Ducati Monster Forum

 hi all. i have a serious problem with my s2r 1000 06 model.. on the weekend i was having problems changing gear. eventually i could not get into to neutral and trying to change gears was so painfully on my foot. any way on sunday went to go for another ride bike got even worse only got 100 metres and the clutch lever has gone really soft. bike is stuck in 1st gear. and when started sounds like the open clutch is going to shoot out of the engine and land across the room. even when you pull the clutch in to try and move the bike its like trying to push a truck. the clutch pedal is jammed and wont move a mm. please help any ideas what this could be  :'( :'( :'( :'( :'(

More than likely you have a failed slave cylinder seal, when it leaks it runs down near the sprocket cover and can also leak inside the case which is harder to see obviously. If so you can replace it with a billet one that will claim to make the clutch lighter (debatable) or replace the piston and seal in the standard one.

The soft/weak clutch lever points to that, but without actually seeing it it's hard to say for sure, you should be able to get it out of 1st by rocking it back and forth as you shift the lever with the bike off, of course!

paul.

Agreed.  From memory slave cylinders are the things that usually give up first in the clutch system.

I did have an experience once where I hadn't ridden the bike for an extended period and when I first pulled the clutch in it seemed to suck in some air.  A good bleed sorted it out but it sounds like your issue is a bit more serious than this.

hey paul
bike wont even move let alone trying to rock it back and forth. it feels like the clutch pedel has been welded. its f#@ked i think.
if it is the sleeve what do think some thing like that should cost. it gets taken to mech tomorrow.

replacing the slave cylinder piston and seal isn't expensive, neither is bleeding it back up, if the slave cylinder is replaced with an aftermarket one that depends on where it comes from, i've seen them for $150 to $350.

If it turns out to be the gear change detent spring broken the part is quite cheap, but the case cover has to come off to replace it, that will mean a little more in labour.

paul.

Do you have fluid in the reservoir? Pull the cap and have a look.

I had the same thing with my bike recently; the clutch lever would travel back to the bar, and the clutch wouldn't engage.
There was fluid under the bike as well....
As already said, it sounds a lot like the slave cylinder has gone. Some people on here do have OEM ones that you maybe able to buy in a pinch, failing that there's heaps of options on line, for around $200+. It is an easy fix you can do at home; even I managed it.

Have you taken the clutch cover off and had a look? Then maybe (after checking the slave cylinder out) taking the clutch apart? It's pretty straight forward.

Just remember the K.I.S.S. principle. Work through all the easy steps first.

Maybe get yourself a bike hoist. Helps with wheel cleaning too.

All good gear pin/ selector was damaged now
All good again back on the road

Great news.