'83 650 Katana Clutch Springs

[repoman]

I just put new clutch discs and springs in my bike, '83 650 Katana. The bike would slip in a couple of gears when almost WOT. The clutch was always stiff or high tension, a friend said the previous owner my have put in a racing type clutch and the new clutch discs and springs should lighten the tension. Well, it is not any lighter and it is slightly harder to operate the clutch. Can I just take half of the springs off the pressure plate or are there different springs I need to get? I am worried that the clutch cable will break, its that stiff.

Thanks

[waterman]

Repoman, welcome to the GSR. Are you using factory Suzuki springs or aftermarket heavy duty springs? Most here prefer the factory springs since they require less effort and work fine. They are a cheap fix for old worn springs.

[rapidray]

Also, check to see that the cable works freely. Disconnect it from both ends, without removing it from the bike, & see if you can move the cable back & forth freely. If not, replace the cable. Ray.

[duaneage]

Sounds like a cable issue. Stock springs are the easiest. I have stock springs on a Barnett kevlar clutch and it's fine and dandy.

Not to imply anything, but are you sure it is assembled correctly? Right number of plates? Any shims under the clutch springs that should not be there?

[Bribird]

I put a complete barnett clutch set-up in my bike, all the steels plates and friction discs along with the springs. Barnett must think that is funny to sell those springs for a manual cable style clutch....I could not pul it in more than 1 time. I took those out and put the old ones back in, then this last time in the motor I put some new stock ones in....they were like 1/4 taller and a touch stiffer than the old ones.
Make sure you have a touch of freeplay in the clutch cable at the clutch arm on the motor. If it is partially compressed, that would explain the slipping and the stiffness of the clutch lever.

[repoman]

The clutch kit was the same amount of discs, there are no shims and the kit was purchased through Dennis Kirk. Just before I hooked up the arm, I could move move it pretty easy. I believe the parts are equal to stock.

[Nessism]

Most of the common aftermarket clutch springs are stiffer than stock. I suggeset you order some NEW stock springs and put them in.

[Zooks]

Funny story - I have a friend with a VERY worked Z1000 (KZ1000 to you guys). He went for a ride recently and thought his clutch was slipping. It turned out he was actually breaking traction when he was flying along and hit WOT. He came back from the ride with little bits of sticky rubber hanging off the tyre. Seriously tough bikes those old Kaws.

Are you sure that 650 isn't trying to eat the bitumen?

j/k

[repoman]

I finally got the call from the dealer that my stock clutch springs were in. They were not as stiff as the EBC springs were. I took off my clutch cable and pushed lubricant through it and it moves freely. My cable really doesn't make any tight bends but still seams a bit stiff when I grip it, but alot easier than before. I soaked the disc in oil and cross hatched the metal discs before re-installing them all. On the stand the back tire does not spin any more in neutral as it did before, good right. but when I am sitting at a light in 1st gear with the clutch in I can feel the engine trying to grab, will this go away as the new part get broke in? Is there another adjustment beside right at the lever I am missing, thanks.

[Bribird]

To feel a little grab on the clutch is normal when everything is new as long as it is not strong enough to pull you along with your feet on the ground and the clutch pulled all the way in in first gear. make sure you dont have too much freeplay in the cable.

[repoman]

I can easlily sit at a light without it trying to crawl along, so it sounds like it is good to go then, thanks. My bike has 34,000 miles on her and I think this winter I will go through the top end.

[Bribird]

Very cool, I just went through everything on bike. 34k miles aint that much on one of these motors. I would wait til you have a reason to go into...but then again at it being an 83....the valve seals are probably toast at this point....mine were, but I had over 60k on mine when I tore it apart.