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Theorist · July 19th, 2019, 07:54 AM

Is there any chance that the clutch lever is an aftermarket replacement, bent, or the grips are aftermarket? Perhaps something is limiting the cable's range of motion at the lever?

I'm curious what happens if you turn the clutch arm directly rather than through the cable and lever. I don't know the proper term, but by clutch arm I mean what the other end of the clutch cable is connected to on the right side of the engine, above the oil sight class and rear brake pedal.

Turning that clutch arm requires some torque, so you may need to use a vice grip, channel lock pliers, adjustable wrench, or 16-17 mm wrench. To avoid scratching the paint you can also use some rubber from an old inner tube, elastic bands, it electrical or duct tape. Be gentle to not put too much torque on the clutch arm, more than the lever could or enough to damage anything inside.
When the bike has been sitting and the bike is in gear, how much does the bike resist rolling when you turn that clutch arm clockwise? After you let the bike warm up fully and ride it, can you stop and while sitting on it hold it stationary, turn that clutch arm clockwise, and try switching between gear? Is it still as resistant to changing gears as when you fully grip the clutch lever?

If you don't have the same problems when moving the clutch arm directly, just use that instead of the clutch lever. Riding that way will get easier with practice. Trust me. I found it impossible at first, but it seems completely natural now.

I'm joking. If moving the clutch arm alleviates or ends the problems try tightening the cable. If that doesn't solve your problems before you tighten the cable so much that the clutch starts to slip, you could try thinner grips or a new lever that gives the cable a greater range of motion

If the bike behaves the same way whether you are moving the clutch arm directly or just gripping the clutch lever, I don't believe the cable or lever are causing your problems.

I don't know enough about our wet clutches to know what the cause or fix might be then. JASO MA approved oil rather than energy or resource conserving oil? A clutch pack with new friction plates? A new pressure plate? Someone else here should have a better idea.

July 19th, 2019, 07:54 AM	#14
Theorist ninjette.org member Name: Eric Location: MA Join Date: May 2019 Motorcycle(s): 2005 250 Posts: 39	Is there any chance that the clutch lever is an aftermarket replacement, bent, or the grips are aftermarket? Perhaps something is limiting the cable's range of motion at the lever? I'm curious what happens if you turn the clutch arm directly rather than through the cable and lever. I don't know the proper term, but by clutch arm I mean what the other end of the clutch cable is connected to on the right side of the engine, above the oil sight class and rear brake pedal. Turning that clutch arm requires some torque, so you may need to use a vice grip, channel lock pliers, adjustable wrench, or 16-17 mm wrench. To avoid scratching the paint you can also use some rubber from an old inner tube, elastic bands, it electrical or duct tape. Be gentle to not put too much torque on the clutch arm, more than the lever could or enough to damage anything inside. When the bike has been sitting and the bike is in gear, how much does the bike resist rolling when you turn that clutch arm clockwise? After you let the bike warm up fully and ride it, can you stop and while sitting on it hold it stationary, turn that clutch arm clockwise, and try switching between gear? Is it still as resistant to changing gears as when you fully grip the clutch lever? If you don't have the same problems when moving the clutch arm directly, just use that instead of the clutch lever. Riding that way will get easier with practice. Trust me. I found it impossible at first, but it seems completely natural now. I'm joking. If moving the clutch arm alleviates or ends the problems try tightening the cable. If that doesn't solve your problems before you tighten the cable so much that the clutch starts to slip, you could try thinner grips or a new lever that gives the cable a greater range of motion If the bike behaves the same way whether you are moving the clutch arm directly or just gripping the clutch lever, I don't believe the cable or lever are causing your problems. I don't know enough about our wet clutches to know what the cause or fix might be then. JASO MA approved oil rather than energy or resource conserving oil? A clutch pack with new friction plates? A new pressure plate? Someone else here should have a better idea.