Total Motorcycle Community Forums

Thanks for the info Northern Pete. It does have carbs and that's my next step. I did some routine maintenance today (changed oil/filter; cleaned air filter which was VERY difficult to put back on; general cleaning). The bike ran great today with no problems, and that may have something to do with the fact it's much warmer here today (70 degrees). With this problem being somewhat intermittent, it's more difficult to diagnose. The next time I have time, I'll clean the carbs (if that's not too difficult) and I may try to tackle the "sticky clutch" suggestion. When I looked at the manual, the clutch photo looked quite intimidating. I fear making a mistake and causing REAL damage. THANKS AGAIN!

Randy don't be scared to touch that bike! Careful, yes, thoughtful, yes. Read the manual, ask questions on forums, make sure you have the tools you will need and a full day to take your time and work on it right. This really is a simple fix (and the big Vulcans have a wet clutch just like almost all the other big and little Japanese cruisers). What you describe, especially the doing it when cold or sitting, indicates a clutch problem, not a carb one.
Which is good, carbs are harder than clutches to me.

Also...there's a good chance that with warmer weather the clutch will behave better with the oil being thinner. This of course means that the funk is now in your engine oil, keep up with your scheduled oil changes!


Don't underestimate the value of hanging out with other motorcyclists; just make a point of being friendly at bike night at your local businesses and chances are you will cross paths with someone who will show you (not do it for you but help you along) how to do a simple thing like this.

Coffee Brake: After reading your original comments in this section, I was ready to go home and get to work pulling apart the clutch. I only had 3-4 hours and, when I looked at ALL the info and photos in my manual about taking the clutch apart, I was a little intimidated. I'm hoping the bike will be fine until we move from our house in NC to our home in SC. Most of my "stuff" is in boxes and I'm living in an apartment temporarily. As soon as we move, I hope to spend a full day with the clutch work you mentioned and possibly cleaning the carbs. The bike is running great today. I had one pretty bad "episode" with this problem yesterday evening where I had to go through the "trial and error" phase 15-20 times (about 10-15 minutes) before the bike "took-off" in first gear. I expected to have problems when I left this morning (about 50 degrees at 4:45 am when I left), but the bike ran like a champ on the first try ...... go figure! THANKS!

PROBLEM SOLVED! Honda 750 was right on the money with his first suggestion! I'm embarrassed to say, all of this has been the result of a "sticky" kickstand switch! Although I thought I checked it and sufficiently "lubed-it" following Honda 750's original post, apparently I did not do a good enough job. The rod that comes out when you raise the kickstand would always come out, but sometimes it would not come out quite far enough, so the safety switch would prevent the bike from accelorating. Since the rod was very close to being out far enough, sometimes it would work, other times it wouldn't. I'm now enjoying the bike with NO PROBLEMS! THANKS for all of your suggestions and comments!

Fantastic!

That was a much easier fix than any of the rest!
Cheap-and-easy are the best fixes of all, good for you!

(Where you going in SC? I'm from Charleston)

I work at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC) in Charleston. We are buying a house off Clements Ferry Road on the Wando River. We are very excited about living in the Charleston area. It's a GREAT place for the family, our boat, bike riding, etc!

I had a question kind of along the same lines as Randy but a little different I guess. Sometimes when I go to accelerate out of first gear the bike seems like it wants to die. I can be sitting at a stop light with the bike in neutral, put the bike in first gear give it gas and it seems like it just bogs. The bike has actually died on several occasions after revving the bike in neutral and first gear. It seems like the bike is not getting enough gas... Is this the case? I just had the carbs cleaned earlier this year and I wonder if I need to take it back to my mechanic to take a look at them again. Some insight to this would be great. Thanks in advance.