Clutch drag
- Thread starter HeadFX
- Start date
alexk
Weekend Rider
I think mine just needed to be run in. My transmission got worse and worse, even after the 600 mile service, until I hit the 1,000 mile mark. Somewhere around 1,010 it smoothed up.
Pressure needed to shift up and down - fixed. It's a joy now.
Having to apply power between downshifts - fixed. I can downshift from 6th to 1st when coming to a stop.
Missing a gear on the way up - fixed. Not a single biffed shift since then
The noise the bike makes has changed. There's a high-pitched buzz that rises and falls with the RPM, and is only really noticeable in 1st and 2nd gear under 4k rpm. Didn't used to do that, but it doesn't sound bad... in fact it sounds more like what I'm used to hearing from sportbikes.
200 miles in since then, and it's a joy. I love this bike...
Pressure needed to shift up and down - fixed. It's a joy now.
Having to apply power between downshifts - fixed. I can downshift from 6th to 1st when coming to a stop.
Missing a gear on the way up - fixed. Not a single biffed shift since then
The noise the bike makes has changed. There's a high-pitched buzz that rises and falls with the RPM, and is only really noticeable in 1st and 2nd gear under 4k rpm. Didn't used to do that, but it doesn't sound bad... in fact it sounds more like what I'm used to hearing from sportbikes.
200 miles in since then, and it's a joy. I love this bike...
Did your clutch 'stay engaged' even after pulling it fully in for a second or 2? Sometimes when I come to a complete stop it disengages JUST IN TIME before the engine stalls.. or if I kick it down a gear or into Neutral just before stopping it lets go... I chalk it up to the factory break in oil, but I could be wrong.. Bike has 300 miles on it now and I will definitely mention this when I take it in to get it serviced at 600... Did yours do this though? It's terrible when cold, but lets up a good bit when everything is warmed up..
alexk
Weekend Rider
Mine did not do that.
It sounds like you're describing clutch drag. Given that it changes with temperature, that would suggest the change in oil viscosity due to temperature helps get things freewheeling.
Your clutch likely needs adjustment - your friction zone should start moments after you start pulling the lever and should end with freewheeling before the lever reaches the bar (I always pull to the bar)
The clutch on our bike is cable actuated - there are no hydraulic valves or electronic controls to introduce lag. When you feel tension on the lever, that's the clutch springs.
I readily admit I haven't got my head completely around the clutch actuation method (my previous bike used a circular ramp... this... I don't see how it loads and unloads the springs... I'm sure it's on page 5-46 or 5-47 of the service manual, but it hasn't clicked yet). Either way, if it feels laggy or draggy, it's out of adjustment. It shouldn't be a big deal for the dealer to fix.
Yea it definitely isn't right... It didn't do this right off the bat, but started somewhere around 175 miles... I guess that's why they want you in at 600 miles... to make money from you, and to adjust crap that wears in or bumps out of adjustment in the first few hundred miles... 300 to go then it goes in. Thanks for the info!
TorontoAlex
New member
My CB750k used to act the same way. A bit of clutch drag when pulled in but still in gear. Clunky when dropped into 1st. Shifting has a sweet spot (kick the shifter at the same time as I pull clutch in, getting better at it). Having to rev while downshifting. All seems like standard stuff with manual transmissions. I don't know if bikes are supposed to be smoother these days but it doesn't bother me much. I did notice a difference after my 1000km service. Slightly easier to shift.