'76 FXE....I used the bike last week, drove it into the garage, parked it and changed the front fork oil. Every thing was fine. Today I rolled it outside, started it right up and pulled the clutch in to pop it into gear. BAM! goes into gear and stalls. NO CLUTCH. I started it in gear to ride it down the road to see if it would free up. It didn't. I think the clutch plates are actually stuck together. Is this possible? My shop manual lists the problem as gummy plates. Do I have to take the whole clutch out and disassemble it to clean the plates? Seems like a big job. HELP!

 

if the clutch lever is much easyer than normal than it broke the cable

gummy plates is a not right now it just happened problem

 

Cable is fine. I even un-adjusted and re-adjusted it. The clutch rod looks right and seems to be in the right position and is working. I took the clutch cover off and every think looks right in there, the outer plate moves when i squeeze the clutch lever. It just does not disengage the transmission! The original shop manual calls the problem a gummy clutch. Does not seem right to me either but it just won't disengage and it worked fine a week ago.

 

pull the primary take it all out wash it in new mineral spirts than spray it with brake clean and re install and start in the begining to adjust the clutch -- jz

 

Ok. You mean pull out the whole clutch assembly and wash it without taking it apart?

 

You need to separate all the plates and clean each side of each one.

 

That's what I thought.......damn. I've never done it before and it seems like a big job but i gotta do it. Thanks for your help!

 

ya never stated if you have a closed primary with oil -- a closed with a cup of oil or a belt drive --

if those are the stock plates toss them and buy new ones --- http://www.ebay.com/itm/CLUTCH-PLATE...7a933e&vxp=mtr -- BEST plates ever -- wet/dry -- get an aluminum pressure plate -- and get a clutch tamer --- http://www.ebay.com/itm/PANHEAD-CLUT...7a926a&vxp=mtr --

 

those big grooves will keep the plates from sticking

 

It's a dry clutch. I think it has 5 or 6 plates. Chain drive. 76 FXE all stock, no mods. I can't work on it till next week.