blackmax Posted May 29, 2007 Share Posted May 29, 2007 I have a 1997 with 35,000 miles on the original clutch. It's time for a replacement, any suggestions or reports on products would be helpful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiwimack Posted May 29, 2007 Share Posted May 29, 2007 I have a 1997 with 35,000 miles on the original clutch. It's time for a replacement, any suggestions or reports on products would be helpful. I have a 97 with 60,000 miles and the clutch is fine............................what did you do to yours? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Byrdman Posted May 29, 2007 Share Posted May 29, 2007 Is it slipping? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bartonmd Posted May 29, 2007 Share Posted May 29, 2007 I agree... I've never heard of anybody who doesn't drag race all the time replacing a clutch on a 'bird for any reason other than "just wanting to" Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
airborneXX Posted May 29, 2007 Share Posted May 29, 2007 Almost 42,000 on my 97 and the clutch is fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scottw Posted May 29, 2007 Share Posted May 29, 2007 You must ride the bike pretty hard to need a clutch at those low miles. That said, I'd go OEM......check the steels for warpage and blueing and just replace the fiber discs and new pressure plate springs. If the steels are shot, Honda sells a whole kit, fibers, steels and springs and gasket......... cheaper than buying each individualy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bartonmd Posted May 29, 2007 Share Posted May 29, 2007 Almost 42,000 on my 97 and the clutch is fine. Yeah, forgot to mention... 45K miles on mine, and the clutch is fine... Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
telliot647 Posted May 29, 2007 Share Posted May 29, 2007 I'm almost up to 82K miles on my 98 with the original clutch. I'm hoping you only WANT a new clutch, not NEED it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
testrider Posted May 29, 2007 Share Posted May 29, 2007 My 97 has 36k miles and the clutch is still good... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silverbird1100 Posted May 29, 2007 Share Posted May 29, 2007 I was going to do it until the guys here told me I didn't need to. They were right but I changes the springs since I had already bought them and it does make it feel crisper for sure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blackmax Posted May 29, 2007 Author Share Posted May 29, 2007 Well I don't think I ride any harder than the next guy, but it seems as if engagement is at the end of the levers travel. I certainly don't want to change it if it's not needed but there's no way to tell w/o dissassembly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bartonmd Posted May 29, 2007 Share Posted May 29, 2007 Well I don't think I ride any harder than the next guy, but it seems as if engagement is at the end of the levers travel. I certainly don't want to change it if it's not needed but there's no way to tell w/o dissassembly. It's a hydrolic clutch... it'll be like that... Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blackmax Posted May 29, 2007 Author Share Posted May 29, 2007 Well I don't think I ride any harder than the next guy, but it seems as if engagement is at the end of the levers travel. I certainly don't want to change it if it's not needed but there's no way to tell w/o dissassembly. It's a hydrolic clutch... it'll be like that... Mike I've had the bike for 21,000 miles and am aware of how the HYDRAULIC clutch will feel. Thanks for the input. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OrganDonor Posted May 29, 2007 Share Posted May 29, 2007 Well I don't think I ride any harder than the next guy, but it seems as if engagement is at the end of the levers travel. I certainly don't want to change it if it's not needed but there's no way to tell w/o dissassembly. It's a hydrolic clutch... it'll be like that... Mike I've had the bike for 21,000 miles and am aware of how the HYDRAULIC clutch will feel. Thanks for the input. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slowrideCX Posted May 29, 2007 Share Posted May 29, 2007 Did you try removing and cleaning the clutch push rod, it may be hanging up a bit. I have almost 32000 on my 97 and the clutch is fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bartonmd Posted May 29, 2007 Share Posted May 29, 2007 Well I don't think I ride any harder than the next guy, but it seems as if engagement is at the end of the levers travel. I certainly don't want to change it if it's not needed but there's no way to tell w/o dissassembly. It's a hydrolic clutch... it'll be like that... Mike I've had the bike for 21,000 miles and am aware of how the HYDRAULIC clutch will feel. Thanks for the input. I'm an engerneer, and as a braud generalizasion, we dont spel wel, and deepind on spel chek... I'm no exsepsion. But really, the only thing I see it being is; there is a ring in the clutch, I forget what it's called, but it's basically a conical ring that gets flat under pressure. Its sole job is to make the clutch actuation more linear, and less on-off. I've not been into the clutch on this one (obviously), but my Nighthawk and shadow each had one. Having said that, this bike's clutch is not as on-off as the kevlar clutch in my Nighthawk, but is certainly not linear like the cable clutch on the Shadow... Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shovelstrokeed Posted May 29, 2007 Share Posted May 29, 2007 Barton, Its called a Bellville spring and it acts like a cushion to engagement. OP, 42K on mine and I beat the piss out of it. More likely it needs a fluid change (DOT 4 dontcha know), a good bleed and the afore mentioned pushrod cleaning. Absent serious abuse, these clutches, at least the mechanical components of the clutch, should last darn near forever. The hydraulic components are more suspect IMHO. If your fluid is yellow in color it is past time for a change. Gung, for lack of a more technical term could be affecting the seals in the master or slave cylinder and giving you just what you are feeling. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beondwacko Posted May 29, 2007 Share Posted May 29, 2007 Besides, the hydraulic clutches on our XX aren't the easiest to smoothly modulate. Ask me how I know that? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blackmax Posted May 30, 2007 Author Share Posted May 30, 2007 I haven't cleaned the pushrod in a while, the last time was during a sprocket change to clean out all the gunk under the chain cover. That will be tops on my list during the oil change. I bled the system and cycled through new fluid in April so I like the idea of the pushrod as the culprit. I didn't realize the clutch pack is as durable as you all say, that fact takes one more maintenance and replacement item off the list. Thanks for all your input and help. I hope to get some serious miles out of this one. Well I don't think I ride any harder than the next guy, but it seems as if engagement is at the end of the levers travel. I certainly don't want to change it if it's not needed but there's no way to tell w/o dissassembly. It's a hydrolic clutch... it'll be like that... Mike I've had the bike for 21,000 miles and am aware of how the HYDRAULIC clutch will feel. Thanks for the input. That little guy watching the "movie" is great! It took me a minute to figure it out though! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Canadian Bird Posted May 30, 2007 Share Posted May 30, 2007 105,000 kms, no clutch issues. Motex dot 5, steel clutch line. Everything I've read here and elsewhere suggests the cluch is almost "bullet proof". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaygermeister Posted May 30, 2007 Share Posted May 30, 2007 39,000 and mine slips @ 9800 rpm's only at wide open throttle when racing and it's still not that bad I just adjust my shift point alittle till I can get it replaced. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bartonmd Posted May 30, 2007 Share Posted May 30, 2007 Barton, Its called a Bellville spring and it acts like a cushion to engagement. That's it! I knew it had somebody's last name in it. It was funny, though, because I took it out of the Shadow at first, and the clutch was VERY on/off! I was like "oh... I'll put that back in..." Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
02 SilverBird Posted May 30, 2007 Share Posted May 30, 2007 I was going to do it until the guys here told me I didn't need to. They were right but I changes the springs since I had already bought them and it does make it feel crisper for sure. Hi, silverbird1100, when you changed the clutch springs did it make ant differance to the chunker chunker noise that all Birds seem to suffer from(by all the posts about it) also what kind of job was it to just replace the springs. Thanks Rob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bpg Posted May 31, 2007 Share Posted May 31, 2007 interesting thread - my '02 (37,000 miles) has slowly been engaging farther and farther out in the range of releasing the lever - to the point that it's now pretty difficult to shift smoothly, especially around town at lower RPMS... PITA with a passenger (picture helmets clunking during many of the shifts ) I'll have to search for some clutch push rod threads and do a fluid change & bleed - hopefully it's a lot better and no need to buy a clutch! :icon_biggrin: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bartonmd Posted May 31, 2007 Share Posted May 31, 2007 interesting thread - my '02 (37,000 miles) has slowly been engaging farther and farther out in the range of releasing the lever - to the point that it's now pretty difficult to shift smoothly, especially around town at lower RPMS... PITA with a passenger (picture helmets clunking during many of the shifts ) I'll have to search for some clutch push rod threads and do a fluid change & bleed - hopefully it's a lot better and no need to buy a clutch! :icon_biggrin: I just slip the clutch a little bit with a passenger... That, and rolling off the throttle a little bit before I shift, so there's much less shift shock even if I don't use the clutch. Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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