Clutch issue

[Bikebear]

Hey all,

A couple of weeks ago I did the SCA Poker Run (5700kms) and I noticed at times my clutch lever was barely moving away from the bars when the clutch started engaging, usually it starts to engage a little further out away from the bars. It seemed worse on cold mornings so I dismissed it as something to do with the oil I was using as I come from a hot area and use a slightly heavier weight oil.  However this morning I headed off to work and noticed the clutch did the same thing. has anyone had this issue? Do I need to service the clutch? Is this a symptom of clutch fluid needing replacing?

All answers considered...

[Nigel]

Yes Craig , get yourself a good vac pump and change the fluid. Dot 4 or 5 from a sealed container. I had similar issues a few weeks ago. Change of fluid all good. Now back to normal operation. Did brakes at the same time.........................

[alans1100]

This sounds like an issue I had with the clutch lever. Between the lever and hydraulic piston is a part that the piston fits into. Over time the piston wore through the little part causing the lever to operate the clutch directly and in time the lever itself so that I would need to pull the lever all the way to the bar to operate the clutch. It's easy to check by just undoing the bolt that holds the clutch lever in.

If this is the same issue then the little part and the lever will need to be replaced and all will be okay.

[Kev Murphy]

Overhauling my clutch master cylinder with a kit next Thursday for this reason, Fluids were changed just a few months ago and did not make any difference to the clutch lever fade I am experiencing.
Only happens in heavy traffic conditions (city driving)

[Kev Murphy]

Dismantled clutch master cylinder this morning, there was a lot of wear on the piston seals, and the reservoir was full of sludge.
Overhaul kit was around $70 or so, and it took about an hour to strip down, clean, reassemble and bleed.
Feels very positive when I grab the lever now.