Man, this was the best and most easy-to-understand video on clutch cable adjustment that I've found! Excellent explanation! I have a 2004 Yamaha Road Star Midnight Silverado XV1700. The guy I bought it from had tried to do his own maintenance on it. His clutch cable adjustment was horrible. As soon as you said, "If you pull your clutch lever in, and the bike 'chunks' into gear....", my ears perked up. That's exactly what it was doing! I made the adjustment as you described, and now the bike just 'clicks' into gear, the way it SHOULD. Thanks for this video. I'd recommend it to anyone who wants to make a clutch cable adjustment.
Thanks slot! Really helpful. Some mechanic adjusted mine earlier. All was fine apart from the top gear slippage which he obviously could not test. But now I can fix it. Brilliant.
Thanks for not making a half hour video for such an easy task. So many RUclipsrs forget most of us watching these kind of videos are looking for info, not entertainment. Great audio too, and that's my second biggest pet peeve :D I think this just saved my clutch for a few more days until the rest of the parts come in. Sadly I think mine is on its way out, even after adjustment and with tons of play in the lever, it will occasionally slip in 5th still. But it was slipping in every gear before the adjustment. 86 Honda Rebel 250, found your video via a link on the Honda Rebel Forum in a post about clutch replacement. The lever adjustment wasn't possible due to a boot covering it (assuming it's there), but the other part worked great.
Thanks so much, I did this and my clutch was slipping at high speeds no bueno. Couldn't find any video to fix this until now you explained it very well. Thanks!
thank you sir for this information. I knew about the handle bar but was unsure if it was ok to adjust the other 2 points. just finished tune up on my bike. I can now shift through all gears with out getting hung up in neutral as I was before due to clutch not engaging fully. and the slack that was there before is now gone.
Holy shiteballs, mate, it worked! You’ve just helped me save a lot of traffic embarrassment, and somewhere between hundreds of dollars and the life of an old Yamaha XJ. Thanks be to you, good Sir!
Hey man I have an old xr250r and my clutch is pretty good but the only problem is when I go to take off it seems like the clutch is either on or off no like middle ground if that makes sense? It shifts through all the gears fine runs great just a little iffy to take off especially on concrete.
Looks just like my 83 Yamaha XJ650 Maxim. Even missing the right cover for the battery like mine. Tough finding right covers for sure. Thanks for the info.
Might be time to open it up and see if anything is damaged in there. See my video on replacing clutch discs, its far easier to access than you might think
Hey man, just came across your videos recently and all I can say is awesome!! I just picked up my first bike which is a 84 yamaha xj650 and your vids are right up my alley! Like everyone else I have a question for your motorcycle awesomeness! I think my clutch plates are stuck due to not running for awhile, I got the motor running nice but gotta check the gears now! I've followed the procedure in this vid and my question is, with the bike in the air, when I have it in gear with the clutch lever squeezed I should be able to move the wheel freely right? It doesn't for me which makes me think the plates are stuck! Can you recommend a way to attempt to free them up without taking it apart? Thx!
Should I be looking for anything in particular or will it be very obvious? Some times and I think this is common (every manual vehicle Ive driven has done this) but shifting from first to second it will reject and pop into neutral or back into first if I'm high in the revs and not at the synch rpm range.
Very good, I think I get it. I put on new clutch cable today, rode my klr 15 minutes to the store, where it died. It starts in neutral, dies immediately in first. I'll apply this video in the parking lot tomorrow and pray for the best. Thanks!!
max!! dude every Vidal o you have is properly explained.your a great dude/teacher.great video man! BTW the 1982 nighthawk is still purring like a kitty.thanx buddy!
I can attest to this about the adjustment. My 2014 CBR650F had the slipping clutch symptoms and it wasnt doing it before and I had never messed with the clutch cable. I was so sure that the issue was my clutch plates but I decided to give the cable some slack first and now its perfect. Check that first.
Your videos have been very helpful and I thank you for making this channel! Is it normal for your clutch to get stiffer as you ride longer? I have a 73 CB 450 and by the time i'm riding for about 30 minutes or so the clutch lever gets stiffer.
With the motor off, you should be able to click through the gears. Are you saying you can click through the gears while the bike is running, but stationary?
Thanks for the video. How far should the arm move? Yours moved like an inch and a half but how much did you adjust it to move when you got it all perfect? thanks
unless your cable is stretched, the arm moves only a predetermined amount. What you are doing by adjusting it is determining how close the clutch actuating lever is the push rod before you start to move it. Just play around with it and try your best, if you can't get it after some good effort then the cable might be stretched and you should order a new one
HI, thanks for the video! I have a dirt bike and when I'm shifting into 1st gear, I need to let the clutch lever out almost all the way before it will engage. Based on your video I think I might have to adjust the "knuckle" down, is that correct? I want it to engage when the clutch lever is only out about 50%, not all the way out about 95%. Thanks!
hello thank you this video it was very helpfull. i have an 81 xs400 and the clutch is really tight i think the previous owner messed around with it, the bike stalls out almost every time i try and put it into first it lunges forward and dies. do i loosen or tighten the top nut to fix this? thanks!!
This really helped a lot but my bike does not have the third adjust point where the cable ends at the oil area. My bike when its idle in neutral with the clutch in the resting position it sounds like its hitting when I pull the clutch in it goes away and when i rev over ~1400prm the sound also goes away.
thanks so much for making this vid! yesterday i had asked you about this and i wasnt expecting it till almost friday! thanks! my setup is a little different though. its a 75' and what do you mean "Knuckle"?
I have a Honda CM250 Custom. They are like the Rebel 250's. I had the cable adjusted that both nuts were at the bottom of the cable. I still couldn't disengage the clutch. I would have that clunking noise like you were talking about. I got a new clutch cable and it works a lot better but the longer I run the bike the harder it gets to downshift. When I am 1st gear with the clutch in the bike seems like its trying to walk. When the bike is off and in gear and the clutch in I can move the bike but I still can feel a little resistance. What is causing the clutch to do this when the bike gets warmed up? A question about the XJ 650. What is the cover on the right side of the XJ650 in front of the clutch cover? Some asshole hit and run my Ford Ranger. They hit the truck and it flew 5 feet foward slamming into the curb and tossing my XJ on the road. It broke that cover and a part of the case but it didn't go in too far. What's the purpose of that cover. Looks?
altlandf The bik is supposed to have some resistance while in gear, motor off, clutch in. If its hard to shift then adjust the able again. About your XJ if you are talking about the YICS cover then yeah its mostly ornamental IIRC
Hey Max, thanks for all these videos, you've already helped me out a lot! I have a question about the clutch on a Suzuki GSX400E I'm currently fixing up. When the bike is on it's centerstand (running) and I shift into gear, the rear tire starts spinning (clutch still pulled in). Now if I hit the rear brake the tire stops and stays still even after the brake is released. However letting the clutch out and pulling it in again, the rear tire keeps spinning with the motor until the rear brake is applied again. This led me to believe the clutchplates where either worn out or warped, but they are well within factory standard. (after checking, the oil(& filter) and some gaskets were replaced) So it's not the plates or thick/dirty oil, adjusting the clutch cable according to your video or the repair manual didn't help and the cable doesn't seem to get stuck anywhere either. Is there anything you can think of I might have missed? Kind regards, Jeroen.
Oh thank you, that's reassuring to hear :) My other bike doesn't have it and since this is the first bike I'm doing myself, I'd like to get everything done properly. Already cleaned the carburators with help of your video's. Next up is tensioning the chain and realigning the rear wheel. Thanks for all the effort you put into your video's!
I'm confused. In the earlier part of the video you mention when the gears "chunk in", the nuts must move up. But then at the end you say they need to go down. This is indeed an issue for me but I'd like to know if the nuts go up or down on the cable. Thanks
Sorry if it is unclear. If your clutch isnt grabbing properly, you will want to move the nuts down so the cable sleeve moves up in respect to the clutch arm
After a long travel or a high speed run, the clutch feels too jumpy and also play feels to be longer that it was at the beginning. By the clutch feeling jumpy I mean it bites suddenly through the lever travel up, right at the handlebar even though at the start it was right around at the clutch open. What seems to be the problem here?
Try tightening it up a little bit, that might help, but when a bike slips into neutral from 2nd thats usually an indication of a transmission problem developing, rather than the clutch
So if you're in top gear, or any gear, and just snatch the throttle back and you notice slipping, does the knuckle need to go down or up on the adjustment?
Down on this bike. I think I misspoke in the video. Either way theres only two options, if you adjust it and the problem gets worse, go the other way. Some cable configurations differ
my bike( 07 kawasaki, Vulcan 900) shift just fine through all gears but when shifting down, it's a hard shift...like tough to push the gear shifter. The clutch lever rests with about a half inch when not engaged from the handle bar bracket. When sitting at a red light in first, clutch held in I can feel the bike slightly pulling forward but when releasing the clutch let's out about a half in till it catches. Also after riding a while gets extremely tough to shift to neutral...clutch cable adjustment?
also i cannot get my bike into neutral while im idling.. i have to either be free-rolling or i have to shut the engine off before it will go into neutral
I have a 96 Honda cbr600 with 14k on bike. I bought it cheap with the seller saying the clutch was bad. The bottom clutch cable is loose. The top nut is all the way uppercase and the bottom is all the way down. Basically the nuts aren't tight at all and the cable is as loose as it goes. If I hold the clutch in and kick it to first and let the clutch all the way out it just revs. To get the bike going I have to baby the clutch and then when it gets going it slips again after about 8k to 12k. The has no clutch grip in its powered. Before I buy a new clutch I want to know how to test if someone just didn't know what they were doing and messed up. Thoughts or suggestions?
watched your video last night I just did my clutch today because I had so much slip in 4th and 5th gear it's made my bike like new again heaps of power on the throttle now , have you got any tips about first and second gear clunking hard ? thanks mate
Hey i need some assistance because im struggling... So i took my clutch cable out to lube it and when i went to put it back in i trued to adjust it as closely as i could to where it was prior but now when i attempt to shift up any gear past second it takes a lot of effort, like kicking the hell out of the shift lever before i can actually get into 3rd or 4th and so on, so which way do you think i need to adjust the knuckles? Thanks!
+LazyWaffles Well before you make that adjustment, make sure that you routed the cable the same way as before, and that it is not being kinked or stretched around any parts on your bike
I have an 06 zzr600. I laid it down on the left doing about 50, when I rode it home after I noticed that when I put it in gear and I have the clutch in it wants to take off. Like its not being fully disengaged when I pull the lever. Any advice?
Great Video ... My 82 750 Maxim is stubborn getting into neutral as well at a stop light. Which adjustment would help this. I'm assuming you could adjust the "knuckle" up but not so much that it causes slippage. Should I try adjusting half a turn or a full turn? Thanks ... I know you are very busy making lots of good videos so keep up the great service to wannabe do it your selfers like me
I change my stock handlebars on my 71 cb750 to drag bars and the cable isn't flowing like it was and definitely not shifting like it was. Does the cable just need to flow better? Maybe take it off and reroute it? Thanks for any help.
Thanks for this video! Quick question for anybody who might know. When I start a ride with my clutch properly adjusted it slowly changes so that after riding a couple miles it starts to chunk into gear and won’t shift to neutral. I’ve resorted to overcompensating the adjustment so that at the beginning of my ride the clutch is slipping a little bit and as it starts to change and not disengage I make small adjustments at the handlebar while I’m riding. Is this just a blown clutch cable or is there something adjustment wise that I’m missing? Any help is greatly appreciated.
