Total Motorcycle Community Forums

After pressuring him for a month, my dad bought a bike, a 79 Yamaha 1100 for $600. It needed the brakes fixed and the carbs fixed.
Today, as we're working on his brakes, I kept mentioning the clutch and so he told me to take the cover off the engine to get to it. While I'm doing this, he pressed down on the shift level and...it stuck. When it's pressed down, it does not return, and it only goes up one gear. The clutch doesn't work because the cable is shot and if we pull up on the linkage, nothing happens.

Is this a major transmission problem or (hopefully) some odd occurring with the clutch lever/cable?

I would firstly replace clutch cable, change the oil, start the machine (if you can get to neutral), and try shifting gears while the thing is moving
but that is what I would do..

Sometimes it is hard to shift while the motorcycle stands in place especially experienced/older one.

Good luck for you guys!