Motorcycle Clutch Question

"luvMeSome142 & some Lincoln!" (luvmesome142)
07/23/2015 at 14:51 • Filed to: None

My bike is an ‘86 Kawasaki Concours. The clutch is hydraulic. One thing I’ve always noticed about the clutch is that I can feel a slight pulse in the lever if I put a little pressure on it and get on and off the throttle (alternating between engine braking and slight acceleration). Lately that effect has been more pronounced. Also, and more seriously, I’m having to double pump the lever to get the clutch to fully disengage as I come to a stop. But, when I pull the lever in at a stop, the clutch stays disengaged. My first thought is the slave cylinder, but maybe you guys have a different idea.

DISCUSSION (16)

Justin Hughes > luvMeSome142 & some Lincoln!
07/23/2015 at 14:56

Cool ride! My 98 Honda PC800 also has a hydraulic clutch, but I’ve never felt what you describe even when my slave cylinder failed. Does the pulsing increase and decrease with engine speed? It could be something physical down there. That’s all I know - good luck with it.

MIATAAAA > luvMeSome142 & some Lincoln!
07/23/2015 at 14:59

Kinja'd!!!

You’re welcome.

BobintheMtns > luvMeSome142 & some Lincoln!
07/23/2015 at 15:16

If you have to double-pump the clutch, that suggests to me that you need to bleed some air from the line or just got ahead and renew the fluid and bleed it....

Regarding the pulsating.... not sure about that, but I would suggest not pulling on the clutch while also hitting the gas............

luvMeSome142 & some Lincoln! > MIATAAAA
07/23/2015 at 15:16

One of these days I’ll get one.

MIATAAAA > luvMeSome142 & some Lincoln!
07/23/2015 at 15:21

Me, too! I have an NC. My dream garage is a red one of each, A, B, C, and (now) D.

luvMeSome142 & some Lincoln! > BobintheMtns
07/23/2015 at 15:26

It’s been a while since I replaced the fluid. I’ll have to do that.

I was only putting light pressure on the clutch lever as a troubleshooting method. I just read through some other forums and some people also have felt the pulsing. But, I haven’t seen any explanations for it yet.

iSureWilll > luvMeSome142 & some Lincoln!
07/23/2015 at 15:35

I think the pulsing is normal. Just the feel you get from the clutch spinning around that you can feel.

As for the pumping, give it some new fluid and a good bleed.

Hammerdown > luvMeSome142 & some Lincoln!
07/23/2015 at 16:05

I”m on my third bike with a hydraulic clutch (1983 Honda Shadow 750, 1983 Honda V65 Magna, Honda VTX 1800). If the clutch starts to act weird at all just bleed the crap out of it. It’s weird how air will find its way in there and how big of an effect it has.

bob and john > luvMeSome142 & some Lincoln!
08/07/2015 at 13:03

old fuild. can gert bild ups and make stuff feel werid. replace and report back

luvMeSome142 & some Lincoln! > bob and john
08/24/2015 at 16:59

Wasn’t the fluid. May be the star spring, but I haven’t pulled the cover off the clutch yet.

sdwarf36 > luvMeSome142 & some Lincoln!
08/25/2015 at 22:44

star washer part # 39130-1054

<—86 silver dammit—75k miles.

luvMeSome142 & some Lincoln! > sdwarf36
08/26/2015 at 09:23

Thanks. So, as a high mileage Connie rider, have you felt what I described?

sdwarf36 > luvMeSome142 & some Lincoln!
08/26/2015 at 22:38

Yea-mine’s tweeked now. I’ve changed it before maybe 30k ago. Next oil change I’ll pull the cover + do it.

luvMeSome142 & some Lincoln! > sdwarf36
09/24/2015 at 18:48

Hey sdwarf, I finally ordered the washer. Also a footpeg bracket. Just dropped the bike. :-(

sdwarf36 > luvMeSome142 & some Lincoln!
09/24/2015 at 18:54

Get a 3” long 8mm bolt + keep it in your tool kit. You can pull off your broken peg + make it home with the bolt screwed into one of the holes.

luvMeSome142 & some Lincoln! > sdwarf36
09/24/2015 at 19:09

I had that idea in the back of my mind as I rode the bike home with my right foot on the passenger peg.