Clutch Longevity

[dogdoc]

Question for the gear heads(BD)! What can one do to preserve the clutch life. Be in neutral at lights? Downshift everytime or don't downshift till stopped? No speedshifting? OF COURSE! Any other tips so we dont have to do what we discussed in clutch spring repair thread, Thanks!!

[scion0]

Question for the gear heads(BD)! What can one do to preserve the clutch life. Be in neutral at lights? Downshift everytime or don't downshift till stopped? No speedshifting? OF COURSE! Any other tips so we dont have to do what we discussed in clutch spring repair thread, Thanks!!

Good questions all! I am not looking forward to taking the clutch apart... a computer sure, a clutch... ???

[unwind2]

Doc - good question. I'll be watching also to see responses.

I know on the motorman tapes he will tell you after practicing those slow parking lot manueavers to every 15 - 20 mins drive the bike 30+mph to cool off brake/clutch.

[spork]

IMO! Only.

The Clutch spring replacement is fairly straight forward on these bikes. I had to replace the clutch spring on the Classic at 15000 miles. I still have it for show and tell. :) It was so bad you could have shaved with it.

The key tool is the 27mm socket and air tool for the retaining nut.

I used the Mean Streak spring in mine and was able to wheelie the bike for short distance. (Not that you would want to do that! It was just shocking when it first happend and then quite a bit of fun on subsequent attempts) http://s2.images.proboards.com/grin.gif

More specifically to address the question, I will choose safety over clutch life any day. I do not recommend neutral at lights as one should always be checking the "6" and be ready to egress rapidly should some poor inattentive driver fail to see you. You did leave yourself an exit strategy when you pulled up at the light right?

The spring is the weak link.

Traffic will kill a clutch on these heavy bikes so I would also recommend finding aleternate routes to avoid heavy clutching in traffic.

Ride On!

[unwind2]

Spork - I don't sit at light in neutral either. I will do neutral if traffic jam and it's stop, inch, stop for long time, then inch. And if it goes on very long I'll get off first chance I get and find another way around. The engine heat in the summer....yuk...I'm hot natured away.

Yesterday I was coming up in the right hand lane to an intersection ....lady in left turn lane suddendly made a RIGHT TURN!...geezzz have to watch them every minute. I also slow up coming to intersections....glad I did.

[spork]

Spork - I don't sit at light in neutral either. I will do neutral if traffic jam and it's stop, inch, stop for long time, then inch. And if it goes on very long I'll get off first chance I get and find another way around. The engine heat in the summer....yuk...I'm hot natured away.

Yesterday I was coming up in the right hand lane to an intersection ....lady in left turn lane suddendly made a RIGHT TURN!...geezzz have to watch them every minute. I also slow up coming to intersections....glad I did.

YES! THEY ARE OUT TO RUN YOU OVER!!!!! NEVER FORGET IT!

[flightdoc]

I have 23k on my 2005 and the clutch is doing well.....I think. What should I be looking for besides the obvious slipping?

[bobzinger]

I keep my bike in neutral and try to keep an eye out behind me...never know when some idiot on a cell phone will plow into you.

[dogdoc]

Thx for all the tips, I think if your gentle on the clutch you should get 30,000 easy.

[blowndodge]

I thought I head a request in hear somewhere? Seems you have group thunk it out amongst yourselves............carry on.

[blowndodge]

Dont confuse them GH....I was a 20/80 and the strip..Only in first....

[Todd]

Dont confuse them GH....I was a 20/80 and the strip..Only in first....

http://s2.images.proboards.com/grin.gif http://s2.images.proboards.com/grin.gif http://s2.images.proboards.com/grin.gif http://s2.images.proboards.com/grin.gif I've been know to hit it like that on the street once in a while too!!! http://s2.images.proboards.com/grin.gif http://s2.images.proboards.com/grin.gif http://s2.images.proboards.com/grin.gif http://s2.images.proboards.com/grin.gif http://s2.images.proboards.com/grin.gif

[dogdoc]

I know somebody out there is wanting to ask, what the hell is 50/50 ???

[blowndodge]

It means Nico likes men and women?? Actually since all the gears in our machines are fully syncronized you don't need to use the clutch if you shift at a syncronized engine speed.

[scion0]

It means Nico likes men and women?? Actually since all the gears in our machines are fully syncronized you don't need to use the clutch if you shift at a syncronized engine speed.


I've heard that about Nico but... (jk bud)

Like I'd know when the sync speed is and when not to use the clutch... ??? ::) http://s2.images.proboards.com/tongue.gif

[flightdoc]

I shift without the clutch quite a bit. It's easy just use the same signals you use now. The bike tells you when it needs to shift. No ginding of gears at all. Little more kick but nothing that upsets me.

[dogdoc]

So your saying that you can shift W/O clutching and not grind gears?????? please confirm master BD??

[Todd]

You CAN shift w/o the clutch...gears are synced so at the right torque/speed you CAN let off the throttle slightly and apply a little pressure to the shifter and it will slide right in....(done wrong it can get and sound kinda ugly, so no warranty implied or intended here). I only do that if one of my HD rider buddies wants to race off the line......normally I just "touch" the clutch,...... i.e. ever so slightly disengage it..... to shift during everyday riding....about the only time I pull it completely in is in first.

[blowndodge]

as per Todd. When done properly its almost as fast as an automatic. when you let off the throttle the load of the output shaft is gone and the gears to the input slide in with just a touch of the foot. Usually this is between 2500 to about 3500 rpms. the difference in input shaft speed and engine rpm and ground speed should be close enough to cause a no load shift without the clutch.

[dogdoc]

Thx Sir Bradley,,,