Clutch Lever Adjustment.

Hey all,
I have an 02 VFR with 6k miles on it. I have noticed after riding a different bike, that my clutch does not engage until the very end of lever release.
Is there an adjustment for this?
Thanks!
Dano
:wheel:

most likely you need to bleed the clutch, if the release point is that far back. The lever itself can be adjusted, with the wheel on the end of the lever. This adjusted when the plunger begins depressing...but if that adjustment is taken up then bleeding is probably needed.

[image: View Post]Tightwad, on Jan 6 2009, 06:28 PM, said:

most likely you need to bleed the clutch, if the release point is that far back. The lever itself can be adjusted, with the wheel on the end of the lever. This adjusted when the plunger begins depressing...but if that adjustment is taken up then bleeding is probably needed.
Thanks ! I'll give it a go.
Dano

[image: View Post]Tightwad, on Jan 6 2009, 12:28 PM, said:

most likely you need to bleed the clutch, if the release point is that far back.
I think he described the opposite problem, the clutch does not engage until the lever is released almost completely. Air in the line would probably make the clutch engage early (when you just start releasing the lever).
I noticed that my 4th gen VFR has a very short "friction zone" too. Literally a few millimeters of lever travel between fully engaged and fully disengaged. The clutch does not slip or drag, just the friction zone is way short. I wonder if it's just the way it's designed - lever geometry, piston sizes etc.

[image: View Post]CitizenOfDreams, on Jan 6 2009, 04:57 PM, said:

[image: View Post]Tightwad, on Jan 6 2009, 12:28 PM, said:

most likely you need to bleed the clutch, if the release point is that far back.
I think he described the opposite problem, the clutch does not engage until the lever is released almost completely. Air in the line would probably make the clutch engage early (when you just start releasing the lever).
I noticed that my 4th gen VFR has a very short "friction zone" too. Literally a few millimeters of lever travel between fully engaged and fully disengaged. The clutch does not slip or drag, just the friction zone is way short. I wonder if it's just the way it's designed - lever geometry, piston sizes etc.

No, air compresses, thus you would get more travel before the pressure build enough to move the clutch. Fluid on the other hand does not compress, but instead transfers the energy to move the clutch directly.

[image: View Post]Tightwad, on Jan 6 2009, 06:12 PM, said:

No, air compresses, thus you would get more travel before the pressure build enough to move the clutch. Fluid on the other hand does not compress, but instead transfers the energy to move the clutch directly.
Exactly. But I understood the original problem to be the opposite - too short of a travel. The clutch disengages as soon as you squeeze the lever and does not engage until the lever is almost fully released. Dano, is that your problem, or am I reading it wrong? Or do I have a wrong understanding of the terms "clutch engaged" (engine connected to the transmission) and "clutch disengaged" (engine disconnected from the transmission)?

[image: View Post]dano02vfr, on Jan 6 2009, 06:17 PM, said:

Hey all,
I have an 02 VFR with 6k miles on it. I have noticed after riding a different bike, that my clutch does not engage until the very end of lever release.
Is there an adjustment for this?
Thanks!
Dano
:wheel:

This is the nature of the beast with the hydraulic clutch on the VFR.....nothing wrong. There is no adjustment for the take up.

I have a CBR with a cable actuated clutch and the takeup begins much earlier during the release of the lever. When I go from one bike to the other I have to reaclimate to the different clutch take up.

I had this in my 2000 VFR. Started with me messing up when I changed my chain/sprocket (don't ask :pissed: REALLY stupid). Got a little air into the system and the clutch would barely engage at the end of the travel. Had something like 5-10 mm of travel, needless to say it was a bitch to ride around town. Bleeding from the main reservoir banjo bolt did the trick. 2-3 squirts is all it took, fine ever since.