Awesome video thank you! So my issue is I have a 14 zx6r with 4k miles ...the other day while riding I was downshifting from 3rd to 2nd and my gear indicator disappeared, but it didn't say I was in neutral. As soon as I released the clutch to engage I just kept on rolling as if I was in neutral. When I tried to kick it into gear my shift pedal was locked in place...it got towed to my house. I played with the shift pedal and was able to pop it into gear while rolling forward slowly and applying lots of pressure...now it's impossible to kick it into second if I'm not moving, and if I'm moving every gear almost feels like it kicks into place very violently everytime I shift, any suggestions?
Hey, what would you do if you can't give any more slack to the crank case locking nuts? I had a hard time putting in a new lever so I substituted as much clutch wire as I could (from the crank case) to the top so the cable would fit in the clutch lever seat. Now I'm trying to put it back to original settings but it's impossible to get more slack
Were the cables the same length? This happened to me once, I struggled for an hour before i realized the shop sold me a cable that was 1 inch too short
Question.. I just got a new clutch cable installed on my 04 636. At first it was almost like the clutch never engaged completely... in first i could pull in the clutch and the bike would still creep forward.. plus down shifting was extremely hard.. so i adjusted it .. it shifts now fine.. BUTTT .. in when riding.. after shifting into 2nd and opening up the throttle... to about 9k.. the bike slips from 2nd into neutral every time... help???
Hi Max, I have a Yamaha xj600s Diversion 2000 W. I just renewed the clutch, thrust bearings, oil etc but although everything seems to be working fine I just can't seem to get the lever set correctly. It's heavy/stiff to pull the clutch lever so after about 20 mins of riding my wrist starts to get strained. How do I adjust the lever to make it lighter to operate?
when i put my bike into a different gear, say like 3rd, i release the clutch fully, i have to wait a second before i can pull the revs. or else it slips..
Look around on ebay for aftermarket brake and clutch handles, they make them in all different shapes some of which swoop in towards the handlebars. You can try adjusting the cable as I show in the video, but replacing the levers might be a better option
hi I discontinued my cable from the clutch level end the weekend but now having problems changing up high gears it sort of dips for a split second and I've never had this before plus I noticed the plastic nipped sleeve is broke and loose in the hole
Mr max storey, I was wondering if you could take a look at a video of me trying to start my bike. It just started happening. I have only ridden it once his year, and then it stopped starting.
Haha yeah I dont know if thats an industry standard term, I was just referring to the uppermost piece of metal on the cable sheath. Basically, just move the cable sheath up or down
How come my bike can shift without pulling the clutch? do I need to adjust the clutch thing? when I go to first gear it goes like 8 mph already without gas. I can't shift to second gear if I am pulling the clutch. it's not slipping or anything it hits smooth. my neutral lights doesn't go off either only dims a bit
+RuffRize Rise Bikes will shift without the clutch if you match the engine speed with the transmission, but it sounds like you still may need to adjust the clutch cable as i show in the video
@ mrmaxstorey I changed my clutch plates, but now my bike wont start.... BUT another symptom is that when i try to start my bike in gear (with clutch lever fully compressed) the bike still jumps forward. Doesn't this indicate that the clutch isn't fully decoupling the engine? Would really appreciate your help. Thank you@
Thank you mrmaxstorey, great video and explanation. I hoped it would help me understand why I cannot shift upward into neutral when the bike is stopped. Like when I pull into my garage. Still in 1st, with clutch lever pulled, it seems "locked" into 1st. But if I hit the kill switch, it slides right into neutral. I replaced the clutch plates & springs but no change. any idea what might be happening?
No the nuts should be tight. The nuts only secure the sheath of the cable to one spot. It still allows the cable itself to move and all the clutch components including the springs
Hey, at 2:36 you mention if one is chunking down you have to lower the knuckle but at 4:28 for the same thing you have to raise the knuckle. The latter is correct right? Prolly easier to explain that if one's biting point is too far out or your clutch slips, adjust the nuts in the way that you can see the cable going down, resulting in a more engaged clutch and a closer biting point (press in more to disengage).
Well no, really you can have a super long cable that winds around as much as it wants, so long as the ratio of cable:sheath is the same as the old one. My suspect is that the sheath on your new cable is slightly shorter or longer compared to your old setup, which is why you are having trouble adjusting it
hi max, thanks for the informative vid :) I recently replaced my clutch cable and adjusted it properly. However, the problem is that the clutch always seems to be engaged. I removed the cable completely & could still shift through all 5 gears without even manually pushing the clutch in. I'm not sure what the problem could be. The only messing around I did was replace the engine cover gasket. But thats all put back together fine. Any help would be appreciated. Thank you
What do I do if my clutch actuator moves slightly even through the clutch lever free play zone? I have the correct adjusted free play amount and I'm finding it difficult to find neutral when the engine warms up. I also feel a bit of a bite, lurch as I put the bike into first gear from neutral. Thanks
Hello Mrmaxstory, i have a 71 2-stroke rotary valve kawasaki, it has 1200 original miles on it so im pretty sure the clutch isn't blown out, but the week I bought it, I would put the bike in first gear, release the clutch slowly and nothing would happen, it did jump on me once and stalled though, now after replacing new handebars, i noticed when i put it in neutral, i get resistance when reversing, what do you suspect the problem is? is it the clutch cable line thats being misadjusted?
Thanks for the demo. Still not sure whether my problem is clutch or throttle related. Once at higher speeds it seems fine, but in low gears it jerks like a teenager's first driving lesson, and having a tendency to stall out. Setting choke to 3/4 seems to help, but it requires dangerously generous throttle-twisting as RPM's and power race unsteadily toward each other before the next gear shift. It's like whipping a horse that's busy watching cartoons!
+mrmaxstorey. My mistake. I was referring to excess play in the clutch handle. The throttle grip has no excessive play and spring-returns OK. I guess the problem must be in the clutch, and will require me combating fear of failure and also lethargy. ;)
+Connor Gorman If either your clutch or throttle cables are fraying at all they need to be replaced. Don't try to fix or adjust around a damaged cable. You'll just wind up stranded when it finally breaks. Also for many bikes cables are cheap. I got my 82 Yamaha XJ750J a replacement clutch cable for $10, and the original was only a bit stiff and notchy. No damage whatsoever.
I have a cable clutch kit on my klx110 and the cable appears to be fine and I have the right amount off free play but my clutch won't engage at all in any gears... Any idea what I could do to fix it without taking the bike apart??
Hey ii've noticed my clutch slips especially when accelerating aggressively yet when i have tried to hill start my bike there is still engine resistance with it fully pulled in. Does this mean I need a new clutch as I seems solving one problem would exacerbate the other?
the metal lever on the right side where the clutch cable lifts, I leak a shit ton of oil. I just brought the gasket from OEM spec. I don't know how to replace it, was wondering how. I know on the inside the rod to it has a special metal to it like a hollow push pin and the spring to kick it back in order for the clutch to engage. how do I take that rod lever off to install the gasket. if you need more info let me know.
Hi, I couldn't really get where should the adjustment go- up or down. When I put in 1st gear, I feel the engine tension, trying to get the bike moving right away. Also it's a bit hard going from 1st to 2nd and when I release the clutch lever just a bit, it goes to 2nd. Same case with reverse gear. Have to release a bit the lever and in gets in. What is the adjustment I should make? And there is no play of the lever. Neutral is hard to find. I didn't have this problem till yesterday, when I begin to learn wheelie and unleashed the lever sharply. All other gears are fine. Oil level is fine too. Chain is not tight, it's ok.
mrmaxstorey ATV Yamaha raptor 660. I have no free play & no slipping at all. The strange thing is when I release the lever a bit ( slight engage) , then the gear pops in.
I adjusted my clutch to maximum tightness at both the lever and cable but it's still not enough to fully engage the clutch and on my bike it doesn't look like I'm able to adjust it at the point mentioned at 2:56. Does this mean my clutch is worn out or can I do something else to adjust it? (Bike is an old beat up 2005 Yamaha TW200).
I have a problem, when i'm trying to put my bike into 1st from neutral i can't i feel like it's blocked or something, but when i hit 2nd and drive a little bit, when sometimes i can hit into first, but it's only when my bike is moving. Any suggestions?
i got a question. i had to replace my clutch calbe on my cr80. befor i replaced it ever thing worked fine. but after i replaced it, the clutch will not engage. how do i fix it?
Man, this was the best and most easy-to-understand video on clutch cable adjustment that I've found! Excellent explanation! I have a 2004 Yamaha Road Star Midnight Silverado XV1700. The guy I bought it from had tried to do his own maintenance on it. His clutch cable adjustment was horrible. As soon as you said, "If you pull your clutch lever in, and the bike 'chunks' into gear....", my ears perked up. That's exactly what it was doing! I made the adjustment as you described, and now the bike just 'clicks' into gear, the way it SHOULD. Thanks for this video. I'd recommend it to anyone who wants to make a clutch cable adjustment.
Al Clarkson :)
This is the only video on older bike that didn't waste my time. Good job man and thank you.
Your basic explanation of which way the knuckle moves was clear & concise. Thank You!
Thanks slot! Really helpful. Some mechanic adjusted mine earlier. All was fine apart from the top gear slippage which he obviously could not test. But now I can fix it. Brilliant.
Man, thank you so much, like 9 years later, this video stills gets riders on the track again
Thanks for not making a half hour video for such an easy task. So many RUclipsrs forget most of us watching these kind of videos are looking for info, not entertainment. Great audio too, and that's my second biggest pet peeve :D I think this just saved my clutch for a few more days until the rest of the parts come in. Sadly I think mine is on its way out, even after adjustment and with tons of play in the lever, it will occasionally slip in 5th still. But it was slipping in every gear before the adjustment. 86 Honda Rebel 250, found your video via a link on the Honda Rebel Forum in a post about clutch replacement. The lever adjustment wasn't possible due to a boot covering it (assuming it's there), but the other part worked great.
You can just slide that rubber boot down and out of the way if you want, it shouldnt give any trouble
@@mrmaxstorey Thanks, that's what I suspected, but I was pressed for time and it was fighting me, probably hadn't been removed in a few decades lol
Thanks so much, I did this and my clutch was slipping at high speeds no bueno. Couldn't find any video to fix this until now you explained it very well. Thanks!
thank you sir for this information. I knew about the handle bar but was unsure if it was ok to adjust the other 2 points. just finished tune up on my bike. I can now shift through all gears with out getting hung up in neutral as I was before due to clutch not engaging fully. and the slack that was there before is now gone.
Holy shiteballs, mate, it worked! You’ve just helped me save a lot of traffic embarrassment, and somewhere between hundreds of dollars and the life of an old Yamaha XJ. Thanks be to you, good Sir!
lol glad to help
Thank you so much for uploading this, helped me out a lot:)
THANKS ALOT , IM CANT THANKS U ENOUGH FOR THE LIL TIPS, MY BIKE RUNS PERFECT NOW THANKS MAN!!
love your old honda! i came here becuz i forgot i had a kill switch on my kickstand, great viddy sir.
Thanks man! You saved me tearing apart the basket on my parts bike
Thanks you SO MUCH for making this video!
Thanks, I found this video very helpful after I had to replace my clutch cable on a Street Triple R
Hey man I have an old xr250r and my clutch is pretty good but the only problem is when I go to take off it seems like the clutch is either on or off no like middle ground if that makes sense? It shifts through all the gears fine runs great just a little iffy to take off especially on concrete.
