GT550 Stalls when switched to 1st

[dcass]

Hi everyone. Please have patience with me as I'm new to this. I have a '75 GT550. The bikes starts fine, when I'm in neutral. The minute I pull the clutch lever and then drop it in to first it shuts the engine down immediately. It does it all the time. I'm not sure where to start. Is it the clutch plates? Are they sticking? If so, whats the best way to remedy this? Does this year have a safety switch on the kickstand or the centre stand?
Some help and suggestions would be appreciated.
Thanks

[Coyote]

Not really enough information. Does the bike sort of lunge when you drop it in to first?. If so your clutch plates are sticking / stuck. Easy enough to fix by removing the right side engine cover, disassembling the clutch, cleaning everything and putting it back together. Does the motor die when you pull 2nd? Really need a lot more to go on. Is the bike new to you or is this a new problem on a bike that was fine. Has the bike sat for a long time? Years? You can rest assured there are no safety switches of any kind on these old machines. A little history of you and the bike would be nice.

[akendall1966]

Can't really think why it would cause it but you could disconnect the wire to the neutral switch and while running and see if simulating selecting a gear while still being in neutral and independent of clutch drag causes it.

Clutch drag and low idle speed, or clutch just plain stuck seems more likely as Coyote suggests.

[Glyn.G]

I found the easiest way to check if clutch is stuck is to put the bike in gear ( engine not running ) pull in the clutch lever and try rocking the bike backwards and forwards. If it wont free wheel your plates are stuck. I've sometimes managed to free up the clutch on old British bikes using this method.

[rngdng]

Pull in the lever and try to kick the engine over. It should not turn over the engine. If it turns over, the clutch is stuck. Several options from here...push start the bike and ride around with the clutch lever pulled in until it releases, or keep the lever in and kick it until it frees up. Either way, you will probably have to remove the clutch and clean the plates.


Lane

[wavehog33]

Start the bike, then get it rolling the speed of first gear, then shift into first and ride it. It may free the plates. Once moving you can shift all the gears too. If rolling and it still kills the motor, I don't think its the clutch stuck. You can pull it or find a hill and start rolling down...easy easy.

[dcass]

It must have been the clutch plates as you all have suggested. I rocked it back and forth and they must have released. It's all good now. Thanks.