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View Full Version : Clutch smells on new-ish bike gsx250 6000ks



init
24th May 2004, 13:05
Hi,

1st post :D
OK, so i'm very new to the world of biking. I've got a new gsx 250, and have done about 6000km's on it.

The past couple of days it smells like the clutch has beens slipping or getting hot. I can't feel it slip though...
Problem is, i don't want to ride it back to paraparaumu in case it causes damage, but i don't want to leave it in town in the open... :doh:

I guess i have 3 questions:
1) what could be causing the clutch to smell?
2) Should i ride it?
3) Can i do any basic stuff to fix it? eg. Tighten anything?

Some more info:

Since i've had it, i first of all noticed that the clutch level was quite stiff. It is now much more looser. Not flopping all over the place loose though.

It's now due in for it's 2nd service (6000kms) too... but i could only get it booked in at the unnamed wellington store for 31st May... so no luck there.

Thanks for your help!

jrandom
24th May 2004, 13:10
OK, so i'm very new to the world of biking. I've got a new gsx 250, and have done about 6000km's on it.

Welcome to the forum. You're supposed to put your *actual* bike in your profile, so that people don't read your posts and think you ride a ZX-10R :eyepoke:

SWK will be along shortly to advise on the clutch.

FROSTY
24th May 2004, 13:17
If the bike has travelled such low milage Id suggest looking at clutch cable adjustment.Have a look at the clutch lever and see if there is freeplay in it
The lever needs to have freeplay before taking up.

init
24th May 2004, 13:21
Welcome to the forum. You're supposed to put your *actual* bike in your profile, so that people don't read your posts and think you ride a ZX-10R :eyepoke:

SWK will be along shortly to advise on the clutch.

lol, ooops - i thought that was my dream bike area :Oops:

init
24th May 2004, 13:32
If the bike has travelled such low milage Id suggest looking at clutch cable adjustment.Have a look at the clutch lever and see if there is freeplay in it
The lever needs to have freeplay before taking up.

yes, it does seem to have freeplay in it. Not much, but some. I also took the liberty of looking at other bikes play in the bike stand :shifty:, and mine seems to be on a par with another gsx250 in terms of play and tightness.

if it is too loose, would that mean the pads can't hold together properly, or would it mean that it would be hard to disengage the pads when i need to change gear? :wacko:

k14
24th May 2004, 13:34
Do the GSX250's have a dry clutch? Cause most bikes have a wet clutch that is enclosed in the engine casing and thus you can't smell if the clutch is burning or not. It could be something else, maybe the brake pads or something rubbing on something.

pete376403
24th May 2004, 13:44
Not suggesting you ignore it and hope it goes away, but new bikes do have a (new bike) smell as all the paint on hot parts cures/burns off.
If its only got 6000 k you should let the dealer look at it. Under no circumstances attempt to fix anything apart from normal user items ie check the oil level, free play at the lever, etc. Any more that this and the warranty will be toast.

init
24th May 2004, 13:48
Do the GSX250's have a dry clutch? Cause most bikes have a wet clutch that is enclosed in the engine casing and thus you can't smell if the clutch is burning or not. It could be something else, maybe the brake pads or something rubbing on something.

I've no idea.. i don't know much about it, and the manual is at home. Good point though - It may not be the clutch at all.

init
24th May 2004, 14:27
Not suggesting you ignore it and hope it goes away, but new bikes do have a (new bike) smell as all the paint on hot parts cures/burns off.
If its only got 6000 k you should let the dealer look at it. Under no circumstances attempt to fix anything apart from normal user items ie check the oil level, free play at the lever, etc. Any more that this and the warranty will be toast.

