Clutch Slip/Replacement

Hey all, my clutch is starting to slip (or maybe not read some previous forums on here) and just wanted some opinions. Bike is good through the low gears but once you get to like 5th 6th gear around 90-95ish (mph) and roll on the throttle hard it just revs up really high and nothing happens. If your a little nicer on the throttle you can get up to 135, havent tried getting it all the way up this year yet but I'm assuming it can still make it there.I've owned it since around august 2010 and the bike has 26xxx miles on it or could that be 126xxx maybe (it's a 1995). I run amsoil sythetic 10W-40 in it and havent had any issues before. After reading some other forums on here I might try the deglazing method that was discussed, but would a new cluch feel drastically different than the stock one in good condition, like would it engage better and pull a lot nicer? Any advice/opinions or comments would help thanks.

Also on a side note both of my rear blinkers are out idk if the both went out at once or died separately so I cheked that they were connected (they were), but the brake light still works. Think they're both dead or maybe a wire issue?

Definitely sounds like its slipping, time to order some friction plates and/or new springs. Plates are cheap and so are upgraded springs. Fairly easy job too, I'd order the parts and then aim to replace at your next oil change. Probably a good idea to buy a new clutch cover gasket too.

[image: View Post]redrider740, on 17 March 2012 - 11:03 AM, said:

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I've owned it since around august 2010 and the bike has 26xxx miles on it or could that be 126xxx maybe (it's a 1995).
I run amsoil sythetic 10W-40 in it and havent had any issues before. After reading some other forums on here I might try the deglazing method that was discussed, but would a new cluch feel drastically different than the stock one in good condition, like would it engage better and pull a lot nicer? Any advice/opinions or comments would help thanks.

Also on a side note both of my rear blinkers are out idk if the both went out at once or died separately so I cheked that they were connected (they were), but the brake light still works. Think they're both dead or maybe a wire issue?

Take a look at your odometer again (see pic of mine below showing 174k). For the '95, there is no 1/10's wheel on it (compare to the trip odometer below it). You either have 026,xxx miles or 26x,xxx miles. While 260k is not beyond the capabilities of the bike, it is well beyond of the norm.

Assuming that it's only got 26k, clutch slippage that soon is not normal.
Potential causes are:
It's been abused - replace the plates and springs.
The springs are weak - I don't know if age alone can lead to this, but I don't think so. Caution on aftermarket springs. Many are stiffer and will cause increased lever effort to the displeasure of a lot of riders.
The oil is causing your problem (most likely imo) - go back to a m/c specific oil. It is a known issue that the "super fuel efficient" (or some such similarly phrase) oils  can cause clutch slippage.

I had slippage issues at 100k miles and replaced the plates and springs. When I did, I found no evident wear on the plates and with hindsight, should have just replaced the springs. As noted, plates aren't that expensive, but a full set adds up.

Regarding the blinkers - easy check is the bulbs, if they're good, or new ones don't fix it, since both are gone the turn signal relay may be the more likely issue, but check the wiring connections in the loop for corrosion as well.

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Yea I looked at it again for some reason I though there wasn't another wheel thing in the odometer but it is only 26xxx not 126xxx. The oil is motorcycel oil, its amsoil 10w-40 full synthetic motorcyce oil, and I kind of thought it could be that also, but I've been using since I got the bike and haven't had an issue until now. I just changed the oil a few weeks ago maybe so at first I thought maybe it's just new oil in there, but don't remember it doing at other oil changes. I am pretty hard on clutches but I got he bike with around 16 thousand miles so I don't think I could burn a clutch out in 10 thousand miles, but then again I got the bike from a dealer and don't know what the person who had it before me was like. I'll most likely take it apart soon and look at it and see what I do from there. Thanks.

I'd be inclined to be checking your clutch slave cylinder operation, clutch master cylinder, and the hydraulic oil within the clutch system with such low mileage but length of years of operation.  A bit of stickiness there mentioned very often in posts re clutch slipping :smile: