time to change the clutch?

[hondapowered]

Hey guys I need some feedback on the clutch in regards to about how many miles have you put on a 1Krr before changing the clutch or any feedback on previous honda's you owned. If there are other models out there that have hydro clutch that would be helpfull too, or just in general your thoughts on when to change the clutch. Here is the run down I now have 17K on my stock OEM clutch, I did change the line to a superbike diameter Galfer, I did change the slave cyclinder and pull to an STM 32mm I have pazzo levers and you know the color LOL SO I am very picky about how my bike behaves and operates so maybye I am to picky but I now have the lever adjusted all the way passed number 5 and the clutch feels and reacts well. About three weeks ago I flushed the clutch fluid and I do not have a speed bleeder so it took some time to get the bubbles out but even almost a month ago I noticed the clutch was grabbing way before i let the lever out to its usual posistion, it caught me off gurad that the bike was trying to pull forward just after I let the clutch out slightly. I thought this was dirty fluid, so I changed the DOT4 stuff and it felt much better. Well now the same thing happened 3 days ago and the fluid is perfect, no bubbles, and the lever does not feel spongey at all it actualy is easie to pull hten when this last happened but again the bike is moving way before I want it to, so I adjusted the lever to its furthest posisition past the 5 and it fels very normal to me when and how it engadges, however if I adjust the lever back to three or four where I normaly ride the bikes starts to move if you just slightly release the lever? SO it must be time to change the clutch right? Can I just change the friction plates and not worry about the springs? If anybody has thoughts on this or can help me compare notes that would be great, I have not yet consultated the giant book. That's next but the book can not replace the expierences I can get from you guys so anything you got on this subject please fire away thank good I dont live in Oaklahoma LOL :p

[hondapowered]

Ya knwo what I think my chain is too tight :confused2:

[MeanMachine]

Ya knwo what I think my chain is too tight :confused2:

Maybe your HELMET is too tight? :evilgrin:

[hondapowered]

Maybe your HELMET is too tight? :evilgrin:

LOL nice how did you know this was my other ride :shortbus:

[hondapowered]

Mr John seeing as how you are now in the thread may I inquire that you divulge some of your expertise ;)

[Big Kahuna]

Hmmm, that doesn't sound like a clutch problem to me.

I got over 50,000 miles with the stock manual clutch on my '98 CBR900RR. You'll know when you need a a new clutch by the way the bike slips out of gear under load. I first noticed the clutch slipping when riding two up and hitting the throttle hard in 5th or 6th gear.

I think what you are experiencing is a problem with the hydraulic clutch aspect of the system. Was it working fine before you changed the lines? I know how hard it can be to get them bleed right. Bleeding a hydraulic clutch is much different than bleeding the brakes.

The only thing that I dislike about the clutch on the 1000rr, is that it engages under high revs. If I'm in gear with the clutch pulled all the way in while I rev the bike in the upper RPM range, the bike violently kicks into gear for a split second. It also does this if I try to feather the clutch off the line when dragging with my friends.

[The Doctor]

Unless you have been slipping your clutch alot or riding the clutch it should not need changing.
You have basically answered your own question. You made all the changes and now you are having problems.
By having your lever set at 5 suggests insufficient compression of the fluid to make it operate, I would double check for air.
You have not mentioned that you are getting any slipping, therefore I would check the hydraulic side first. What is happening is that the plates are not seperating enough.

The Doc

[exit90a]

I had over 50,000 miles on a cbr600f3 and a 99 R1 with no clutch issues. I have no experience with hydraulic clutches though. I overfilled my R1 with engine oil once and it caused the bike to pull forward even with the clutch lever all the way against the handlebar. I drained the excess out and the clutch was fine.

[TX Repsol]

Big Kahuna said it best - the clutch isn't the culprit, it's the hydraulic side of the system.

Under normal riding conditions, you'll be amazed how many miles you can get out of the stock clutch.

90% of the time, you'll know it's time to replace the clutch when it starts slipping under heavy load. Other than that, the clutch itself is rarely the problem.

[ZZGIXXER]

Big Kahuna said it best - the clutch isn't the culprit, it's the hydraulic side of the system.

Under normal riding conditions, you'll be amazed how many miles you can get out of the stock clutch.

90% of the time, you'll know it's time to replace the clutch when it starts slipping under heavy load. Other than that, the clutch itself is rarely the problem.

+1

i have over 56k miles on my suzuki...with the original clutch....still rides very strong.

as far the honda......i barely have 13k+ miles....no problems so far.

[MeanMachine]

Mr John seeing as how you are now in the thread may I inquire that you divulge some of your expertise ;)

Its not the clutch. It seems like it started after you worked on it, and since you admitted not bleeding tghe system properly I dont know how you can be certain there are no bubbles. Also, you changed the levers right before the problem which leads me to think you adjusted something wrong. Hard to speculate without looking at it, but its NOT the clutch, that much is certain.

[REPSOL499]

yes the vote on hydraulics is correct, it will engage farther out when it becomes worn out. take the slave off the bike and let the piston extend out to the stop drawing as much fluid volume into the slave as possible, then put back in place but dont tighten it down, next open the bleeder with it pointing as straight up as posiible and let it gravity bleed, tighten into normal location and do a couple pump and bleeds and it should come around

[hondapowered]

Thanks fellas you guys were all right on, turns out the clutch is fine, there is a slight bit of air but when I turn the bleeder valve to let the air out then pump it tight again the thread on the other side of the bleeder valve bolt is letting air in also, yep too much movement anyhow got that 99.9% proper and the lever is back to the third posistion dwon from 6 th and the clutch is engading where it had been previously. Just like I wanted, at the proper time, with the proper force etc... Like butter silky smooth. Now before i addressed the bleeder valve problem I want you all to know that less than inch of slack in your chain will cause the clutch to pull back early or engadge wrong, just in general your fighting the clutch :confused2: I first back the tensioner bolts off a litle and the chain slack fall to right at 1 inch, then went for a ride. Let me tell you a world of difference, the chain was just to tight. I had anticipated riding with a pasenger all weekend and the chain previous to adjustment had too much slack but I just over did it. I hate riding passengers it just does not allow me to get out of the saddle at all and I miss carving those familiar corners and I began to feel like I was a tourist attraction LOL SO the chain too tight will make the clutch act funny, that and the small adjustment with the bleeder valve got me fixed up. I still have minimal air in the line but the clutch just operates perfect so if it's not broke dont fix it.:D

[TX Repsol]

.....I hate riding passengers it just does not allow me to get out of the saddle.....

Depends on the passenger - sometimes it can be fun riding them! :evilgrin: