Suzuki V-Strom DL250 stiff gear shifting

[flyingcbf]

Hi Chaps,
I'm hoping to get some advise here. I ride a 2019 Suzuki v-strom DL250 and all seems great so far. But after 15 minutes or so, the gear shifting becomes very difficult. It's got under 8000miles. ANy suggestions?
Clutch Friction Plates?
Thanks a bunch!

[purplebikeunicorn]

I can't see how, if the clutch is adjusted properly (you have the proper free play at the lever), the friction plates are going to cause any issues with shifting.

As much as I prefer to DIY stuff, you probably should take this bike to a proper garage now, as per the advice given to you in the other thread. There is either something being overlooked, or something far more severe wrong with your shift mechanism.

[flyingcbf]

I think I might have found the issue?
Can you see the friction plates, they are all in the same lane including the last one?
Should the one in the front, or the last one that goes in, be in the other lane? I've found this from two users in YouTube...

[flyingcbf]

The correct way would be to put the last friction plate on the opposite lane as opposed to the other plates????

[purplebikeunicorn]

The bike should still shift gears with the engine off, and clutch not pulled. Does it do this? Does it get stuck when doing this? I cannot see the clutch being the problem unless it's dragging (because it's poorly adjusted and not disengaging, or parts are missing) when the engine is running.

The answer to your question about the clutch plates is inside the service manual (The GW250 has pretty much the same engine as DL250): https://www.manualslib.com/manual/815691/Suzuki-Gw250.html ,  Section 3-84.

[Rixington43]

Is the shifting still difficult if you go up the box clutchless, if so then the issue is with the gearbox and not the clutch.
As unicorn says, the clutch would only be an issue if it is dragging due to incorrect adjustment, perhaps once the engine is up to temperature there is expansion of the plates and possibly slackening of the cable which leads to it not disengaging fully, once cooled the issue goes away.

[flyingcbf]

The bike should still shift gears with the engine off, and clutch not pulled. Does it do this? Does it get stuck when doing this? I cannot see the clutch being the problem: https://www.manualslib.com/manual/815691/Suzuki-Gw250.html ,  Section 3-84.

I think I may have found the issue... The clutch friction plates are all in the same area. The last friction plate, from the research I have done on the net, suggest that the last one should be in a different lane....

This is incorrect...
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/AP1GczNc09VWQ0Un1xozhC85A8OmdzmOn-bLr8iM9OifREHmsApUro6lPOr6KcaP7sJZqJnrwjQzShvzYh_odkaZPpZwpa1PtOhyMz_4c6yxAkEE5B2s4Qa7rYwXJgfnYnhnQHBGCaMPdZ3TpNfFWeELu-WT=w1215-h911-s-no-gm-no


The correct way would be to put the last clutch in a different position as opposed to the othr plates...
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/AP1GczMYLRD8hGCuATLFkowipOX2B96_5IYT582TPSxq3-FVDGU-4g6MQiF5SztgZr7Nnc0U4lUiZeGZCxOS-91srA4nb5nY_kJZcf-h-Gl1v0RdpWpsO9rEADx5xnTGoCUbIWtdqoZa18SoW4ZptSwIvD8u=w942-h522-s-no-gm

[flyingcbf]

I'm going to have to open her up again and make this adjustment. Looks like another weekend job 

[Rusty Nuts]

Are you saying you put the outer 'tangs' teeth of the plate into this part of the basket?

[Rixington43]

Those 2 pictures show very different clutches. Those tapered channels don't look like they were ever intended to have a plate in them and I would definitely go with the service manual on this one.
This video shows a bloke rebuilding a DL250 engine and all friction plates go into the same channel, there are bikes that call for the last plate to go into the other channel (my Vee for one) but it does not seem to be the case for your bike.
https://youtu.be/wblPnGEQgsg?si=zSMJ4AIlOzMry_At

Same of a GW250 clutch rebuild showing plates all in the same lane and the importance of alignment for the pressure plate.


Do you have any reason to suspect the clutch has ever been opened before? If not then assume it is as factory and leave well alone, the issue is far more likely to be adjustment.

