1979 KZ1000 Clutch Problem

He should also hold the clutch lever pulled in when he follows your otherwise good advice!!!

Nice bike....I would refer to the manual to check/adjust clutch mechanism....and here's a good forum link...

http://kzrider.com/forum/2-engine/252551-need-help-with-kz1000-police-special-clutch-issue

I too have had 70's Kawasakis and the most likely cause of your problem is the multi disc clutch. Fibre discs are stuck to the metal discs. If I remember correctly there are seven fibre discs and seven metal discs in the clutch basket. This used to happen to me after a long ride with a fair bit of stop and go traffic. My solution was a bit more drastic than rocking it back and forth with the engine off. I used to push the bike up to the back bumper of my car, rev the motor up to a couple thousand rpm and put it in gear. It always came loose. Not sure I would use that method today. Probably safer to rock it in first gear with the motor off and the clutch lever pulled in to the handle bar. One thing I always did was once I got it loose, I would change oil and the filter just in case I had gotten the oil too hot and it had started to breakdown.

If it were me that owned the bike, i would just change out the clutch plates myself. it is rather easy.

drain oil. remove clutch cable. remove clutch plate cover. remove clutch plate basket cover. remove and replace plates in same order as removed. reuse metal discs.

put clutch plate basket cover back on. get new gasket for clutch plate cover. put a little rtv on gasket (some will disagree). re-install plate, attach clutch cable. re-fill with correct oil. adjust clutch cable. have fun riding that beast!

will take approx. 1 hr. to do this job.

By the way, nice bike!

Thanks for everybody's help! Due to triple diget weather I did not get back to this project until this weekend. I changed the oil and filter as it was due anyway and still had a problem. I lined up the frount end to the shop wall pulled in the clutch and it keep stalling before engaging. Then being a grduate of makedo U I next got 2 rolling pins (bakery type) mounted on a 2x4 stand with u-bolts so they would spin. Then I secured with long 2x4s to shop wall. I lifted the bike so the rear wheel was on the rollers and fired it up, pulled in the clutch and had the wife push the shift lever down. The rear wheel stared spinning and I released the cluch handle as I tried to hold her in place. (The bike not the wife) and then all hell broke loose as the rear tire hit the side of the 2x4 stand of the roller pins stand shooting the home made contraption across the shop & the bike stalled. Fired her back up pulled in the clutch and it worked fine!! Thanks to all of you for your help. Hope I can return the favor sometime!

Good to hear she broke free.