Clutch problem?

Okay guys, it's my turn. As sopme of you know I've owned my bike for 28 years and never had a problem, it's been virtually maintenance free. It's never left me on the side of the road or stranded. However, I seem to be having a problem with my clutch. It's the original factory clutch and it's never given me any problems over the years. I adjust it about once a year just to maintain it and make sure everything is working right. When I had my accident in August, the bike was laid up in a non-running status for about 7 months. When I got it running and back on the road the clutch plates were stuck together. It only took a few minutes to break them loose, and I hadn't had any problems riding it for the last few weeks. About 2 weeks ago I noticed when I was shifting that it seemed "clunkier" than usual, so I decided to adjust the clutch. Everything was going okay but I found that the adjusting screw was out one full turn rather than the half a turn it required, which I thought was kind of strange. I went ahead and readjusted it to the proper half turn and adjusted the cable as per specs. Everything was fine for a couple days shifting nice and smooth, but when I left work a couple days later, the clutch slipped in 1st, 2nd, and 3rd under power. I got on the freeway slipping through the gears but once I was on the freeway in 5th, everything seemed fine. I could give it gas in 5th and the bike would accelerate, no problem. When I got to my off ramp, I was a little nervous, but the bike pulled in every gear,no problem. Next morning when I left to go to work it did it one time, in either 2nd or 3rd and was okay all the way to work, and then did it again right before I got to my shop. I went ahead and adjusted the entire clutch system again, and found nothing out of adjustment. Left to come home, same thing, went to get on the freeway, it wanted to slip in every gear getting on the freeway. Once going down the freeway in 5th, it did slip this time. I reached over and noticed my clutch lever had no freeplay, which I had about 1/8 inch freeplay after my adjustment. I loosened my locknut and turned the cable all the way in (about 1/4 inch), and its still tight. The slipping seemed to stop and it was okay all the way home. My question is, "Is it the clutch?" Is this how a KZ clutch tends to go out, or am I looking at something in the cable system, or as I've heard you guys talking about the ball and ramp?. I have a complete new clutch setup I can install but I'm kind of thinking it's something else that is not allowing the discs to clamp tight. Especially as how I adjusted it with 1/8 inch freeplay and all of sudden it had no freeplay. Plus it's kind of weird that sometimes it slips and sometimes it doesn't. There's times I can go through all the gears with no problem and sometimes it does slip. What do you guys think?


If this message appears in pink, or has flowers or something, it's cause I had my wife type this for me, with my 2 fingers it would have taken me half an hour and she just did it in ten minutes. :woohoo:

Your wife did a real nice job of typing

I had the same problem on a 750 twin, The cause was the bearing on the input shaft of the transmission (the one behind the clutch basket) being bad and allowing the clutch basket to move in and out.

Well either way your going to have to take the clutch cover off. I would suggest taking the cover off and the clutch apart and measuring the discs. This messuremant will tiell you weather the clutch is bad or not. Since diagnosing a bad clutch is fairly simple and doesnt take a lot of special tool id seggest checking the clutch first. That will alow you to elminate the most common factor. From there id check your clutch springs, plunger, ball, rod and plunger mecanisum. Then check your basket and bearings. Id guess its the clutch. Clutchs will do a lot of wierd stuff like your exp. when they start to go bad. Start with the easy cmmon problems and work your way in. No sence jumping all the way in when it could be something easy.

STEELL
The last time i saw an imputshaft bearing go bad the clutch backet disingrated and tookng the motor with it very lucky.

I would also look at the mechanism that moves the clutch such as the rod and pivot points as they all wear with use and cables require lubrication and replacement.

Well MFolks was the closest. Between repair jobs (I'm a mechanic) I went ahead and removed the sprocket cover to check out the release mechanism. Upon removing cover along with clutch cable I found wire wadded up inside the clutch lever! Removed the cable from the mechanism and it was jammed really tight, could barely slide it either way. Upon closer inspection I discovered that the cable had apperantly gotten crushed in my accident last August. There was even some strands poking through the casing. Called the two local dealerships and neither one carries it anymore (what a surprise) but could get one in 2-3 days for $38-$44. I then called a local independant bike supply store and was shocked to find they had one in stock! My wife picked it up for me (Motion Pro $15!) and brought it to work. I decided to go ahead and check the release mechanism anyway and found it to be ok but totally dry. Lubed the channels and balls with a light coat of moly grease (it IS supposed to be lubed isn't it?), put the bike back together and now have a silky smooth clutch pull. Clutch itself is still working great after 52,000 mi and not ready to be replaced yet. Thanks guys for the help, I love cheap easy repairs!