sitting for a couple of years and I think it was working fine before that.

Before I started it up after it had been sitting I replaced the gearbox oil with Motul Transoil.

After my first ride, which was about 1.5 hours, I replaced the oil with Type F Auto-Transmission Fluid after reading on the net that many riders used that. This made no difference. I've ridden another couple of hours since.

When I'm riding it seems to be quite random whether the clutch will work or not. Doesn't seem to change when the bike is hot.
Last time I started it up I noticed that it was working fine, then after I kicked it for the first time (but before it started) it froze. I pumped the lever and it gave a little more each time until it seemed to work OK after about 6 pumps. But this didn't help the problem.

The cable seems to be fine.

I've never done anything with a bike clutch before so please speak slowly if you have any advice ?

thanks

[Motu]

Do you mean you can't pull the lever into the grip??

[cheese]

clutch sounds funked.

it's strange one though and clutches can be a pain! mine is! the basket might be worn funny. but i'd talk to a shop about it.

probably looking at new plates and springs though.

[kamikaze]

Do you mean you can't pull the lever into the grip??

Yep, that's what I mean. It will only pull in a cm or so when it's not working.

[F5 Dave]

Well you can’t get much easier to learn on.

Pull the side cover off after draining the oil & water + powervalve thingy slips out pretty easy.

While you are at it the clutch actuation lever arm (on top of engine) can be pulled out. The spring under there worn a groove on my 91 so just filled it with braze. Maybe this is a problem. Ooh looky here a pic from my file, see the spring?

But then I cut the arm & added a cm length which made the pull easier & was a good mod.

Take the pressure plate off & check the lot. Probably a few things partially seized together from inactivity. Tell us what you find & go from there. PS on mine the plates had worn so the stack was not grabbing, but if it wasn’t slipping before not an issue.

If that all sorts out I’ll tell you how to fix the silly sidestand so it becomes useful.
[edit add pic can email better version or let you know where you can look up whole lot]

[kamikaze]

Thanks for the advice. I actually found the parts diagram already, after a lot of looking... who would have thought Kawasaki would provide something so useful on their website ?

I will probably pull it apart over the weekend if I'm not going out riding. Hopefully figure it out. At least I may have a better chance of putting it back together with the diagram... even if I don't exactly get how it's working.

Unfortunately I don't have a side stand. Hoping to get one soon cos it's a real nuisance. What's wrong with them standard ?

[crazyxr250rider]

yeah prolly just the clutch basket has got groves worn into it replace it with an after market one if you can aford it (a billet hinson basket would be best)

[cheese]

I use a beer crate adn a few planks of wood to stack it up on.

[F5 Dave]

Yeah the beer crate is all very well but it gets a bit cumbersome in the bum bag & there isn’t always a convenient tree.


Side stand conversion
The standard stand is a joke, a bad one at that. It shakes about on the swingarm & sticks out like a huge appendage sticking out like a, sticky out thing.

This said, when I bought my kdx it had been removed & it didn’t take long for me to tire of finding something to lean it against. Even in the garage.

Remove stand & mounting plate from swingarm (or retrieve from corner of garage so often referred to). Curse designer who obviously never had to ride through a rut. Cut back the swing arm mount you’ve just removed the plate from so it’s out of the way a bit.

Weld to frame as in picture so the holes are just about horizontal & pretty much in line with the footpeg mount bolt. (Note my bike is a '91 but will work with 95’s etc if you play around a bit) You will need to tickle the side a bit & just tack it in place. The stand will now not extend past centre properly so grind the stop point until it comes forward the same amount it used to. Then when folded up; grind the stop back quite a bit until the stand foot rests right up by the side number plate (other picture). The toe of the foot will sink away level with the outside face of number plate so that it can’t catch you if you fall off the back, but still not touch the tire.

It will probably require a little twist to get the position just right so it misses the swingarm, (bounce on suspension to check). Then you finish the weld proper & hit it with some paint -job done.

At first I thought the bike leant over a bit too far & I was thinking of screwing a bit of rubber to the foot but out on the trail this hasn’t been so.

[note home made extendable beer crate under the bike]

[cheese]

fuck me, (not an offer) look at your chain!

[F5 Dave]

Yeah it's pretty isn't it? You are refering to the fact that it is a new DID X ring with the gold sideplates & didn't just think it was rusty

rest of the bike is dirty (bike long since sold).

[cheese]

ok, looked rusty......

As for sticky clutches, you may have grooves in the basket (like mine) if you file them out it will be sweet.

[kamikaze]

ok... I finally got around to pulling the clutch apart.

The legs of the clutch basket were quite rippled so I filed them nice & smooth... unfortunately it didn't help the problem

I didn't really pay that much attention to any of the other parts. Mostly I was worried about not seperating the clutch plates so I wouldn't have to spend hours figuring out what order they were in.

I assume if the legs/teeth on the Friction Plates are damaged this would also cause problems. But now that I think about it... this (and notches in the basket) would more likely cause a slip, or difficulty pulling the lever, rather than a solid jam.

Thanks for the advice so far. At least I'm comfortable pulling it to bits now.
Just not really sure what I should be checking for...

[cheese]

I'd have a look at a new clutch on Ebay. I've got some good parts from there recently.