Doh! Check the clutch cable tension on those bikes

[SZR48207]

And just like that, we say goodbye to 4 clean quarts of Rotella T6 5W40 with less than 1000 miles on it...

I couldn't figure out why my bike wasn't shifting well, so I changed the oil early.

And then the day after I changed the oil, I thought.. I wonder if the clutch lever has too much slack? Yup that was it.

 

[justintendo]

didnt the clutch feel weird? then again im pretty anal about my controls/cables. they have to be lubed and set!

if you have fresh oil you need to drain....dump it into a clean container then pour it into a container through a paint filter..dont just waste it.

 

[SZR48207]

The clutch lever pull felt fine, but it was incredibly difficult to click the shifter between gears. I just am not used to checking the clutch freeplay on a regular basis so this didn't occur to me.

There was maybe an extra 3mm of play at the lever compared to the factory specification, so it didn't take much stretch in the clutch cable for this to happen.

Anyway, I have been rather paranoid about running T6 5W40 on this bike in the summer months because it tends to run VERY hot. Before I knew the clutch freeplay was the culprit, I assumed that the oil had sheared down too much and was to blame.

I have T4 15W40 in there now and a brand new clutch cable on the way.

 

[sunruh]

we gotta know...what bike???
especially one that holds 4qts!!!

 

[Altydoc]

Originally Posted By: sunruh
we gotta know...what bike???
especially one that holds 4qts!!!

I'm guessing a liter bike? My R1 takes 4qts.

 

[SZR48207]

Triumph Tiger 800