Hello all,
I have a (US) 2009 ninja 500 which for the most part is working great.
Recently I am having trouble starting it.
When I try, it makes a strange clanking noise but the engine would not engage.
If I insist, sooner or later it will engage for a fraction of a second just enough to let me start the bike. The problem seems to be getting worse with time (takes more and more tries before it gets to engage)
Battery is new, electrical connections are tight and clean. I even tried with a battery starter with the same results.

I found a video on you tube that shows my problem (it's not my bike and I did not make the video but the clanking sound is the same):

Any help is greatly appreciated.

Thanks

Thot

 

The starter clutch is not engaging in the video, and if that's what your bike sounds like, I think it a safe bet to investigate the starter clutch. Power is present, starter engages,next item in the line is starter clutch. See if you can bump start the bike to rule out a locked up engine or transmission. [key on, push / roll / get homeys to push bike, drop clutch to start]

2009 Kawasaki Ninja 500R EX500D Parts, 2009 Kawasaki Ninja 500R EX500D OEM Parts - BikeBandit.com

The starter clutch and it's components are in the box labelled 13193. The schematic should give you an idea of what you are dealing with.

 

Hello Fuller_Malarkey,
Thank you very much for the reply and for the link to the schematics.
Both were very helpful!
I finally was able to enroll a friend and we were able (or he was able, I should say) to get 95% of the job of removing the clutch done. We got stuck at the point we needed to remove the rotor.
The Haines manual states:
"4. Hold the rotor from turning again and using tool 57001-1216 remove the rotor from the crankshaft taper. Remove the Woodruff key from the crankshaft slot if it is loose"
Problem is I don't have tool 57001-1216 nor do I know where to get it.
From the look of it, it appears that the tool is essentially a Metric Bolt of about 22 mm and fine thread attached to a T shaped handle and I believe an actual bolt could do the job and I was wondering if you know the actual specs of such a bolt so I can order it online (I may try Home Depot or such but I doubt they would carry it).
I am attaching the relevant portion of the Haines Manual. Figure 33.4 is what I am referring to.

Thank you so much for your help.

Thot

 

Just covered this on another thread a few days ago....

https://www.kawasakiforums.com/forum...e2/#post502950

You can see how a strap wrench can be used instead of the high buck factory tool.

I think the rotor puller is an 18mm x 1.5 thread pitch right hand thread, which you should be able to pick up from Fastenal or other local fastener supply house. About two inches / 60mm long is good. I like to put a dab of grease in the rotor hole before I thread the bolt in, believing I get some hydraulic assistance in getting the flywheel to bust loose.

Watch for the woodruff key on the flywheel when it comes off. When you put it back on, take a punch and put a dimple in the face of it and tap it into the groove. The dimple will help keep it in place as you wrestle the flywheel into place.

 

Thank you for the prompt reply!

I have a fastenal store nearby and I will pick up the bolt that you describe on Monday and let you know...

Thanks again

Thot.

 

Hello Fuller_Malarkey,
Turns out neither fastenall nor grainger locally had a bolt with the exact specs.
A phone call to a nearby town's Kawasaki dealer reached a very helpful tech who told me I could buy the original tool for $120 or a third party equivalent tool for $10... I went for the latter and I was able to pull the rotor-clutch complex (btw the tip of using grease was very good).

But now I got stuck again.

In order to remove the clutch from the rotor I have to unbolt three bolt with a (6 mm metric) allen wrench. I have such a wrench but it was impossible to unbolt them manually as they are so tight that I cannot hold the rotor still even with a strap wrench. I don't want to put the rotor in a vise for obvious reasons so I was thinking to use an impact wrench which scares me a little.
Is there a better solution?
Also, when I finally separate the two, what am I looking for to verify that the clutch is damaged (I hesitate to just buy a new one and replace it only to find out that maybe it was not it).

Thank you for your help!

 

use your basic impact. The one you smack with a hammer.

 

Thanks