Here is a good video of a bloke adjusting a GW250 clutch showing the internal adjustment on the end of the pushrod, has this perhaps got altered and so any amount of cable work won't give the correct action?
https://youtu.be/jAqCMsrBEpk?si=ul7ii_DFG2tdtOws

[flyingcbf]

Are you saying you put the outer 'tangs' teeth of the plate into this part of the basket?

That is correct.
BUt after seeing the post from Rixington, I think I have to have a rethink 

[Rixington43]

If that outer plates tangs are getting wedged into the tapers on that lane then the clutch will not release properly when the pressure plate pulls away from the outer friction plate, I would highly recommend putting that outer plate back into the lane shown in the service manual and videos as this seems very likely to be the issue.

[flyingcbf]

Rixington43, thanks for correcting me. The clutch plates on my bike are already correct according to the information you provided. Today, I was going to put that last plate in incorrectly until you corrected me - Thanks 
So there must be some other underlying issue. I'll have to read through the other posts and see what else I can try.

[Rixington43]

Ah good, so you hadn't already moved it into the different channel, that's OK then.

I would definitely try some clutchless upshifts and see if the problem persists, this might tell you more as it removes the clutch from the equation.

Good luck

[flyingcbf]

the internal adjustment on the end of the pushrod, has this perhaps got altered and so any amount of cable work won't give the correct action?
https://youtu.be/jAqCMsrBEpk?si=ul7ii_DFG2tdtOws

I've only tried to adjust the clutch from the lever end which made no differece. I haven't made any adjustments from the engine side, too scared I might screw something up. So are these adjustments made so that the pushrod inside the clutch protrudes further out so that the clutch releases from the gear mechanism? Is this related to the mileage of the bike, wear and tear?

[purplebikeunicorn]

Do this tomorrow - sit by the side of the bike on the gear shift side, with your left hand operate the gear shifter, and with your right, rock the rear wheel back and forwards (engine off, keys nowhere near ignition). You should be able to shift through the gears, by hand. If you can do this, then maybe it is a clutch problem (such as the clutch not fully disengaging when the engine is running, which means the gears will be difficult to change), if you struggle with this and they get stuck, then it is not a clutch problem, and more likely the gear shift mech / gearbox.

I would read the service manual I linked to in my post - especially around the clutch adjustment and free play. Your owners manual may also advise you on how to check and adjust this. There is normally an adjustment at the clutch itself (on the push rod assembly), and one or two adjustments on the clutch cable, follow the manual. Preferably (if you have the casing still off), check that your clutch lever is actuating the pressure plate properly after adjustment, but this isn't absolutely necessary.

[flyingcbf]

Do this tome properly after adjustment, but this isn't absolutely necessary.

I've read this post late but just this morning I went out and adjusted the clutch at the side of the engine. The bit in the red, I turned it quarter upwards and noticed something different. Before, I would turn the engine on at neutral and the rear wheel would be stationary. As soon as I hit the first gear and release the clutch, the rear would spin when I release the clutch which is normal, but when I press the clutch in, the wheel would continue spinning. It wil not stop. after this adjustment, the rear wheel now stops when I press the clutch in. This never happened before. I then took it for a ride for almpost 45 mins or so and it now seems OKish. Yes, the gear shift from 1-neutral-2-3 became a little stiff for a few mins, but then it became smooth again. I'll test it again tomorow hopefully 
Perhaps it requires another quarter turn.

[flyingcbf]

Do this tomorrow -  is actuating the pressure plate properly after adjustment, but this isn't absolutely necessary.

I'm going to do this tommorow and get back to you. 

[flyingcbf]

Ah good, e equation.

Good luck

I haven't tried cluthcless upshifts and don't know how to do it. I'll google it, thanks

[Rixington43]

If you're riding along accelerating or holding a constant throttle then preload the gear lever (upshifting only), keep the pressure on the gear lever and then let off the throttle. The higher gear should slot in as the revs fall and you can get back on the throttle, if this slots in easily then the issue is more likely to be related to the clutch, which also seems more likely since your last post saying adjusting the barrel at the bottom end of the cable has changed the behaviour.