Clutch lever question.

I just swapped out the clutch disks and steels and I have clutch engagement from 3/4 release to full release. Is this normal?

My history with the bike is that it has been like this since I bought it in August.

Since then, I changed the fluid and bled it with a Mity-vac, changed out the clutch disks and steels, rubber banded the clutch overnight.

Same action, regardless...


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Meaning that, when pulling it in, you encounter resistance fairly-quickly, once whatever slack you have set via the stock nut & screw in the handle, and that when the lever is ~1/2 way (or a bit less) to the bar, the clutch is released, so that the engine would rev freely if under load, uncoupled from the transmission/final drive?

Yes, that is as it should be. You don't want to have to pull the clutch to the handlebar to disengage the clutch.

To clarify, the issue that I have is when starting to move from a red light, the first sign of engagement (and movement) is when I have let the lever out 3/4 of the way. Full engagement happens at the very end of the lever travel (when my fingers are no longer making contact with the lever). On previous bikes, I recall a 1/2 inch of free movement of the lever after full engagement..,


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Sounds like a bleeding is in order, if that doesn't fix it, the piston may be leaking internally, time for a rebuild or replacement.

For me, the reverse-bleed from the slave cyl & pushing fluid up to the clutch master cyl works better than pulling the fluid down, like w/a mityvac. Quicker, easier, when you stop seeing bubbles out the bottom of the master cyl floor holes, closing the banjo nipple & fanning the clutch lever a few times should get you a normal clutch feel.

Yep, atleast on mine, after its fully bled, the clutch starts engaging about 3/4 of an inch from the grip.

That's exactly what I was trying to confirm.

Thanks guys!

Will be headed over to buy a syringe shortly. Any tips on where to get one?


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You should be able to get one from your local pharmacy, as you don't need a prescription for one. Tell him you need a "60 mililiter" syringe, a mililiter = a cubic centimeter, or 1 ml=1 cc. Use a short piece of transparent plastic hose fitted to the tip of the syringe and then use a small hose clamp to hold the other end to the clutch slave cyl bleeder. You might try removing the bleeder & wrapping it w/teflon tape, & re-inserting it, to minimize the leakage when you push the fluid from the syringe into the bleeder fitting. It takes a good deal of steady pressure, it's not like a toothpaste tube. You should get fluid coming into the master cyl, probably discolored/contaminated. I usually use the syringe to draw the old fluid out of the master cyl, & add a splash to replace it, enough to cover the two holes on the floor of the master cyl. Then I begin the 'reverse-flush' w/the syringe.

The syringe should be a narrow sleeve at its end without any molding around it. There is a type of syringe called a "Luer-lock," (pronounced, "Loo' ur") which has a molded plastic collar designed to hold a needle more-securely, don't get that kind.

You can probably find one at your local supermarket, they use them for cooking to inject things like for seasoning poultry. Look in the cooking utensils area, or ask at the desk for a "flavor injector."

Much appreciated.

I know what my weekend project will be.


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