Looks just like my 83 Yamaha XJ650 Maxim. Even missing the right cover for the battery like mine. Tough finding right covers for sure. Thanks for the info.
Might be time to open it up and see if anything is damaged in there. See my video on replacing clutch discs, its far easier to access than you might think
Hey man, just came across your videos recently and all I can say is awesome!! I just picked up my first bike which is a 84 yamaha xj650 and your vids are right up my alley! Like everyone else I have a question for your motorcycle awesomeness! I think my clutch plates are stuck due to not running for awhile, I got the motor running nice but gotta check the gears now! I've followed the procedure in this vid and my question is, with the bike in the air, when I have it in gear with the clutch lever squeezed I should be able to move the wheel freely right? It doesn't for me which makes me think the plates are stuck! Can you recommend a way to attempt to free them up without taking it apart?
Thx!
This has been of great use to me, thank you. Liked & subbed.
Does it shift fine through the other gears?
Should I be looking for anything in particular or will it be very obvious? Some times and I think this is common (every manual vehicle Ive driven has done this) but shifting from first to second it will reject and pop into neutral or back into first if I'm high in the revs and not at the synch rpm range.
Very good, I think I get it. I put on new clutch cable today, rode my klr 15 minutes to the store, where it died. It starts in neutral, dies immediately in first. I'll apply this video in the parking lot tomorrow and pray for the best. Thanks!!
Thank youuuu! This is what I've been looking for
max!! dude every Vidal o you have is properly explained.your a great dude/teacher.great video man! BTW the 1982 nighthawk is still purring like a kitty.thanx buddy!
I can attest to this about the adjustment. My 2014 CBR650F had the slipping clutch symptoms and it wasnt doing it before and I had never messed with the clutch cable. I was so sure that the issue was my clutch plates but I decided to give the cable some slack first and now its perfect. Check that first.
Great vid! I'm sure this will help tons of people.
Your videos have been very helpful and I thank you for making this channel! Is it normal for your clutch to get stiffer as you ride longer? I have a 73 CB 450 and by the time i'm riding for about 30 minutes or so the clutch lever gets stiffer.
No that is not a common occurrence. Perhaps your hands are getting tired?
With the motor off, you should be able to click through the gears. Are you saying you can click through the gears while the bike is running, but stationary?
Thanks man! Super helpful video!
Thanks for the video. How far should the arm move? Yours moved like an inch and a half but how much did you adjust it to move when you got it all perfect? thanks
unless your cable is stretched, the arm moves only a predetermined amount. What you are doing by adjusting it is determining how close the clutch actuating lever is the push rod before you start to move it. Just play around with it and try your best, if you can't get it after some good effort then the cable might be stretched and you should order a new one
HI, thanks for the video! I have a dirt bike and when I'm shifting into 1st gear, I need to let the clutch lever out almost all the way before it will engage. Based on your video I think I might have to adjust the "knuckle" down, is that correct? I want it to engage when the clutch lever is only out about 50%, not all the way out about 95%. Thanks!
Yeah or adjust it at the handlebar
Does it matter which side to adjust the clutch. How do I know that I didn't tight it to much so the clutch is always engaged?
Hello, you dont say weather to adjust cable in neutral or in a gear? thanks
What about the cable, is there corrosion in the sleeve?
hello thank you this video it was very helpfull. i have an 81 xs400 and the clutch is really tight i think the previous owner messed around with it, the bike stalls out almost every time i try and put it into first it lunges forward and dies. do i loosen or tighten the top nut to fix this? thanks!!
Well if the bike lunges and stalls thats an indication that the cable is not tight enough, so try tightening it up a bit so it grabs more
thank you! ill have to do that.
This really helped a lot but my bike does not have the third adjust point where the cable ends at the oil area. My bike when its idle in neutral with the clutch in the resting position it sounds like its hitting when I pull the clutch in it goes away and when i rev over ~1400prm the sound also goes away.
thanks so much for making this vid! yesterday i had asked you about this and i wasnt expecting it till almost friday! thanks! my setup is a little different though. its a 75' and what do you mean "Knuckle"?
Just bought a 08 GSXR 750 seller said it needs a new clutch so priced accordingly did the adjustment it has a perfectly good clutch thanks
I have a Honda CM250 Custom. They are like the Rebel 250's. I had the cable adjusted that both nuts were at the bottom of the cable. I still couldn't disengage the clutch. I would have that clunking noise like you were talking about. I got a new clutch cable and it works a lot better but the longer I run the bike the harder it gets to downshift. When I am 1st gear with the clutch in the bike seems like its trying to walk. When the bike is off and in gear and the clutch in I can move the bike but I still can feel a little resistance. What is causing the clutch to do this when the bike gets warmed up? A question about the XJ 650. What is the cover on the right side of the XJ650 in front of the clutch cover? Some asshole hit and run my Ford Ranger. They hit the truck and it flew 5 feet foward slamming into the curb and tossing my XJ on the road. It broke that cover and a part of the case but it didn't go in too far. What's the purpose of that cover. Looks?
altlandf The bik is supposed to have some resistance while in gear, motor off, clutch in. If its hard to shift then adjust the able again. About your XJ if you are talking about the YICS cover then yeah its mostly ornamental IIRC
Hey Max, thanks for all these videos, you've already helped me out a lot!
I have a question about the clutch on a Suzuki GSX400E I'm currently fixing up.
When the bike is on it's centerstand (running) and I shift into gear, the rear tire starts spinning (clutch still pulled in). Now if I hit the rear brake the tire stops and stays still even after the brake is released. However letting the clutch out and pulling it in again, the rear tire keeps spinning with the motor until the rear brake is applied again.
