Originally posted by 86atc250r@Jul 21 2004, 07:27 PM
Actually, what's happening is:
When you pull in the clutch and the transmission is in gear - the gears do not spin - because they are directly connected to the rear wheels via the countershaft/sprocket/chain/rear sprocket.
The reason it is more difficult is because the oil is cold and thick - since it is a wet clutch, there is oil trapped between all the clutch plates --- this cold, thick oil causes friction and drag between the fiber plates (which spin with the engine) and the metal plates (which spin with the transmission - which is presently stopped) when the clutch is disengaged (pulled in).
When you shift the quad into neutral, the clutch remains engaged and transfers the motion directly to the main gear shaft - which spins --- however, when in neutral, there is no connection to the countershaft (and thus the rear wheels) - so the mainshaft & gears spin freely and since the clutch is also spinning as an assembly and has no real force against it - you don't get the friction from the cold oil between the steel and fiber plates.
Make sense?