Am I a wimp or is my clutch too heavy?

[ukpco]

I've not managed to ride my Silk 700 much yet but I'm finding the clutch really hard work to pull in. The cable's new and runs freely.

Are they all heavy or do I have a problem (with the bike, not me!)?

Paul

[gasman]

never had a heavy clutch,  i suspect it requires work or adjustment, its never going to be of Japanese feel but you do not have to be Arnold to operate it.

[ukpco]

Thanks

I've started looking at it. The lock screw adjustment looks ok but how tight should the spring retaining nuts be? I'm just wondering if mine are set too tight?

Paul

[gasman]

Trial and error I'm afraid, if too tight very heavy clutch but no slip too loose and it will slip, remember to get the complete clutch lifting squarely with about 6thou gap between the lifting pins then adjust the springs so when you have the clutch lever pulled a third to halfway in the clutch starts to slip, that was my starting point and i had no problems, but no doubt others will disagree or will have a different method. if you cannot get a lighter clutch then lengthen the operating lever by 10-15mm which is what i did on the prototype bike, just be careful of the cable run so it does not rub the edge of the casting if you go down this route, this bike i only used two fingers on the clutch. this was one thing that did work well. Kev

[staffs]

Assuming the lifting plate is correctly set as a general set up I screw the spring adjusters until they are level with the stud tops.I then try the clutch as the Gasman says and then increase the spring pressure to what I think is an acceptable amount of force to pull in the clutch lever.
Even with a new cable if it is routed wrong, the angle of the clutch lever perch or as I have come across so many times, the cable strapped tight to the frame with cable ties, it will not have the freedom for the inner and outer cables to run friction free. I use cable ties but leave the cable as straight as pos and just directionally guided with the ties.
Didnt Yamaha do a lever mod for TY50 trails bikes for younger riders that changed the leverage point?

[ukpco]

Quite right, I experimented with different cable routes and did make things easier. In the end though I did Gasman's modification which worked really well. It's described in the Technical Data section now.

All I need now is some decent weather for riding.

[gasman]

Glad you took time and advice, yes its a little work but well worth it in the end. Glad to have been of help, Kev