This led me to believe the clutchplates where either worn out or warped, but they are well within factory standard. (after checking, the oil(& filter) and some gaskets were replaced)
So it's not the plates or thick/dirty oil, adjusting the clutch cable according to your video or the repair manual didn't help and the cable doesn't seem to get stuck anywhere either.
Is there anything you can think of I might have missed?
Kind regards, Jeroen.
Don't worry about it, its normal for there to be a little drag like that. Lots of my bikes do that
Oh thank you, that's reassuring to hear :) My other bike doesn't have it and since this is the first bike I'm doing myself, I'd like to get everything done properly. Already cleaned the carburators with help of your video's. Next up is tensioning the chain and realigning the rear wheel.
Thanks for all the effort you put into your video's!
when I ride in 2nd my bike winds out atill I get to the speed of 2nd gear anyideas? also wont let me pop the clutch to do a wheelie. Please help
Great lesson, well explained. Thanks bud.
I'm confused. In the earlier part of the video you mention when the gears "chunk in", the nuts must move up. But then at the end you say they need to go down. This is indeed an issue for me but I'd like to know if the nuts go up or down on the cable. Thanks
Sorry if it is unclear. If your clutch isnt grabbing properly, you will want to move the nuts down so the cable sleeve moves up in respect to the clutch arm
@@mrmaxstorey confused the shit outta me aswell. bacically the same explanation just reversed like wtf lol
After a long travel or a high speed run, the clutch feels too jumpy and also play feels to be longer that it was at the beginning. By the clutch feeling jumpy I mean it bites suddenly through the lever travel up, right at the handlebar even though at the start it was right around at the clutch open. What seems to be the problem here?
Try tightening it up a little bit, that might help, but when a bike slips into neutral from 2nd thats usually an indication of a transmission problem developing, rather than the clutch
So if you're in top gear, or any gear, and just snatch the throttle back and you notice slipping, does the knuckle need to go down or up on the adjustment?
Down on this bike. I think I misspoke in the video. Either way theres only two options, if you adjust it and the problem gets worse, go the other way. Some cable configurations differ
Awesome! Great video. Thanks for the Help!
finally I found a video demo. thanks heaps
Hi your video really help me out a lot...I can now shift to neutral 2nd...etc,,,thank you good information
Thanks man i fergot how to fix it thanks to you i can take normal wheelie again
my bike( 07 kawasaki, Vulcan 900) shift just fine through all gears but when shifting down, it's a hard shift...like tough to push the gear shifter. The clutch lever rests with about a half inch when not engaged from the handle bar bracket. When sitting at a red light in first, clutch held in I can feel the bike slightly pulling forward but when releasing the clutch let's out about a half in till it catches. Also after riding a while gets extremely tough to shift to neutral...clutch cable adjustment?
Its worth a shot. You also may have weakening clutch springs
Thank you so much for this video!!
also i cannot get my bike into neutral while im idling.. i have to either be free-rolling or i have to shut the engine off before it will go into neutral
Thanks for the video man, I looked at a few other b4 urs with no help but urs was straight to the point. Helped alot
Thanks
Gravedigger for Ga
I have a 96 Honda cbr600 with 14k on bike.
I bought it cheap with the seller saying the clutch was bad. The bottom clutch cable is loose. The top nut is all the way uppercase and the bottom is all the way down. Basically the nuts aren't tight at all and the cable is as loose as it goes. If I hold the clutch in and kick it to first and let the clutch all the way out it just revs. To get the bike going I have to baby the clutch and then when it gets going it slips again after about 8k to 12k. The has no clutch grip in its powered. Before I buy a new clutch I want to know how to test if someone just didn't know what they were doing and messed up. Thoughts or suggestions?
Yeah definitely try to tighten up the cable and see if the clutch catches
nasty oil can also affect the clutch plates disengaging, even though the lever pulls them apart.
watched your video last night I just did my clutch today because I had so much slip in 4th and 5th gear it's made my bike like new again heaps of power on the throttle now , have you got any tips about first and second gear clunking hard ? thanks mate
Keep working on that adjustment to find the sweet spot
Hey i need some assistance because im struggling... So i took my clutch cable out to lube it and when i went to put it back in i trued to adjust it as closely as i could to where it was prior but now when i attempt to shift up any gear past second it takes a lot of effort, like kicking the hell out of the shift lever before i can actually get into 3rd or 4th and so on, so which way do you think i need to adjust the knuckles? Thanks!
+LazyWaffles Well before you make that adjustment, make sure that you routed the cable the same way as before, and that it is not being kinked or stretched around any parts on your bike
+mrmaxstorey ill check after work but i didnt remove the entire cable i just loosened it at the clutch and took it off the perch at the lever
can you please clarify what what fine adjustment is needed when the clutch slip in second and third when you give it all its got
Let the cable out just a little bit
Ok great thank you I'll give that a try
I have an 06 zzr600. I laid it down on the left doing about 50, when I rode it home after I noticed that when I put it in gear and I have the clutch in it wants to take off. Like its not being fully disengaged when I pull the lever.
Any advice?
Great Video ... My 82 750 Maxim is stubborn getting into neutral as well at a stop light. Which adjustment would help this. I'm assuming you could adjust the "knuckle" up but not so much that it causes slippage. Should I try adjusting half a turn or a full turn?
Thanks ... I know you are very busy making lots of good videos so keep up the great service to wannabe do it your selfers like me
Basement Bob Yeah go up, the adjustment isnt very fine so feel free to play around with it
I change my stock handlebars on my 71 cb750 to drag bars and the cable isn't flowing like it was and definitely not shifting like it was. Does the cable just need to flow better? Maybe take it off and reroute it? Thanks for any help.
