Increasingly vague clutch feel?

Frank Rizzo · Aug 29, 2013

Just wondering if anyone else has experienced this: I now have about 5500 KM on the bike - not a lot - but have noticed for the past 500 KM or so that my clutch feel has changed. I used to enjoy feeling the "friction point" with some authority about half way through letting out the lever, but lately, it's like I have to almost completely release the lever to feel the bike start to pull and the feeling is...I dunno...kinda vague for lack of a better word.

The result is that I've gotten a bit "twitchy" when pulling away from a stop, especially in traffic or on a hill, because there's now very little "room" between the start of the friction point and full engagement. I know that I'm not imagining this because my brother commented noticing that I was having trouble pulling away from lights.

I had my old bike, KTM 625 SMC for 4 years, bought it new, and did not experience this change in feel, action, etc, at all, so I don't see it as something that "just happens" with new bikes. I'm not especially tech saavy, so I don't know if this is something that a simple lever adjustment should fix. I tried making small changes to the cable adjuster at the lever, but didn't notice any significant change other than the feel of the lever action.

Any thoughts? Advice? Anyone having a similar situation?

Cheers,
Frank

mentalist · Aug 29, 2013

How much free play do you have in the lever/cable, sounds like the cable has stretched slightly and might require more adjustment.look at page 138 of manual(electronic version)
free play measurement is 3-4mm.

gatdammit · Aug 29, 2013

Just this week I've been feeling a rougher engagement. Could be in my head. 3300 miles.

Frank Rizzo · Aug 29, 2013

mentalist said:
How much free play do you have in the lever/cable, sounds like the cable has stretched slightly and might require more adjustment.look at page 138 of manual(electronic version)
free play measurement is 3-4mm.

I just noticed this today actually, so I'm going to check on the measurement because I think that my free play is considerable less [I'd say not more than 2mm and that's likely pushing it]. If this solves the problem, then I'll be really happy

Thanks!!

HyperEA · Aug 29, 2013

It became bigger issue after my first service, and I have been complaining to service guys for same reason, but they don't see it as a problem," it is the clutch" they say.

I read couple of reviews that mentioning very short engaging. My acceleration was a lot faster with my F650gs. Now I have to wait until the clutch is fully engaged then pull the throttle. But I guess some of the bikes suffer more then others. Would love to have fixing solution, looking forward to it.

Frank Rizzo · Aug 30, 2013

Update: I made the adjustment to the lever's free play and it completely solved the problem. I'm once again getting a strong engagement of the engine at about 40 - 50% of the lever's "throw" whereas it had been at 80% or so. In fact, it took me by surprise a little when I let the clutch out for the first time. Once again, I can drift forward in stop and go traffic simply by easing out the clutch rather than having to use the throttle.

If anyone else has experienced the same issue, definitely check out the manual and your free play adjustment.

@Mentalist: Thanks again for the advice!

mentalist · Aug 30, 2013

no problem, glad it was a simple fix, i'm used to cable clutches on my vfr and RD, and have to adjust them now and again as the cable stretches.

gatdammit · Aug 30, 2013

I took a little slack out of mine, but it was only maybe 6-8mm. Will ride soon and see.

DucTheMagicDragon · Jan 23, 2015

Hello. Did you use the secondary clutch adjuster? I can't for the life of me find where it is. The manual is no help. Any help would be much appreciated.

PomGP · Jan 23, 2015

DucTheMagicDragon said:
Hello. Did you use the secondary clutch adjuster? I can't for the life of me find where it is. The manual is no help. Any help would be much appreciated.

It sits behind the small black plastic panel on the right hand side of the frame. Remove the two screws, pull the panel off and there she is. You will need a 10 & 12 spanner to adjust
the cable.

gatdammit · Jan 25, 2015

I didn't know this existed. Does it adjust play at the clutch basket?

mentalist · Jan 27, 2015

gatdammit said:
I didn't know this existed. Does it adjust play at the clutch basket?

No, It's the same cable, basically when you have used all your adjustment at the lever (fully out), you wind the lever adjustment back in and then adjust the slack with the other end, thus giving you back your normal lever adjustment.

gatdammit · Jan 28, 2015

Thanks, Mentalist. Aside from the first couple hundred miles, I haven't noticed much creep in the play. I did have to mark it to my spec because the dealer/stock setting blows goat (IMO).

mentalist · Jan 29, 2015

gatdammit said:
Thanks, Mentalist. Aside from the first couple hundred miles, I haven't noticed much creep in the play. I did have to mark it to my spec because the dealer/stock setting blows goat (IMO).

Your welcome,
Main problem I had was finding neutral, the bite of the clutch and lever felt fine, but could i find neutral NO. It had the symptoms of slight clutch drag, so I just adjust cable at the lever slightly and hey presto, can get neutral no problem now.

Increasingly vague clutch feel?

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