What is wrong with my bike? I need to know where to start looking.?

I ride a 1992 kawasaki klr 650. The other day I was out trail riding and then suddenly it just loses power. The motor runs just fine. The motorcycle just wont go. I try shifting the gears and it feels like it is changing gears and the neutral light comes on and goes off when it is in neutral. Also you can just roll the bike no matter if it is in gear or not. The chain seems to be just fine and turns as you roll the bike. Is this a clutch problem? Maybe its something in the transmission? I have repair manual and a little mechanical know how. I am just terrible at diagnosing the problem. If anyone can point me in the right direction I would very much appreciate it.

sound's to me. if it isn't your clutch cable being frayed and stuck so the clutch was permanently engaged, which i can't see somehow. it could be your gear selector inside the casing( the mechanism in there) there'll be a disc that needs to be in a certain place or a wood ruff key may have come out of the drive shaft, to check this leave your engine off, get your back wheel off the ground and put your bike in gear if the back wheel offers resistance thats good but if its easy to spin in gear it'll be to do with your gear selection or power transfer to the drive shafts drive cog failing this check out your dog legs in your gearbox haven't snapped.

Sounds like a clutch problem to me....might wanna start there. Hope this helps.

I concur with the worn clutch assessment.

Could be - Wrong oil, bad clutches, stuck clutch cable.


Bought my bike with a "bad clutch" turns out the cable was sticking.

3 votes for the clutch-dont lose the book-read first and what special tools you will need -dont just start wrenching it down and wind up with a face full of springs kind of thing

First check for proper free play in the clutch cable at the lever. Then remove the oil filler cap and smell the oil. If the clutch is fried, the oil will usually smell burned. Then the clutch would need to be removed and worn parts replaced.

first start with the clutch adjustment

Sounds to me like you may have broken a shifter fork, or a shaft in the tranny. I doubt that the clutch is the problem. Generally if a cluch goes bad internally you'll know it, noisy. Can't be a cable if you can put it in gear & push it around w/o pushing against the engine. Unless you oiled a dry type clutch?
Sounds like work for the dealer to me.

i just read the question half *** but it sounds like your clutch is slipping or your pressure plates are capoute.