Yeah see if it is pinched anywhere. If not then you may need to buy one that is a couple inches longer
Thanks for this video! Quick question for anybody who might know. When I start a ride with my clutch properly adjusted it slowly changes so that after riding a couple miles it starts to chunk into gear and won’t shift to neutral. I’ve resorted to overcompensating the adjustment so that at the beginning of my ride the clutch is slipping a little bit and as it starts to change and not disengage I make small adjustments at the handlebar while I’m riding. Is this just a blown clutch cable or is there something adjustment wise that I’m missing? Any help is greatly appreciated.
Could be the cable, or may be your clutch springs are getting worn
Awesome video thank you! So my issue is I have a 14 zx6r with 4k miles ...the other day while riding I was downshifting from 3rd to 2nd and my gear indicator disappeared, but it didn't say I was in neutral. As soon as I released the clutch to engage I just kept on rolling as if I was in neutral. When I tried to kick it into gear my shift pedal was locked in place...it got towed to my house. I played with the shift pedal and was able to pop it into gear while rolling forward slowly and applying lots of pressure...now it's impossible to kick it into second if I'm not moving, and if I'm moving every gear almost feels like it kicks into place very violently everytime I shift, any suggestions?
jon jairo cuevas Well, you can try to adjust the cable, but it sounds to me like a transmission failure of some kind. Is it still under warranty?
My warranty expired 5 days ago...
jon jairo cuevas Damn thats some terrible luck right there
If i am slipping in final gear when i accelerate hard, i wound need to lower the cable at the mechanism to give it more bite.?
Yes you would lower it to give it LESS bite
Hey, what would you do if you can't give any more slack to the crank case locking nuts? I had a hard time putting in a new lever so I substituted as much clutch wire as I could (from the crank case) to the top so the cable would fit in the clutch lever seat.
Now I'm trying to put it back to original settings but it's impossible to get more slack
Were the cables the same length? This happened to me once, I struggled for an hour before i realized the shop sold me a cable that was 1 inch too short
Question.. I just got a new clutch cable installed on my 04 636. At first it was almost like the clutch never engaged completely... in first i could pull in the clutch and the bike would still creep forward.. plus down shifting was extremely hard.. so i adjusted it .. it shifts now fine.. BUTTT .. in when riding.. after shifting into 2nd and opening up the throttle... to about 9k.. the bike slips from 2nd into neutral every time... help???
Hi Max, I have a Yamaha xj600s Diversion 2000 W. I just renewed the clutch, thrust bearings, oil etc but although everything seems to be working fine I just can't seem to get the lever set correctly. It's heavy/stiff to pull the clutch lever so after about 20 mins of riding my wrist starts to get strained. How do I adjust the lever to make it lighter to operate?
when i put my bike into a different gear, say like 3rd, i release the clutch fully, i have to wait a second before i can pull the revs. or else it slips..
Thanks for the info good video big help 👍🏼
Look around on ebay for aftermarket brake and clutch handles, they make them in all different shapes some of which swoop in towards the handlebars. You can try adjusting the cable as I show in the video, but replacing the levers might be a better option
hi I discontinued my cable from the clutch level end the weekend but now having problems changing up high gears it sort of dips for a split second and I've never had this before plus I noticed the plastic nipped sleeve is broke and loose in the hole
plastic nipple**^
my bike has only done 3800 miles.. surely the clutch cant need replacing already?
If the clutch cable has no tension, what do I do?
Mr max storey, I was wondering if you could take a look at a video of me trying to start my bike. It just started happening. I have only ridden it once his year, and then it stopped starting.
Good video! Anyone know if an adjustment of this type will fix a bike not going into 5th gear? Or would that be a different problem? Thanks
That sounds like a transmission problem
Haha yeah I dont know if thats an industry standard term, I was just referring to the uppermost piece of metal on the cable sheath. Basically, just move the cable sheath up or down
How come my bike can shift without pulling the clutch? do I need to adjust the clutch thing? when I go to first gear it goes like 8 mph already without gas. I can't shift to second gear if I am pulling the clutch. it's not slipping or anything it hits smooth. my neutral lights doesn't go off either only dims a bit
+RuffRize Rise Bikes will shift without the clutch if you match the engine speed with the transmission, but it sounds like you still may need to adjust the clutch cable as i show in the video
@
mrmaxstorey I changed my clutch plates, but now my bike wont start.... BUT another symptom is that when i try to start my bike in gear (with clutch lever fully compressed) the bike still jumps forward. Doesn't this indicate that the clutch isn't fully decoupling the engine?
Would really appreciate your help. Thank you@
Yeah, take those clutch discs back out and see if something was installed wrong
Thank you mrmaxstorey, great video and explanation. I hoped it would help me understand why I cannot shift upward into neutral when the bike is stopped. Like when I pull into my garage. Still in 1st, with clutch lever pulled, it seems "locked" into 1st. But if I hit the kill switch, it slides right into neutral. I replaced the clutch plates & springs but no change. any idea what might be happening?
try tightening your cable a little bit
If I understand your suggestion, you think pulling my lever in all the way is not completely disengaging the clutch from the engine?
Peter Poggi
Correct, cables will stretch over time so periodically you may need to bring in the slack
its not suppose to have some movement at the nuts? isnt making it too tight not allowing your clutch spring to fully squeeze the clutch?
No the nuts should be tight. The nuts only secure the sheath of the cable to one spot. It still allows the cable itself to move and all the clutch components including the springs
This is great I just ordered a new clutch cable
Hey, at 2:36 you mention if one is chunking down you have to lower the knuckle but at 4:28 for the same thing you have to raise the knuckle. The latter is correct right? Prolly easier to explain that if one's biting point is too far out or your clutch slips, adjust the nuts in the way that you can see the cable going down, resulting in a more engaged clutch and a closer biting point (press in more to disengage).
Would a clutch cable that is too long cause the bike to chunk in to first? I have moved the knuckle up and it still chunks in to first.
