Hi everyone I hear a strange noise when I'm riding and I was talking with some other guys who have motorcycles and one of them told me to check if the clutch if isn't too tight, I checked and surprise....my clutch was kind of loose but I was able to shift the gears ok.
My question is: "Isn't the clutch too tight if you follow the book witch is saying: the play of the clutch cable should be 10-15mm(0.4-0.6 in)as measured at the clutch level end before the clutch begins to disengage"

I have a clutch issue too.  Was gonna start another thread, but while we're on the subject, I thought I'd just tag along.  Hope you don't mind, r4fun.

The last couple times I've started my bike, it seems to want to lurch forward, like I'm letting the clutch out, while in the process of starting it, and it kinda hesitates to start.  Hubby asked if I had it pulled in all the way, and the lever is touching the grip, so its in as far as it will go.  Anybody ever had this happen, and is this as simple to cure as turning the nut on the end of the lever?  Forgot to try that when I got home.

babyhog wrote on 05/11/11 at 17:35:33:

If it's been a little while since you started it, the clutch plates may be dry, and that will cause that...
It's normal..

If you think it might be,.. you can start it in neutral, to let the oil circulate...

thanks guys, just never had that happen before.  

You're right Arnold Savage's book says the motorcycle has to be start it from NEUTRAL.(I,m the guy with the book )

verslagen1 wrote on 05/12/11 at 08:18:32:


It has only lurched/crept on me a couple of times, but it still starts.  And I do mostly start it in neutral, but sometimes I start it in 1st gear.  Actually, maybe even 50/50.  Never heard that one before, so please explain.  Does that apply to cars too?  I've driven tons of standard vehicles with no problems starting in 1st gear.  

And there's been lots of accidents with vehicles started in gear too. I mean most vehicle you must depress the clutch to start but people may forget they're in gear, start the engine and let the clutch go.

I adjusted my clutch this afternoon and Clymer's said to have 3 mm of free play in the gap where the lever seats itself up at the handlebar.  My lever adjustment was used up at the handlebar so following Clymer's instructions I adjusted it at the engine end of the cable.  The important thing is to have some free play but check the cable and adustment by working the engine lever by hand just to make certain the cable isn't hanging up somewhere. Clymer's is well worth the $24 or whatever they charge for it.

Regarding the other question, motorcycle clutches are different than automobile clutches and as several people pointed out some sticky oil between all those plates can cause it to drag a little bit until the plates "shed" the sticky stuff.  Back when almost all motorcycles had center stands that raised the rear wheel off the pavement you could see this effect on a well adjusted clutch.  Just the viscosity of the oil would cause the wheel to rotate a bit.

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