[64907]

I just got my new bike Wednesday. I practiced starts and stops and getting used to the friction point for about 30 minutes in my driveway. Thursday night after work I took it out again and everytime I let out the clutch it popped and stalled. After a few times the oil pressure light and coolant temp came on. I couldn't get it started again so I walked it into the garage. On Saturday it started again but now I can't get the clutch to engage. I put it in neutral and start the bike. The dummy lights go out. I put it in 1st gear but when I let out the clutch nothing happens like it's still in neutral. The dealer says it's my fault for slipping the clutch too much and the plates melted together from over heating. Does this sound right? Could that happen after such little time on it? And why did it keep popping and stalling? I couldn't stop it from doing that. Any help is greatly appreciated because if I did do something wrong I want to know so I don't do it again. Thanks!!! Allen.

 

[The_AirHawk]

Hard to tell what the problem is from here - but if the clutch plates were "melted together" then it would never disengage - you'd pull it in, start the bike, and it'd take off across the lawn with you..........

Though I don't know exactly what you did - I sincerely DOUBT that a mere half-hour of practicing finding your friction-zone is enough to burn up a wet clutch.

Is this bike a hydraulic or cable-actuated clutch? (It will have a reservoir similar to the front brake at the lever if it's hydraulic)

 

[seruzawa]

Hokay. You got a new bike. No way practicing starts is going to melt the clutch. Who has ever even heard of a melted clutch? The friction material might disintegrate but it ain't going to get hot enough to melt. Your dealer is a f*cking liar.

Tell him to fix it. If he refuses contact US Suzuki. If you don't get satisfaction there you'll have to get a lawyer. In addition if you have to go that far contact all the local, county and state organizations that deal with crooked businesses. File a complaint with the better business bureau. Write letters to the newspaper. Put up a web page exposing the dealer's shenanigans.

Make a big sign that says "(Name of dealership) refuses to honor warranty" and walk up and down the sidewalk in front of the dealership on Saturday (the main sales day). A guy I work with had a lot of trouble with Willey Ford back in the 80's. The dealer refused to fix some warranty issues on his truck for months. He put a big sign in the back of his pickup that said "Willey Ford screwed me". He drove around a couple weeks with this sign and the dealer called him up and gave him a new truck.

One thing to remember about crooks is that they are always stupid. Keep hammering on it and in there you'll get it fixed.

Once it's fixed find another shop to do your warranty work.

 

[longride]

"Tell him to fix it. If he refuses contact US Suzuki. If you don't get satisfaction there you'll have to get a lawyer."

Tried this once myself. Just skip the first two and get the lawyer. US Suzuki ain't gonna do squat.

 

[bbtowns]

Airhawk asked a good question. Is this a cable or hydraulic actuated clutch. If it's hydraulic, check to be sure that there is fluid in the master cylinder reservoir (mounted on the handlebars near the clutch lever), leaks at the slave cylinder are all too common. If it's cable actuated you should be able to see it move the clutch mechanism if you follow the cable.
With the bike off will it roll in 1st gear? If it does, it doesn't sound like fused clutch plates, which would make the bike lurch forward when you tried to start it? Really the only reason a clutch should fail is use, and a 1/2 hour doesn't seem like enough use to get there. 50K miles of riding is more like it. Get an experienced friend to look at it, then go dealer, Suzuki, lawyer route.

 

[vermicious]

Haha... melted the clutch... that's rich. You must have the new acetylene torch model

 

[bbtowns]

I used "the google" and it appears this is a cable actuated clutch. Check to make sure that the cable is actually moving the clutch mechanism (on the right side of the motor I believe, follow the cable). However you seem to be describing a badly slipping clutch, about the only theory I can come up with is that the clutch mechanism can't return all the way to it's fully engaged position. You may be able to adjust the cable to fix this. If you go to the dealer, don't mention the driveway practice too much, as it just sounds like the type of thing that's bad for a clutch even if it absolutely should not have damaged it.
The popping and stalling is a bit of a mystery. It might have been slipping and the catching abruptly, causing you to stall it. That's typically a squealing sound though.