Well no, really you can have a super long cable that winds around as much as it wants, so long as the ratio of cable:sheath is the same as the old one. My suspect is that the sheath on your new cable is slightly shorter or longer compared to your old setup, which is why you are having trouble adjusting it
hi max, thanks for the informative vid :) I recently replaced my clutch cable and adjusted it properly. However, the problem is that the clutch always seems to be engaged.
I removed the cable completely & could still shift through all 5 gears without even manually pushing the clutch in. I'm not sure what the problem could be. The only messing around I did was replace the engine cover gasket. But thats all put back together fine. Any help would be appreciated. Thank you
Did you ever fix this
Making sure I understand. My bike does exactly what you're saying: tachometer shoots up but no increase in speed. Knuckle goes down, yeah?
+Kait Urmston right
Hi my aprilia rs 125 won't go into neutral gears seem sticky how can I fix please
What do I do if my clutch actuator moves slightly even through the clutch lever free play zone? I have the correct adjusted free play amount and I'm finding it difficult to find neutral when the engine warms up. I also feel a bit of a bite, lurch as I put the bike into first gear from neutral. Thanks
Is it an old wore out cable? Might be stretched out
Hello Mrmaxstory, i have a 71 2-stroke rotary valve kawasaki, it has 1200 original miles on it so im pretty sure the clutch isn't blown out, but the week I bought it, I would put the bike in first gear, release the clutch slowly and nothing would happen, it did jump on me once and stalled though, now after replacing new handebars, i noticed when i put it in neutral, i get resistance when reversing, what do you suspect the problem is? is it the clutch cable line thats being misadjusted?
Yeah start with adjusting the cable
Thanks for the demo.
Still not sure whether my problem is clutch or throttle related.
Once at higher speeds it seems fine, but in low gears it jerks like a teenager's first driving lesson, and having a tendency to stall out. Setting choke to 3/4 seems to help, but it requires dangerously generous throttle-twisting as RPM's and power race unsteadily toward each other before the next gear shift.
It's like whipping a horse that's busy watching cartoons!
+Space Suitor Is the throttle cable loose at the grip?
+mrmaxstorey Probably. The grip is sloppy and friction zone begins about 50% into travel.
82 Yamaha Vision XZ550RJ
+Space Suitor Tighten up the throttle cable so that the cable starts pulling open the carb the moment you begin twisting the throttle
+mrmaxstorey. My mistake. I was referring to excess play in the clutch handle. The throttle grip has no excessive play and spring-returns OK.
I guess the problem must be in the clutch, and will require me combating fear of failure and also lethargy. ;)
if my cable is frying right at the point where it enters the clutch handle, do i need to replace it or can i loosen it and re thread it at all?
+Connor Gorman
If either your clutch or throttle cables are fraying at all they need to be replaced. Don't try to fix or adjust around a damaged cable. You'll just wind up stranded when it finally breaks. Also for many bikes cables are cheap. I got my 82 Yamaha XJ750J a replacement clutch cable for $10, and the original was only a bit stiff and notchy. No damage whatsoever.
I have a cable clutch kit on my klx110 and the cable appears to be fine and I have the right amount off free play but my clutch won't engage at all in any gears... Any idea what I could do to fix it without taking the bike apart??
Check out my clutch replacement video, its actually not that hard to get into the clutch and make sure everything is good in there
Hey ii've noticed my clutch slips especially when accelerating aggressively yet when i have tried to hill start my bike there is still engine resistance with it fully pulled in. Does this mean I need a new clutch as I seems solving one problem would exacerbate the other?
Yeah quite possibly you have a slipping clutch and a misadjusted cable. Replacing clutch discs isnt hard though, I have a video up for that
the metal lever on the right side where the clutch cable lifts, I leak a shit ton of oil. I just brought the gasket from OEM spec. I don't know how to replace it, was wondering how. I know on the inside the rod to it has a special metal to it like a hollow push pin and the spring to kick it back in order for the clutch to engage. how do I take that rod lever off to install the gasket. if you need more info let me know.
+Juan Morales What bike are we talking about here year make and model
+mrmaxstorey Honda Rebel 1986 250
+Juan Morales Here is a diagram of how your clutch lever comes apart www.bikebandit.com/oem-parts/1986-honda-rebel-250-cmx250c/o/m151666#sch17020
Hi, I couldn't really get where should the adjustment go- up or down. When I put in 1st gear, I feel the engine tension, trying to get the bike moving right away. Also it's a bit hard going from 1st to 2nd and when I release the clutch lever just a bit, it goes to 2nd. Same case with reverse gear. Have to release a bit the lever and in gets in. What is the adjustment I should make? And there is no play of the lever. Neutral is hard to find.
I didn't have this problem till yesterday, when I begin to learn wheelie and unleashed the lever sharply. All other gears are fine. Oil level is fine too. Chain is not tight, it's ok.
bahataa1 What kind of bike are you working on?
mrmaxstorey
ATV Yamaha raptor 660. I have no free play & no slipping at all. The strange thing is when I release the lever a bit ( slight engage) , then the gear pops in.
I adjusted my clutch to maximum tightness at both the lever and cable but it's still not enough to fully engage the clutch and on my bike it doesn't look like I'm able to adjust it at the point mentioned at 2:56. Does this mean my clutch is worn out or can I do something else to adjust it? (Bike is an old beat up 2005 Yamaha TW200).
Yeah your clutch may need replacement
hey i have a dirtbike and everytime i crack it up it sound like if its going full speed
I have a problem, when i'm trying to put my bike into 1st from neutral i can't i feel like it's blocked or something, but when i hit 2nd and drive a little bit, when sometimes i can hit into first, but it's only when my bike is moving. Any suggestions?
i got a question. i had to replace my clutch calbe on my cr80. befor i replaced it ever thing worked fine. but after i replaced it, the clutch will not engage. how do i fix it?