1150 clutch pulsating at stops, not fully engaged

[Carter Turk]

I posted a couple of months ago about this. CBX chris and GS Bill and others responded. I should mention this is an 84 1150 with a 1229 kit in an 83 Katana 1100 frame.

I thought I solved the problem by listening to chris and changing the entire clutch including cover from my wifes bike and changed back to stock fibers. It was night and day better for about a day. Now the same problems are there.

Dragging at stops not fully engaging. I"ve now tryed three different clutch cables. A stock Katana, a 1100ET, and am currently using a 1000S cable that is shorter by about 2'' inches compared to the others. It also has a middle adjusment aside from the bar and engine behind clutch cover.

The stack measured out within spec, the inner clutch hub is new, new APE nut, new rack release, new piano wire, new clutch perch. I've tryed moving the arm on the clutch cover a tooth out.

One spring (aftermarket) was at the low end of the allowed spec, but still within limits. New clutch spring bolts were also used. I've even tryed bending the clutch lever out to have more leverage and still wont engage fully.

Its just odd that the clutch that was giving me problems on my bike works fine in hers. How can that be? She also has aftermarket steels like I do.

The shifts from first through fifth are fine, but it is diffficult to shift into first even bliping the throttle.

There are some clutch tang dents in my clutch hub, but my wife's bike, with the clutch I had in my bike, shifts smoothly and also has similar dents if not worse ones. I guess there's no easy cure. Carter

[bybowtie]

may not be the clutch.. Yamahas latest "franchise bikes" the YZF seres has issues with gear dogs tha tdo similar things as you describe when trying to go in to first(or neutral at a stop) I had a 600r with the infamous 2nd gear problem. What they have is a shift kit from pro shift , includes a tighter spring stronger shift linkage.. Now it doesnt address the gear dogs directly it does improve the crispness of the shift...Anyways I am getting off t

You may be barking up the wrong tree and you tranny may not be completly free might actually be in between gears or your shift linkage may be slightly out/bent(shift shaft key opposite side of shifter) and causing the false clutch issue...Just a thought

[cbxchris]

I got to agree. It sounds like you possibly have a slightly bent fork. That would put back pressure on the clutch if its trying to come out of gear. That could possibly be your pulsating. I have done this before I have torn engines down. I pulled the oil pan and let the oil drain for a night or so. I had put the bike up on a stand to make it higher off the ground. You can lay down underneath and look at the fork and where it runs. If its blue or black its toast. Pull the tranny to a location in the gears where you can inspect the dogs. I know this sounds like a lot of trouble but its better than tearing it apart for nothing. Let us know what you find. GOOD LUCK......ps. I have seen a cracked case a time or two on the output bearing side letting the tranny side load...just a thought.

[Dink]

I think you may need to remove the motor, split the lower case off, and replace the four bearings that support the gear shafts.
I replaced these on my Katana and it shifts like a hot knife through butter now, it was notchy and coarse feeling before. BTW the bearings when inspected did not feel bad at all. Did you replace the bearings on the release rack?
Dink

[Carter Turk]

clutch drag 1150

Thanks for the replies. I can't say I'm glad to hear what you had to say though.

When I mentioned pulsating, I meant that I have the clutch lever pulled all the way to the bar at a stop light and I can feel the bike trying to creep forward if I take my foot off the rear brake.

Dink, you mentioned bearing(s), I thought there was just one on the rack release. I did change that.

When I'm under way in any gear, if I pull the clutch in, it engages before the lever hits the handlebar. Kind of odd though when I'm sitting at a light with the clutch pulled in, its engaging right at the bar.

Don't drag racers have a method of cutting out the internal webbing and plating the ends to gain access to the shift forks? Carter

[bybowtie]

the reason you dont have an issue while riding is rotating enertia.. Easier to disengage a spinning mass...I still go with what I had mentioned.. Keep us posted

[Dink]

There are TWO bearings and a seal on the release rack(which BTW is on the clutch cover) I would change these before worrying about splitting cases. I am aware you have replaced the bearing on the rack that is in the outer clutch cover.
Dink

[cbxchris]

Just to make sure there are two bearings in the outer cover. That bottom one can be hateful to remove. You can either take a dremel or as I did on a milling machine clean the windows up in the bottom cases. You can remove the forks then. You also have to drill and tap the boss on the cases to have side removal of the shift shaft. I have seen many bent shift shafts...that simply could be the problem. I know you have but you did inspect the teeth on the crank?

[Dink]

Just to make sure there are two bearings in the outer cover. That bottom one can be hateful to remove. You can either take a dremel or as I did on a milling machine clean the windows up in the bottom cases. You can remove the forks then. You also have to drill and tap the boss on the cases to have side removal of the shift shaft. I have seen many bent shift shafts...that simply could be the problem. I know you have but you did inspect the teeth on the crank?

More details please? got any pics? of the shift shaft mod?
Dink

[cbxchris]

Dink no I never took any pics of the mod. The main reason to have the boss drilled and tapped was for removal of a very badly bent shift shaft....it gives you a way to drive it on through. I doubt a streetbike would ever bend one that bad but a 123 auto tranny and especially 3 speed Orient Express trannys would.

[Carter Turk]

I have yet to change anything on the clutch cover. So the bearings on the cover go bad? Should the rod be replaced too?

With all the things I have done to try a remedy the situation, the fact is this clutch worked fine on the other 1150, so maybe the forks are the real issue, as bowtie(sp) suggested. I'm still riding, so I'm not that bitter yet.

I definetely prefer to access the forks without splitting the case. Chris maybe you could explain again what you did with opening up a window and drilling and tapping. Carter

[cbxchris]

Sorry carter that mod is a bottom case off only mod. You will have to turn the engine upside down and split the cases to get to the tranny. :?

[Dink]

Carter there is no need to replace the rod , just the bearings and seal, it is easy as it only requires you remove the clutch cover.
Dink

[minutemen]

I have been having the same problem with my 82 1100. I bet i have had the clutch cover off 12 times in the last three weeks trying to figure this out. mine feels like a centriffical clutch at a stop in first gear with the clutch disengaged. rev it and it will move and when I have some free play adjusted into the cable. the clutch will still slip at about 7K. I really started noticing this condition when I replace my series K friction plates with cheap parts unlimited (50.00)plates. My bike has 58,000 miles on it .The forks were replaced about 15,000 mies ago when 2nd and 3rd gear were undercut.the trans bearings are original. Iam going to give my old friction plates a try and then I guess I will drop the oil pan and check the forks. Thanks for pointing me in a direction though. Tony