Bumper + front wheel = Messed up clutch?

So how about that weather yesterday? yes, I was out riding my XJ enjoying the sun when I had my fun suddenly cut short by a truck with no rear brake lights. Short story even shorter, she throws her brakes on dipping the front of her truck down I have no time to react and pile into the back of her truck at about 3 - 5 mph.

I now am unable to start the bike unless its in neutral and when in gear i can hold the clutch in and it still creeps forward ever so slowly. So Obviously somthing is fubar'd in the clutch assembly right? I did lay it down on its left side (mind you I literally laid it down at a stand still but was laying on the handle bar side where the clutch lever is. Any ideas? or should I just truck my poor bike off to the smelting plant?

 

Switch on clutch allows you to start in gear with clutch depressed. May have broke this. Also, if you bent the clutch lever in you will no longer have enough throw to completely disengage the clutch and therefore the creep and possibly not enough to trigger the switch and could be both problems.

On another note, you may have more damage than you think. Lots of stuff to check yes? like rims, forks, head stock, etc. that might have been overstressed. Although 3-5 doesn't sound too bad.

Did she get a ticket? or did they hang it on you because you were behind?

 

No, she took off while I was picking my bike up. People behind me rode around the block trying to find her but no luck. I was pretty mad she cut me off at that point, so she may have high-tailed it out of there.

The only real impact to the bike was when I ran into the back of her bumper. But I was pretty much stopped at that point since I was jamming the brakes on. The clutch lever doesnt look bent but it definitely has less travel when squeezed. Maybe a clutch line adjustment is needed?

 

Less travel as in it stops short of the grip? or feels like less. If its not stopping short but feels like less, might be bent. An adjustment might make it work, but why would the described incident cause an out of adjustment condition to occur.

If you don't have enough travel and adjust it so that it fully disengages, will it fully engage when released or will it slip?

 

Less travel as in the clutch handle does not have as far to travel till it reachs the grip and is fully depressed. Like the lever isnt being retracted fully when i let go of it.

I noticed this right after the 'incident" but maybe it was a result of the gas station attendant over filling my bike earlier that morning. It did flood gas out over my tank and down the side of the bike where the clutch lever is on the right side of the engine case. Oh man, my poor bike...

 

Check the clutch cable and see if its stuck / bent

 

Cable was bent because assemply that holds the lever and side mirror was turned a little to far down. Moved the assembly back up and backed off the cable bolt (since Iw as having problems previously getting it into nuetral and down shifting in general) and voila!! It starts, shifts and works fine now!

thank you all who responded! You are a fine crew, you Xj riders

 

You are very welcome , Pass the knowledge on .

 

Hold on there buckaroo! Take a REAL CLOSE look at the clutch lever to be 110% sure it's not cracked/fractured or bent somewhere. If it is, replace it. They cost all of $7. It's not worth the consequences if it unexpectedly comes off in your hand one day.

 

Ahh, point taken. Will do that this weekend. I just love the dealership. It's like DisneyLand

 

If you love the stealership, er... dealership, you will positively love Chacal at XJs4ever.com. He is cheaper and knows XJs inside and out. I'll invite you to compare him to your local shop. He is here on our forum under vendors.