Since nice weather in my part of the world has arrived, I've started my bike occasionally and have went to take it out on a coulple of very short rides close to home. After starting the bike and I initially go to shift from neutral into 1st gear, and I of course have the clutch lever fully pulled in, the bike lurches/jerks forward as if the clutch has not released and has stuck in the engaged position. It kills the bike. After restarting and going through the same procedure, starting the bike and shifting from neutral into first gear, the clutch, this time seems to have released as it should and you could shift into first gear, and release the clutch lever and ride off as normal. You could move away from a stop and ride and shift as usual. I went back about a week later to start and ride, and the same thing happened. The clutch seemed stuck initially, but upon restarting the clutch seemed to have freeed up and would operate as it should. I have replaced the clutch cable with a Venhil cable upon reviving this bike from sitting and believe is adjusted properly. When I start the bike and pull in the clutch lever in, it certainly feel like there is resistance there like it is moving/releasing the clutch. Would appreciate any input, suggestions, or advice on what I could check to solve this problem.
Clutch Sticking upon inital gear selection
- Thread starter quawk
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ashman
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Do you free up your clutch before starting it, pull in the clutch lever and kick the kicker while in neutral a few times should free up the clutch plates, you will know when they are free then time to start the bike and putting it into gear with clutch lever in should be smooth without any jump at all.
What oil are you running in your primary case, if its a KS model then ATF-F is your best oil, if ES model then you have to use motor oil and maybe motor oil that is design for wet clutch, if your clutch plates have too much oil on them they will stick as well part of ownership is to clean your plates as part of general maintenance and major service when due.
I been running ATF-F in my primary for a very long time, over 35+years and my clutch never sticks even after sitting for sometime and I never over fill the primary I run between 5-7 FLOZ in my primary for chain lube, I use a measuring cup for my primary and GB oil to the recommended level from the Norton bible (workshop manual), I have never had GB oil migrate to my primary doing it this way, GB oil migrating to the primary will cause the clutch plates to stick badly.
Ashley
What oil are you running in your primary case, if its a KS model then ATF-F is your best oil, if ES model then you have to use motor oil and maybe motor oil that is design for wet clutch, if your clutch plates have too much oil on them they will stick as well part of ownership is to clean your plates as part of general maintenance and major service when due.
I been running ATF-F in my primary for a very long time, over 35+years and my clutch never sticks even after sitting for sometime and I never over fill the primary I run between 5-7 FLOZ in my primary for chain lube, I use a measuring cup for my primary and GB oil to the recommended level from the Norton bible (workshop manual), I have never had GB oil migrate to my primary doing it this way, GB oil migrating to the primary will cause the clutch plates to stick badly.
Ashley
Although I did not actually start the bike and try to ride off, I did go out to my shop and used the procedure you guys suggested. Pulled the clutch lever in and kicked it through a couple of times while the bike was just sitting there, and I could feel the resistance at the kickstart lever change as the clutch plates free off.
One time when I had the primary apart for something the only oil in the shop was Shell Rotella T4, 15W - 40. A diesel oil that, although I didn't know it at the time, meets the spec for wet clutches. Clutch has worked fine ever since and I have had the cover off several times since then for alternator or sprag issues and it gets that oil. It was a happy discovery. Clutch plates don't need to be kicked through anymore. MKIII
JimNH, Although I've never had the primary cover off, because I've never had the need to, at least so far, I might try changing the oil to see, if as you say, may solve the sticky clutch issue. I had heard about Shell Rotella long ago being a readily available and reasonably priced, wet-clutch compatible oil, compared to the higher priced (in general) bike specific oils. Have ran it in my daily rider old Gold Wing for a lot of years, and in some of my other wet-clutch bikes, as most modern bikes are. Don't know if any other members here may also have a Moto Guzzi. but I had one for a short time. It was a 2006 Breva V1100 sport. It was a not quite a crotch rocket but sporty bike. That thing ran a dry clutch and any time you had the clutch lever pulled in or sitting at idle that thing made sort of a scratchy, quite audible, annoying noise. I liked a lot of things about that bike, but that dry clutch, and the noise it made, wasn't one of them. Sold it after only having it about a year. Thinking about most bikes running a wet clutch seems so odd and opposite to someone like me who grew up working on cars and trucks where you were supposed to make every effort to keep oil, grease, and other contaminants off of all the clutch components to avoid slippage, and yet most bike clutches run in oil.
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marshg246
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BTW, a Commando clutch is a dry clutch. The small amount of oil in the primary lubricates the chain. When the clutch is engaged, oil can't get between the plates. Unless overfilled, very little oil gets between the plates when disengaged.
Okay. Am still learning about this bike. Thanks marshg246.
Yep, the Commando is a "dry" clutch, however, it is a dry clutch running in an oiled compartment and as such does in fact get some oil in it. The MKIII has a hydraulic primary chain tensioner that relies on oil being picked up by the chain and delivered to it. There's no way that with all that oil being slung the clutch plates can stay perfectly dry. The manual specifically calls for cleaning them, which I did faithfully, getting rewarded with a non sticking clutch. Since using the Rotella T4 I've never had to clean them again.
Your mileage may differ.
Your mileage may differ.
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