NT650- NO Clutch Freeplay, Clutch Rebuilt. No Start.

[ssccrab]

Hello all! Bike has been parked for about 3 years, and I'm getting around to doing maintenance on it. New fluids, tires, new clutch, new main & rear sprockets and chain.

My first issue is with the clutch. I rebuilt it yesterday and put it all back together, and I have absolutely zero clutch free play at the handle, no matter what I do or where I adjust. Could it be that I didn't tighten the clutch springs down enough? When I put it back together, I tightened the clutch spring plate down to where the top of the plate is even with the inside diameter of the clutch itself. Does it need to be farther in than that?

Second issue: No start/no spark. Been doing lots of research on this topic through this forum and other places, but will post here anyway. The last time it ran was 2019, and it ran really well. While looking over all electrical lines, I've seen no corrosion or broken lines. We do live in the country and my shop does get voles every once in a while, but I don't see anything eaten through, either. I understand the battery has to be in tip-top shape or these bikes will not spark at all. The battery I have is one I put in when I purchased it, which was 2016. Yeah, old battery. Well, I've been charging the battery over the last several days with limited success. Battery will hold a charge, but also not really. I'm sure you all know what I mean, lol. So for now I'm going to rule that I just need a new battery, but am posting that question here anyway.

My last concern is throttle return. The throttle return spring will return, but it's almost like it's a little tight, and there's a little bit of resistance. I have lubed everything over to loosen everything up. I have toyed a little with the throttle cable adjustments, but is there a way on these bikes to tighten that throttle spring to make it snappier?

Thank you for any and all help. I appreciate this community!

[6]

No spark could be your kill switch on the bar. That switch tends to have the wire connections corrode and you wouldn't see it with the away together. I'd start there.. if your battery is junk try jumper cables to your car just to test.

The throttle issue is almost undoubtedly in the cables. They can provide enough resistance to slow or eliminate return. It shouldn't be in the spring. Pulling the cables, lubing them, making sure they slide smooth is a start. Even then, with both cables hooked up it's hard to get a snappy throttle.. loosing the return cable helps,.

The clutch, does the clutch work as you have it? Can you pull the lever and does it disengage?

[ssccrab]

Thanks for replying. I'll get to looking at those throttle cables. As far as the switch goes, I went ahead and took the cover apart to lube the throttle cable on the handle, so while it's open I'll take a look at it.

Yes I can pull the clutch in, but there's just zero free play at all.

[squirrelman]

overtightening clutch springs can ruin the whole basket as the posts are fragile ! are you sure the cable is the correct one for the hawk, and have you adjusted the lower holder on the clutch case ?

wait an hour after charging then measure battery voltage, should be no less than 12.6 volts or the battery (or charger) is bad.

no spark, read the service manual.

[Hordpower]

The clutch lifter plate has to be tight against the spring posts of the pressure plate. Tighten the bolts to 84 in/lb. Throttle problem could be the return cable adjusted too tight. No spark, could be about a hundred things.

[ssccrab]

Thanks for all of the replies! I'll look at how tight the clutch plate is tomorrow and adjust it if need be. The clutch cable that's currently on the bike is the one that was there when I purchased it, so I've never changed it. I have also never had problems with engaging the clutch, until I noticed it slipping, so parked it years ago until I could fix it. Lastly for tonight, I fixed the no-spark issue by purchasing another battery. Did the screwdriver trick against the head and had spark!

[DrPMC]

It may be worth taking of the cover again and checking that the clutch is properly assembled. I can’t recall the particulars now, but I remember making a mistake with reassembly so that that there was movement in the lever but that it wouldn’t go back to the handlebar as you would expect, and the plates weren’t properly lifting.

Good luck.

[ssccrab]

Okay, so I took the clutch cover off and torqued the plate down to spec, which, I thought I had done before, but apparently not. Now there's plenty of free play and slack to adjust at the handle.

[Toxicwst]

Okay, so I took the clutch cover off and torqued the plate down to spec, which, I thought I had done before, but apparently not. Now there's plenty of free play and slack to adjust at the handle.

EUREKA!! Good job ssccrab! I have a Clutch issue that needs addressing as well. Clutches have many moving parts that all need to be "just so" to operate correctly.
I need to replace the main clutch housing nut, as the person(s) before me hammered the retention notch so much I needed to dremel the shit out of it to remove it. So like $30 bucks later
and a new nut is going in this week.

I read somewhere if you're a pansy ass like I am, and you have no strength in your clutch hand, switching to all barnett springs will be too rough on you.
I also read somewhere that some riders use 2 Barnett springs and 2 OEM springs to increase clutch tension but not "TOO MUCH"..... does anyone know if that is okay/correct? Anyone try it?

[6]

I read somewhere if you're a pansy ass like I am, and you have no strength in your clutch hand, switching to all barnett springs will be too rough on you.
I also read somewhere that some riders use 2 Barnett springs and 2 OEM springs to increase clutch tension but not "TOO MUCH"..... does anyone know if that is okay/correct? Anyone try it?

yes on everything.

4 springs in the race bikes, 2 in most street bikes (I've done 4 and been cool with it but I don't ride in traffic much) none if you don't really care or have smaller hands.

I've done them all and your summation is correct.

[Toxicwst]

yes on everything.

4 springs in the race bikes, 2 in most street bikes (I've done 4 and been cool with it but I don't ride in traffic much) none if you don't really care or have smaller hands.

I've done them all and your summation is correct.

You 6, are a wealth of knowledge. Good to hear as I will be attempting the 2 + 2 spring idea this coming week. Plus I like that you used the word "summation".... i haven't read that too often as of late. HA!

[squirrelman]

Plus I like that you used the word "summation".... i haven't read that too often as of late. HA!

dija realize that there's a massage in misogyny ? and a condom in condiments ?

[6]

Plus I like that you used the word "summation".... i haven't read that too often as of late. HA!

Well thanks, but..

Twas a 50/50 if I used it correctly. But I ain't skeered to mess up a sentence.

Grammar is not my thing.

[6]

and a condom in condiments ?

Well it ain't mine. Never use em. Hate those things. So it's probably Bobs or something.

[Toxicwst]

Well it ain't mine. Never use em. Hate those things. So it's probably Bobs or something.

Yeah, condoms are like raincoats.... I dont mind getting wet.