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The short version: road trip. 2000+ more miles on a 1981 GS850. Going well -- until the clutch began slipping. No free play in clutch lever. Have tried to adjust at the hand lever, and at the linkage in the cable itself. Will try the adjustment on the right hand side, just before the cable ducks into the cover, tomorrow (when I work up my nerve). Any other ideas?
The longer version: other than a slight oil leak at the stator cover, addressed by about 4 ounces of oil added a day, the bike has been running great on a trip from NJ thru Nova Scotia. Now on the way home. Two days ago, noticed that there was extra free play in the clutch lever, and that neutral was hard to find. The oil level appeared to be correct. Thought it was something I'd look at when I got to my next stop, a friend's house near Brattleboro, VT.
Then I tried to get up a very steep, very loosly packed dirt driveway in the damp. Lots of revs, not much go forward. Thought the problem was just the poor road surface. After much ado, managed to get off that hill, turned around, and back onto the *correct* driveway (packed gravel, much less steep) -- and noted that the revs and speed still didn't agree. That was Friday. Saturday I visited. Today I tried to get home to NJ. Noticed that there was *no* free play (there had been too much two days beforehand); made what adjustment I could, and set off -- to discover that the clutch was slipping in ANY gear, even on the straightaways. If I tried to go over about 3000 rpm -> lots of revs, no more power. Fastest I can do is 45 mph in 5th. Not a good thing. Managed to get the bike into town, left it in a parking lot. Tonight I'm reading my manual -- but all I can see, short of new clutch plates, is adjusting the cable tension at the right hand side. (As I said, I tried adjusting the free play at the lever -- and even when I try to give it every little bit I can there, there's no free play.) I hope that will work -- but I'd appreciate other ideas from folks in the group.
Also, if anyone knows a good shop for our favorite bikes near Brattleboro, VT, that might be a really good thing....
Thanks!
The longer version: other than a slight oil leak at the stator cover, addressed by about 4 ounces of oil added a day, the bike has been running great on a trip from NJ thru Nova Scotia. Now on the way home. Two days ago, noticed that there was extra free play in the clutch lever, and that neutral was hard to find. The oil level appeared to be correct. Thought it was something I'd look at when I got to my next stop, a friend's house near Brattleboro, VT.
Then I tried to get up a very steep, very loosly packed dirt driveway in the damp. Lots of revs, not much go forward. Thought the problem was just the poor road surface. After much ado, managed to get off that hill, turned around, and back onto the *correct* driveway (packed gravel, much less steep) -- and noted that the revs and speed still didn't agree. That was Friday. Saturday I visited. Today I tried to get home to NJ. Noticed that there was *no* free play (there had been too much two days beforehand); made what adjustment I could, and set off -- to discover that the clutch was slipping in ANY gear, even on the straightaways. If I tried to go over about 3000 rpm -> lots of revs, no more power. Fastest I can do is 45 mph in 5th. Not a good thing. Managed to get the bike into town, left it in a parking lot. Tonight I'm reading my manual -- but all I can see, short of new clutch plates, is adjusting the cable tension at the right hand side. (As I said, I tried adjusting the free play at the lever -- and even when I try to give it every little bit I can there, there's no free play.) I hope that will work -- but I'd appreciate other ideas from folks in the group.
Also, if anyone knows a good shop for our favorite bikes near Brattleboro, VT, that might be a really good thing....
Thanks!
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