Stuck clutch

[Chuck in Indiana]

In over 50 years of motorcycle riding I have never witnessed a dry clutch sticking . Dunno .

 Dusty

You need to come up to big temp swings of the frozen north, Dusty.. I have.

[pehayes]

Hey! Good idea (running it on the center stand)!

NOT!  I'm glad the clutch is now fixed.  In the variety of suggestions about how to resolve it, running on the center-stand might be the most abusive.  The engine rotation technology and angles of the drive shaft can create a lot of stress on the joint.  Not ever a good idea to run in gear on the centerstand.  I would have supported up against a wall and bump the starter.

Patrick Hayes
Fremont CA

[Testarossa]

NOT!  I'm glad the clutch is now fixed.  In the variety of suggestions about how to resolve it, running on the center-stand might be the most abusive.  The engine rotation technology and angles of the drive shaft can create a lot of stress on the joint.  Not ever a good idea to run in gear on the centerstand.  I would have supported up against a wall and bump the starter.

I thought about that, so I did some measurement with a level and protractor. On the T, with its original Koni shocks, the difference in shock length between laden and wheel-off-the ground is only about .5 inch (12.25 with my 150lb aboard vs 12.75 unladen). That translates to about 5 degrees difference in swingarm angle. I'm guessing 5 degrees doesn't hurt much under no engine load and idle rpm for about 60 seconds.

YMMV

[pehayes]

It is not so much about the angle of the shaft, but of the inertia of all of the moving parts between the crankshaft and rear wheel.

The Guzzi engine does not rotate in a smooth and even rotational speed throughout its cycle.  Due to the "V" design, resistance to compression, and thrust force from combustion there is no such thing as a steady rotational speed or 'constant' rpm.  The flywheel is alternately accelerating and decelerating for angular portions of each cycle.  High RPM with loads going down the road this is not detectable and has no adverse effect on performance or abuse to components.  However, at lower rpms like idle and with the rear wheel unloaded off the ground and with the inherent slop clearances in each gear cog mesh and spline mesh there can now be some very abusive forces delivered up and down the drive train.  The poor little needle bearings of the U-joint take the brunt of these unequalized forces.  It just isn't a good idea for mechanical reasons to run the bike in gear up on the centerstand.

Patrick Hayes
Fremont CA

[Chuck in Indiana]

I totally agree with Patrick.  I did it once with the Centauro looking for a noise, and thought, "Horry Carp!" That wasn't a good thing.

[Testarossa]

Understood!  Won't do it again.

[Huzo]

Understood!  Won't do it again.

One of the first posts I ever read here was from Pete Roper on that very topic.