KZ550 stuck in 1st gear!

Hey everyone! The other day I went to adjust my clutch and suddenly lost all tension. I thought it may have snapped but i wasn't able to pull the cable out in either direction, so I tried to just tighten it. It didn't quite feel right (handle wouldn't return all the way) but I was able to get it to shift into first while on the center stand, only when I released the clutch entirely, it still would run. When I tried riding it (stupid move on my end), it became stuck in first gear and I had to kill the engine. Now it won't go back into neutral!

I'm assuming the clutch isn't fully disengaging, which is causing the bike to remain in first without dying, but why can't I at least get it back in neutral? Am I going to have to take off the engine sprocket cover and fix the clutch from that end? Any help or advice would be appreciated! Thanks!

What 550 is it? Assuming a chain drive model. Go ahead & remove the engine sprocket cover --- it's easy, but be prepared for a grungy mess. You'll probably have to remove the shifter & a footpeg & maybe a starter cover bolt, then the sprocket cover. easy stuff. Do that, then investigate the cable & clutch release mechanism. Stuff like this is usually something easy.

If you can't get it into neutral when the motor is turned off, then you probably have a shifter problem in addition to the clutch issue.

So I took the cover off and was able to rule out that the cable had broke. It certainly was grimey in there so I cleaned it up a little (especially around the clutch cable bearings.) The spring looks a little warped so perhaps it was over-tightened. Here are some pictures.

I might end up just ordering a new clutch cable just to be safe, it is an old bike and I beleive the cable has never been changed. Does anyone have any more suggestions?

I'm starting to suspect the clutch spring may be warped which is why the clutch handle won't return properly. Could this be a possibility? The spring is still springy, but when the clutch handle is pulled, it coils in a weird way/not straight back.

I would clean up all of the grunge. Clean & check the clutch release mechanism and install a new cable. Be sure to re-install the sprocket cover securely. Then do the clutch adjustment --- see links in loudhvx's signature for the proper adjustment as some manuals are incorrect or ambiguous as to which way you're supposed to turn the clutch release adjusting screw.

So I cleaned everything up, put the cover back on and adjusted the cable. I was able to get the bike back into neutral luckily (although the light didn't come on) and I'm able to change gears on the center stand, but the clutch is still not releasing properly. I can stay in first gear without holding the clutch and the wheel still turns.

I ordered a new cable and spring and hope that that takes care of it. The excess slack may be preventing the clutch cable from returning fully which is why first gear doesn't stall out even with no pressure on the clutch handle.

The rear wheel spinning in 1st or any gear on the center stand is normal.
Also, it will spin slowly in neutral on the center stand --- that's normal as well.
I don't recall how fast it should spin in neutral, but it will spin.

The neutral light could be a dirty/grungy connection there on the neutral switch or it could be the bulb. You can see the connector in the upside down pic w the chain. My neutral light was glitchy, so I pulled off that flag connector & cleaned it up. It was still loose, so I disconnected it again & crimped it closed a little. Fixed.

Has the bike run in a while, clutch plates may be stuck, clutch pulled in, plates dont slip and it acts like it is still in gear with the clutch out.