1979 gs550 sees the road again, but...

[william550]

It took 6 months and $2400. but it's finally done. A $300 basket case with a seized engine and corroded brakes is finally road-worthy (sort of.)
Some of the restorations: carbs rebuilt, new battery, both brake calipers and rear master cylinder rebuilt, rebuilt engine from the crankcase up.etc. The bike starts right up and idles great (carbs haven't been synched yet) and I took it down the street for a test ride. The clutch releases perfectly and the bike takes off great in 1st gear.When I pull in the clutch, and try to shift into 2nd, it will not shift. If I shift without the clutch, it shifts up and down through the gears easily. So if the transmission shifts well(without the clutch) and the clutch works well starting off, I wonder why I can't change gears on the fly using the clutch? btw, the I never touched the clutch during the restoration.any ideas?
thanks

[BassCliff]

Hi,

Your bike looks beautiful. I would spend another $60-$80 and get a new front tire too.

Check your clutch adjustment. See the notes HERE. Is the cable stretched or frayed? Are the clutch springs worn or missing? I was just reading a thread about someone's clutch troubles and when they took it apart, it had no springs at all. Did you check the steels and fibers for wear? Did you put any friction modifiers in the oil? What kind of oil did you use?


Thank you for your indulgence,

BassCliff

[Guest]

When you post pics please hit enter before posting the next pic so they don't line up.
How much play is in the clutch lever? There should be a little but not too much or you won't be able to shift.

[william550]

I used 10-40 quaker state. Just the oil-no modifiers.
The play in the clutch lever feels good to me but I think I'll try adjusting
it using Basscliffs adjustment page. I haven't taken the clutch out or apart
to check it out. The bike has 12,000 orig. miles on it and I thought I would take a chance that it was ok. I don't have much clutch repair experience.
The bike had been sitting outdoors for 2 years when I picked it up last spring.

Thanks for your suggestions,
btw-a front tire is on the way.