Clutch not engaging

header: After not riding the GRiSO for two weeks, upon starting the bike and attempting to put it in gear and go, I discovered the clutch lever to be malfunctioning.

So I start it; attempt to pull the clutch in, but it just doesn't actuate at all. The master cylinder has been serviced recently and is in good condition. I turned the bike off and put the bike in 1st gear and the bike rolls freely as if it is still in neutral. Not sure what direction to go. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

What does the lever pull feel like? Is it very light? As if pulling the lever in doesn't do anything?

Chris,

I moved your post to the GRiSOLOGY section which is where technical information and problem solving can be found.

Pete (Street)

Pete Roper wrote:

What does the lever pull feel like? Is it very light? As if pulling the lever in doesn't do anything?

No, it’s extremely tough. Very hard to move. It also squeaks. When I pulled it hard enough to actually pull it in, nothing happened. There was no “dry clutch” sound like I’m used to hearing when I pull the clutch in.

Hmmm. Very odd. Usually hydraulic failures result in the clutch not engaging. This sounds like it's engaged and the piston of either the master or the slave has seized. I can't see it being a problem with the plates as usually when something happens with the friction material with them it usually results, at least at first, with a dragging clutch. If the centres had ripped out of the plates the hydraulics would still work OK and it tends to cause a hellacious ratcheting noise!

What might be worth trying is opening the bleed nipple on the bleeder hose. If it pumps out a squirt of fluid and then the clutch disengages, (Leave the bike in gear, engine off and push it fore and aft to see if there is drive to the crank from the wheels.) if there is then it would point to a problem with the master cylinder and since that was the thing most recently touched I'd say it's most likely to be what the problem is.