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[ikeman1983]

I have a 1987 FJ1200

Went out this morning to go to work (I always start bike in neutral to warm up) and when I tried to put it in gear, it immediately died. It appears that the clutch lever doesn't disengage the clutch. Any ideas?? Bike has a small oil leak but I check it every day and fill when necessary.

[Pat Conlon]

Sometimes the clutch slave leaks. Are you sure it's an oil leak and not brake fluid coming from the slave?
Very simple to put a new seal in the clutch slave.
http://rpmracingca.com/proddetail.asp?prod=Clutch%3AS%2FK&cat=39

[fj1289]

A sudden malfunction like that sounds like it may be in the side stand/neutral/clutch switch “safety “ system. 

Does it feel like the clutch lever is working?  Does the clutch master still have fluid?   

[ikeman1983]

the clutch lever feels softer and easier to pull. Ill have to check on the clutch master fluid.

[aviationfred]

I have a 1987 FJ1200

 when I tried to put it in gear, it immediately died.

This should be a good indicator if it is a mechanical clutch issue or a switch issue as Chris mentioned.

When you pulled the clutch lever in and the bike immediately died...... This could be a Clutch switch, side stand switch problem.... Did you recently change the oil and possibly pinched the side stand switch wire in the oil filter cover?

When you pulled the clutch lever in and engaged 1st gear....Did the bike lurch forward violently? This would be an indication of a mechanical clutch failure, Slave cylinder failure or master cylinder failure.



Fred

[balky1]

If it is soft, you have air in the system. You will have to investigate how it got inside. Leaking slave, like mentioned, will be obvious by peeling color around it. Also, lever pivot point tends to wear out and then lever doesn't push the master piston the way it should.

[fjbiker84]

If my bike has been sitting for a week or so since it was last run, I have to warm up my clutch after starting or there is a significant crash into first gear.  I do this by pulling the clutch lever in and holding it for several seconds, release it and then repeat several more times.  This is a bigger problem in the colder months.  That said, it sure sounds more like the side stand safety switch - either it's not working properly or it's working and you're forgetting to raise the side stand before engaging the bike in gear.  I ran into this several times when I first bought the bike before discovering the bike had this safety feature.