V-Star 1100: Engine dies when I shift from N to 1st

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metric_cruzer · Sat Apr 21, 2007 2:12 pm

Hi everyone. Im new to these forums as well as motorcycling. I bought my first bike about a 6 weeks ago, a 2002 vstar 1100. I was really enjoying riding, but I had a surgery on my shoulder about 3 weeks ago and I havent been able to ride since then. Well today I was able to raise my arm up enough to pull in the clutch so I went out just to start the bike up for a couple of minutes because it had been setting for a couple of weeks. With the bike started and in neutral I pulled in on the clutch just to shift it into 1st and the engine died on me. Its like maybe the clutch cable isnt tight enough and it isnt opening up all the way when i pull the lever in. It consistently dies now when shifting to 1st.
The only other instance of this that I thought was odd was when i was first driving on public streets and i came up to a stop sign. I had the throttle closed off completely and the clutch in and i was just coasting up to the stop sign down shifting and as soon as I hit 1st the bike slammed to a stop as if i had let out on the clutch when I hadnt. At the time I thought maybe I was just going too fast to shift down into 1st. I thought that really shouldnt matter with the clutch pulled in but hell i was new to motorcycles and it never happened again so I wasnt worried at the time.

Another thing that might be connected to this is that if i have the clutch in and try to start it in 1st the bike lugs forward like its catching on the clutch. I wasnt sure if this was just the engine turning over shifting weight in the bike or not.

Any suggestions? I see there is a screw on the clutch cable. Should I try adjusting this?

Sat Apr 21, 2007 2:54 pm

The bike lurching when you start it is common. Try starting in neutral and let it warm up a bit.

When your bike stopped when you put it from neutral into first, was the engine cold and choke in? Was the kickstand down?

The kickstand has an automatic shutoff feature if the bike is in gear.

#3 Unread post by **Sev** » Sat Apr 21, 2007 2:59 pm

I gotta agree with blues, make sure your clutch it properly adjusted. You'll want 2-3mm clearance between the edge of the lever and where it mounts before it starts to pull the cable.

Sat Apr 21, 2007 3:22 pm

This will help. The pics show you what you need to do to adjust the clutch cable.

http://roadstarclinic.com/content/view/81/112/

Yes, I know it says Road Star, but the clutch looks the same as my V-Star. The principle will be the same.

metric_cruzer · Sun Apr 22, 2007 3:46 am

actually the kickstand was down. I feel really dumb now. But it still doesnt answer why it catches on first when the bike is moving with the clutch in. Is this normal?

Sun Apr 22, 2007 7:03 am

I can't say what happened the other time. Has it happened only the one time? Or is it all the time?

Shorts · #7 Unread post by **Shorts** » Mon Apr 23, 2007 11:37 am

metric_cruzer wrote:actually the kickstand was down. I feel really dumb now. But it still doesnt answer why it catches on first when the bike is moving with the clutch in. Is this normal?

On a cold started bike, yes. Mine does it too. The clutch plates are cold and stuck together, rendering the clutch not as useful. DHs Vulcan does the same behavior when dropping it into 1st when its been cold as far as the stalling goes.

Next time you're out, run an experiment. Start it in 1st, and see if it pulls (my guess it will). Then ride around and get the bike nice and warm. Now turn it off and restart in 1st. More than likely it will not lurch forward this time.

metric_cruzer · Mon May 07, 2007 3:46 am

sorry its taken so long to reply, but just wanted to say thanks for your help guys

Mon May 07, 2007 8:05 am

Have you resolved your issues?