Suzuki GR650X Tempter X: clutch cable replacement

[Kalach-Cha]

I've just replaced the clutch cable on my Suzuki GR650X. As far as I can tell, all the connections have been made, and the bike shifts gears properly, but the bike will not move. The drive wheel is getting no power. It's not a case of the rear brake being too tight; were that the case the front fork would compress. It's almost as if the clutch is stuck in the ON position. Any ideas?

[Johnj]

Is there slack at the cable? What I mean is can you move the cable housing on the cable?

PS: the Tempter is a very cool bike.

[Kalach-Cha]

You mean the cable sheath? No. And the hollow screw that the cable runs through is locked into position to give about 4mm of slack, as per the manual.

[Kalach-Cha]

Never mind. Turned out the damn clutch adjuster screw was too tight, forcing the internal clutch mechanism into the ON position.

[BuzZz]

Glad you figured it out. If the cable is too tight, it can cause the clutch to constantly slip. Even a little slip like that will burn out the clutch plates right pronto.

But just for clarification, and my own inebriated entertainment......

Clutches don't have 'on' or 'off'.

With the clutch lever out and the driveline engaged as per normal operation, the clutch is 'engaged'
With the lever pulled in, the clutch is 'disengaged'.

[Johnj]

You owe me a picture of that Tempter.

[Kalach-Cha]

I know clutches aren't ON/OFF; they're analog controls, not digital. (Yes, I'm an engineer of a sort.) I put it in the ON/OFF phrasing to simplify things.

I took a picture of my Tempter with my cell phone a while back. Since then I've added saddlebags and a bigger windshield, but the basic bike is the same.