Super rat motor gear issue

[RylanCoffey]

I'm the 16 year old with the dirt squirt with super rat motor, recently I installed a new clutch cable and put the chain back on after cleaning and oiling the chain. My bike will not roll freely, it spins the motor when I have the clutch pulled in and when I shift it into neutral it still spins the motor over, I called a guy and he said that my rod coming out of my sprocket in the motor should be out which it wasn't and I was able to pull it with my fingers , please someone explain to me what I'm doing wrong and how to fix this thank you

Rylan

[olddogs]

When the rod is all the way into the motor, thats 5th gear. When its all the way out, its in first. You can feel the the rod "catch" a gear as you move it in or out. Rotating the tire will help if it sticks. You then have to get the shift arm into the notch at the end of the shift rod when you put the side cover on. This is best tried when the rod is furthest out.

Operate the shift lever on the cover while it is off the bike and you will see how it is able to pull and push the shift rod. Good luck, and have fun.

[Bullfrog]

A few comments . . .
1) The clutch may not be releasing, which would not be unusual. After years of sitting with spring pressure pressing the clutch friction disks and the steel plates together, they often behave as if they are married (um, they have "become one"). Usually, they will release after engine and oil warms up and several clutch actuations have been tried. Though sometimes the clutch must be disassembled/cleaned/repaired to get it working again. We can talk you through that when the time comes - but you need to find neutral first.
2) The above photos show the control shaft in the 5th gear position (bottom photo, control shaft all the way "in") and the other photo shows the control shaft in about 4th gear position (possibly 3rd).
3) If you put the bike up on a milk crate, you can spin the rear wheel - actually you can rock it back-and-forth - which will allow you to pull the control shaft "out" in steps as the internal parts align to allow each "shift" from 5th, to 4th (3rd, 2nd, 1st). 1st is with the control shaft pulled all the way "out" till it stops. Neutral is a "half step" "in" from 1st.
4) Do NOT start the engine and put fingers anywhere near the control shaft, countershaft sprocket or chain!! NO. There are a few people in our group who did that as teenagers, and have lived with the result since that time.
5) It just so happens that I am working on an illustrated article to explain just what things look like inside the cases and how moving the control shaft handles gear shifts. It is expected to be in the next Resonator Revisited (the club newsletter). If you are a member, you'll be able to access the article when it gets published. (Pssst, don't tell anyone . . . but if it seems like it might be helpful as your work continues, it might happen that an advance photo might show up in a private message to you. Mum's the word. OK?)
Ed
PS: Did I mention to NOT start the engine and put anything you want to keep anywhere near the control shaft, sprocket or chain?

[RylanCoffey]

Thank you very much! I'm having the hodaka mechanic in my area to come help me with it and he should be able to show me how to repair it thank you for the great tips ed!!