I stopped at a Suzuki dealer while out of town last week, they had a used 2009 1400 on the floor. I asked the guy if I could try something and I was able to get on the bike, and roll it backwards in all gears. It acted just like mine, when I asked why it did that he said all of them came with something called a 'Slipper Clutch' which was sort of a one way ratched mechanism built into the clutch itself. He described it as sort of a series of ramps which will grab in one direction but slip against spring pressure in the other. He said the initial resistance is likely just the ramps applying back force on the discs squeezing out the fluid trapped in there. He said that bike was sold to a guy that worked in their shop and had only 791 miles showing on the odometer.
He said that if you take out the plugs the motor will likely turn over in reverse but against any pressure, the clutch will ratchet in reverse.
Something about them not wanting too much engine breaking? He said he didn't think that the older 'Intruder' models had that feature but that some have added it. When I explained why I was asking and that I had one at home, he said as long as it won't roll forward the clutch is fine. He also said that without the compression release, it will not crank, whether by pushing it or by the starter.
I wouldn't have ever noticed it if I hadn't been checking to see if the motor was stuck or not when I bought it. I likely wouldn't have ever pushed it back in gear intentionally not wanting to turn the motor over backwards but I guess it's not possible.
I've been getting the itch to ride lately and have been looking for a runner to play with while I work on this one, so far no luck. I want to take my time and really clean this on up right. If I find something to ride in the meantime, this one will get cleaned up like new. The last thing I want to do is to have to take something apart twice down the road because I was in too big a hurry to ride right now.
I actually looked at a running 800cc model but its an early model from 1991, it runs but needs a clutch and the headlight don't work.
(I'm seeing a lot of 800cc models with clutch issues, even a few with real low miles. The last one had no pressure on the handle, but the guy said he replaced the slave cylinder and rebuilt the master but couldn't get the clutch to work. It didn't slip, it just didn't release. Considering he was an Amtrac tech, he may not have been too versed in working on bikes. If I had room for another project, I was temped to grab it for the $300 he was asking but I let it pass. I offered him half, but he wasn't interested.
I really am after something that's ridable as is, no matter what it is, anything over 500cc or so will do for a commuter bike for the spring.
He said that if you take out the plugs the motor will likely turn over in reverse but against any pressure, the clutch will ratchet in reverse.
Something about them not wanting too much engine breaking? He said he didn't think that the older 'Intruder' models had that feature but that some have added it. When I explained why I was asking and that I had one at home, he said as long as it won't roll forward the clutch is fine. He also said that without the compression release, it will not crank, whether by pushing it or by the starter.
I wouldn't have ever noticed it if I hadn't been checking to see if the motor was stuck or not when I bought it. I likely wouldn't have ever pushed it back in gear intentionally not wanting to turn the motor over backwards but I guess it's not possible.
I've been getting the itch to ride lately and have been looking for a runner to play with while I work on this one, so far no luck. I want to take my time and really clean this on up right. If I find something to ride in the meantime, this one will get cleaned up like new. The last thing I want to do is to have to take something apart twice down the road because I was in too big a hurry to ride right now.
I actually looked at a running 800cc model but its an early model from 1991, it runs but needs a clutch and the headlight don't work.
(I'm seeing a lot of 800cc models with clutch issues, even a few with real low miles. The last one had no pressure on the handle, but the guy said he replaced the slave cylinder and rebuilt the master but couldn't get the clutch to work. It didn't slip, it just didn't release. Considering he was an Amtrac tech, he may not have been too versed in working on bikes. If I had room for another project, I was temped to grab it for the $300 he was asking but I let it pass. I offered him half, but he wasn't interested.
I really am after something that's ridable as is, no matter what it is, anything over 500cc or so will do for a commuter bike for the spring.