True, i don't want to break the warranty yet.
I'll take it for a spin home in the hope that some junk or paint may be burning off.
Perhaps it's time for a good clean tonight and inspection of exhaust/hot places.

just kinda paranoid :)

FROSTY
24th May 2004, 14:35
hey good point guys--if its just had its firrst decent run It might just be just that brakes and paint and stuff settling in. :doobey:

White trash
24th May 2004, 14:35
Why don't you bring it in to the unnamed Wellington store for someone to give it a quick check? Better to be safe than sorry.

init
24th May 2004, 14:42
Why don't you bring it in to the unnamed Wellington store for someone to give it a quick check? Better to be safe than sorry.

that would be good :calm: ... just turn up at the front and ask?

White trash
25th May 2004, 08:42
Ask for Jimmy and he'll look after you. Not a bad bloke, depending on who you ask :msn-wink:

FROSTY
25th May 2004, 09:21
I was told about that guy jimmy--Um summat about always skiving off and saving front tyre rubber on customers bikes --Ou and sommat about walking around all day going potatoe potatoe --hmm ---must be another jimmy at another unknown bike shop :killingme

init
25th May 2004, 12:34
Started the bike up, waited. Just sat in neutral idling for 4 or so minutes while i inspected it. Smell started up. Decided it was *hopefully* something burning off engine casing. Smell stopped after about 1 minute.
Went for a short ride, 25 minutes around town, came back and parked up. No smell.
It seem i may have just been paranoid :) eg" oh my god, a strange smell" :crazy:

wari
25th May 2004, 12:44
Started the bike up, waited. Just sat in neutral idling for 4 or so minutes while i inspected it. Smell started up. Decided it was *hopefully* something burning off engine casing. Smell stopped after about 1 minute.
Went for a short ride, 25 minutes around town, came back and parked up. No smell.
It seem i may have just been paranoid :) eg" oh my god, a strange smell" :crazy:

Is the smell only apparent when you're around ... ?

u dan buy adult incontinental bags nowadays ...
no shame inthat init ... :)

White trash
25th May 2004, 12:52
Funny story.

Guy comes into an un named bike shop with horendus stench coming from his bike. Get it through to the workshop, tear the fairings off and low and behold, there's a sparrow trapped between the exhaust headers roasting away.

Cheap lunch for the boys that day.

merv
25th May 2004, 12:55
Have you fried some cow shit on the exhaust pipes or something like that then? Bikes have a habit of picking stuff up off the roads depending on where you have been riding.

merv
25th May 2004, 12:58
Your story Trash is similar to cars being started up and the damn cat had found a nice warm place to sleep but you don't know it until the smell becomes apparent.

pete376403
25th May 2004, 13:06
(vaguely related) I used to service photo copiers. These were old IBMs that used bare halogen lamps, a 1500w and an 800w, to fuse the toner onto the pape. More than once I recieved a service call for "bad smell from coppier" ususally on a Monday morning. Mice got into the copier over the weekend because they were warm, when the copier was switched on to warm it up the lamps went into full-on mode - instant roast mouse.

pete376403
25th May 2004, 13:07
Started the bike up, waited. Just sat in neutral idling for 4 or so minutes while i inspected it. Smell started up. Decided it was *hopefully* something burning off engine casing. Smell stopped after about 1 minute.
Went for a short ride, 25 minutes around town, came back and parked up. No smell.
It seem i may have just been paranoid :) eg" oh my god, a strange smell" :crazy:
If you noted the smell while the motor was idling in neutral, that pretty much rules out the clutch

merv
25th May 2004, 13:14
If you noted the smell while the motor was idling in neutral, that pretty much rules out the clutch

Yeah so its either the cow shit or the mice or the bird or the cat.

init
25th May 2004, 13:45
Yeah so its either the cow shit or the mice or the bird or the cat.

cow shit is a real possibility up in param :shit: :)

Hooks
25th May 2004, 13:48
Or the socks you were drying because it's raining !!! :argh:

I know that I had happen to me too....it turned out a plastic bag was stuck on the exhaust under the bike .....It's just the natural thing thing to do.....think that the bike is sick or misbehaving !!
Enjoy the ride home......do you go the SH1 or take the long way via the Paekak hill ??