Clutch Issue?

Well after the bike has sat for two years not being able to run, today I finally fired the bike up after cleaning the carbs. I still have a dirty air filter but I have a new one to pick up tomorrow. The idle was kinda rough, but I'm assuming that is because of the air filter, and lack of tuning, but the bike seemed to fun fine when reving. Here is my question though. When I would try and put it into gear the bike would clunk and stall. After trying that twice I said that was enough. So later on I did some adjusting of the clutch cable. After adjustment the clutch seems to be pulled all the way now, but when on the center stand and I try and turn the rear wheel by hand it is kinda tough. Also when off the stand and free wheeling the bike roles, but seems kinda stiff. Is this normal? It seems like on my friends bikes once you pull the clutch when the engine is off it seems to roll pretty smoothly. I would have fired the bike back up again after I readjusted the cable, but I have a dead battery, and I didn't want to jump the bike off my car again. I also need to tune the bike still. Any help on the clutch issue would be appreciated.

 

At this stage I wouldn't worry too much about the clutch drag issue.

My XJ900 is exactly the same, especially now in Winter here. It's a combination of oil and clutch interacting. Even when adjusted properly you will still have some drag from the clutch when it's pulled in in first gear. You'll find that when it is started up (on the centrestand) that if you pull the clutch in and kick it into first gear, the rear wheel will start spinning.

That's the drag on the clutch - even though it is disengaged it must be the oil (especially old oil) interacting with the clutch plates.

I've found that after an oil change and especially after a complete oil flush and new oil, this issue is not as pronounced.

KH

 

Hey Gum:

Adjust the Clutch for Zero Freeplay. Then, make minute (my-nute) adjustments by using the Knurl Feature up on the Clutch Perch.

I have written-up how to do this a few times. Search: Zero Lash Author: RickCoMatic.

The idea is to make the cable an extension of the Throw-out ... not just a means to get the Throw-out to act.

Loosen the Thumb wheel on the Knurl and Rotate the adjuster until all the freeplay is gone ~> (Or, just about gone .5 mm -- very, very little).

You want that clutch cable to have as much pull throwing-out the Clutch as possible. The new "Feel" will be awkward for a little while. But, once yyou get used to it ... Clunk, Red Light Creep, Neutral Fight and everything else associated with a "Loose Cable" Throw-out goes away. Bye-bye!

If you Need more Free Play ... all you need to do is Loosen the Locking Thumb Wheel and turn the Knurl.

When you get it just the way you like it ... Lock it in with the Thumb wheel turned tight against the Perch.

 

Well I guess it wasn't a clutch issue. Stupid me wasn't really paying attention to the warning control and noticed that the side stand light was on even with the side stand up. Turns out the mount was bent so the pin wasn't sliding out all the way. Fix that and today took the bike for its first 2 tenths of a mile around a parking lot in 10 years. It has some zip, even without it being tune. I'm tuning it this weekend when I get my plug. Thanks for the help.