Now What?

Just got back home from an extended stay on a job far far away and was looking forward to getting a little riding done and get to work on my latest project.
First for a ride, went to back the 650 out of the shed. WRONG, it won't roll backwards! It rolls forward easily but will NOT allow me to back her up. After fighting with the problem for about a half hour I said OK if it is forward you want, that is the direction we will go! Opened the other shed door and started her up. Problem two showed up immediatly. She dies as soon as you put it in gear. Seems just like a kickstand switch problem except that it only does it if you have the choke on, soon as it warms up and I take the choke off it will go fine. Once going forward the "anti reverse" cleared up but returns if it is left parked for over a couple of hours. First I thought rear brake problem but it only happens in neutral. Once warm enough to get the choke off and put it in gear you can pop it into first, hold the clutch in and she will roll backwards easily. Put it back into neutral and she won't roll backwards.
She all worked fine when I parked her three weeks ago and no one has touched her. What the heck has happened here? The two problems seem related because if she will roll backwards there is no difficulty in putting it in gear with some choke in operation.

 

Maybe one of your brake shoes is starting to delaminate on one end and catches when the wheel is rolling back?

 

hmm sounds transmissionus, but im no expert, what kinda oil u got in it... may be waaay to think and when warmed up it thins out... idk not an expert.

 

it sounds to me like your clutch isn't disengaging entirely. once the bikes been running a bit, the clutch has had oil going through it better and will let loose. maybe just need a clutch cable adjustment.

 

i have the anti-rollback option installed on my bike as well. its nice, i like it. what i found was 2 problems....
-front wheel bearings were showing some play, so when i push forward the wheel can "center" itself in the happy easy turn spot. when i pull back, it is forcing the wheel to one side or the other, against the brakes. somewhat like pushing a rope...no good...you can only pull it.
-also my calipers need a rebuild, when they are cool they dont release. if i ride the brakes a bit and get them hot they work perfect, but after 10 miles of no brake use, if i grab them they will be cool and sticky again.

i have parts lists from chacal, im waiting for snow to start chopping/maintaining.

 

I have a suggestion!!!!

Put the bike up on the centerstand. Try to move the front wheel backwards. If it won't go??? Remove the front axel and check your wheel bearings. You might find as I did the bearing cage on one of the bearings went away and the ball bearings bunch up and lock the wheel. Don't ride the bike until you check this!!!!!!!!!! If the beaing is bad it can lock up in the forward motion and really cause problems. Please let us know what you find. Good Luck

 

Thanks for the input guys. Here is what more that I have found out. It is the rear wheel that won't turn backwards when she is in that mood. Brake looks good, no problems seen there. Same with the bearings.
Engine dying when you shift into gear is electrical, not clutch related. It is like the kickstand saftey switch is being activated by the choke lever. If the choke lever is all the way to the off position you can put her in gear and go, if it is moved toward the choke position even an eighth of an inch while you are in gear it shuts the engine off.
I have her all in pieces right now trying to find the connection between all of this. Still puzzled by the fact that they are related because if one problem is not there the other one isn't either.
I WILL find the problem because I trouble shoot electrical/mechanical control systems for a living. When I find out what it is I will let y'all know.

 

I HAD THE ANTI-ROLLBACK FEATURE TOO! Though at first it might be some sort of perverse safety feature from the same sadists who invented the sidestand switch/relay system. Then I realized I needed to attend to the front brake caliper, which is what it was. STUCK, that is. Amazing the things you can "repair" with a good disassembly and cleaning (carbs come to mind...) The other problem sounds like an electrical issue in the LH switch pod, there is a safety switch on the CLUTCH lever too, could the choke somehow be shorting something out and causing (or revealing) a safety relay problem?

 

bigfitz, i was just thinking the same thing about the choke lever shorting that clutch switch somehow.... definately one of the things i'd be checking!

 

Switch, BigFitz,
I had the same thought yesterday morning as it had just dawned on me that once the gremlin shuts the bike off the clutch safety switch will not let you crank her in gear.
Took it all apart and checked it out, didn't find anything wrong in there but that is where it must have been because I got near 400 mi on her yesterday and not one problem---yet! Will see how she does today. I had thought to use the one off of my basket case bike but that unit is missing a few of the more important parts so I will just hope for the best for now.