Clutch issues

Dang, I must have offended the motorcycle gods or something, no sooner do I successfully do my first set of fork seals this past weekend, and now this. I searched to forum on clutch issues, but nothing seemed like what I am experiencing.
I noticed yesterday when I took it for a short test ride, that when started it and put it in first gear, that it seemed to want to creep forward a little bit. So per my manual, at the grip and the barrel adjustment in front of the motor, I turned the adjusters all the way in. Then I took off the little inspection cover for the release mechanism and adjusted that, and finally adjusted the cable for 1/8" play at the grip. Started the motor, put it in gear and it still wanted to creep forward, except now when I let the lever out, nothing.
It is a 1996 KZ1000P and I am running the Rotella T oil in it.

HELP!!

You say "I start her up"... what happens when things are warm? Give her a min or two, to get some heat... then see how things feel/react. Let us know...

OH... and you should not even be finger tight, against the clutch rod. Heat expands...

Okay, I let her get good and warm, same thing. Pull in clutch, shift into gear, and it still wants to lurch forward momentarily, then stops. Here is a new thing I noticed though, I let the clutch all the way out while in gear, no movement or obvious load on the motor, but then it dies...it did this every time I tried it.

What do you mean by finger tight against the clutch rod?

Skiprrdog wrote: ...took off the little inspection cover for the release mechanism and adjusted that....

Instructions in the manual may be confusing or just plain wrong.

Try the clutch push-rod adjustment again, but this time turn the adjusting screw the opposite way until it stops, then turn it the other way 1/2 turn before tightening the locknut.

Good Fortune!

Thanks Patton; after I posted a second reply here, I did just that, turned it all the way to the right until it stopped, and then back a little bit CCW and Voila! I have forward motion again. My KZP rebuild...always an adventure. Thanks again for the reply.

Well, I guess the fix i thought i had for my clutch problem yesterday was too good to be true.
I went to move the bike into my garage this morning, pulled in the clutch to start it, and the lever went completely slack on me. Pushed it into the garage, took the clutch release cover off thinking I would check the adjustment, and I cannot turn that slotted adjuster either way.
Where do I go from here? I have a Clymer manual, but it has scant information on this.

ahhh KZs

always have a few clutch cables and tach cables at hand... They always snap if u ride a lot or snap gears on shifts..


engine oil and clutch springs are key.. even today in a pinch I will top off with car oil an it bites my azz eventually..

also your angle and dial adjustment for clutch cable is key.. newer levers put a pre angle tention spot on cables and the biggest pooper is the slot for the cable..

if not right it runs on edge and super quick it cuts through cable strands and then no matter how much adjustment you do the cable has no strength left..


also your carb spring set up for return and on power if proper.. you want to here that snap when you twist the throttle when parked and off..

J

Yeah, I already ordered a clutch cable for it, it is (up to)19 years old, so I figure its probably time
Whatever is wrong with the clutch (I am guessing the release mech) I have no clue, though. Guess Ill just start taking her apart and see where that goes...

Skiprrdog wrote: Yeah, I already ordered a clutch cable for it, it is (up to)19 years old, so I figure its probably time
Whatever is wrong with the clutch (I am guessing the release mech) I have no clue, though. Guess Ill just start taking her apart and see where that goes...

Could you upload some pictures?


Unless you already figured it out.