My Clutch is Slipping

[FJRPittsburgh]

Cav, Sounds like you got everything sorted. Have a great trip with spawn on that new to you FJR. Good work! Except for all the oil changes. LOL

[0face]

See you in a few days...

[HotRodZilla]

Nice. I came to this late, but an FJR clutch is easy to work on. Some little specific things to look for, but mostly straightforward. Mactrophys picture tutorial is an awesome assist!

Glad you're good to go. Just out of curiosity, you have lubed your rear brake pedal, right?

[Bounce]

Over cautious trying to purge anything in there. Makes sense about just changing the filter, but I think I have learned my lesson regarding half-assing my maintenance. First the brakes and now this.........kinda making a name for myself really. Lol.

Now you can help those of us who see people asking if they can skip scheduled PM items. You can remind them to mention such when selling it so no new owners aren't blind sided by the repercussions [or go a little more passive-aggressive and flat our tell them they are pinching pennies on something worth tens of thousands of dollars (unless PMs are ignored)].

False [wheelies can't be done on shaft bikes]. The 04 might have been power wheelied more than once.

Shaft bikes can't wheelie because of the counter-rotating-precession that shaft-jacks the bike onto it's side when power wheelied. Pictures of FJRs apparently wheelying are really "jumps" in that they happen when the front wheel encounters a rise in the road surface and "jumps" the front wheel. It might look like a wheelie but it's not really. This was an issue resolved back in the IRC channel rec.motorcycles days.

[tominca]

Wait a minute Bounce, you're telling us the FJR doesn't wheelie and it was just my imagination? I'm by far not the most aggressive at this maneuver, but have seen plenty of FJRs with the front wheel well off the ground off the line.

Josh, glad you got this one done on time. Reminds me of when you were sorting out the suspension on the 04, then found out it was easy.

[ionbeam]

...Shaft bikes can't wheelie because of the counter-rotating-precession that shaft-jacks the bike onto it's side when power wheelied...

I think that post was just short one I had to check the calendar to see if it was April 1.

My Honda VF1100S (shaft drive) regularly went nearly vertical in any of the first three gears. From a flat road. My V-Max (shaft drive) mode of choice was to imitate a unicycle. My '04 FJR would 'power lift' the front wheel in first and second gear but it would wheelie quite nice when it was requested. My '15 with traction control off doesn't voluntarily wheelie unless intentionally provoked. At New England Dragway, with traction compound on the launch area pavement it's hard not to get monster wheelies with any year FJR.

[bigjohnsd]

...Shaft bikes can't wheelie because of the counter-rotating-precession that shaft-jacks the bike onto it's side when power wheelied...

I think that post was just short one I had to check the calendar to see if it was April 1.

My Honda VF1100S (shaft drive) regularly went nearly vertical in any of the first three gears. From a flat road. My V-Max (shaft drive) mode of choice was to imitate a unicycle. My '04 FJR would 'power lift' the front wheel in first and second gear but it would wheelie quite nice when it was requested. My '15 with traction control off doesn't voluntarily wheelie unless intentionally provoked. At New England Dragway, with traction compound on the launch area pavement it's hard not to get monster wheelies with any year FJR.

Do you run "Wheelie Bars"?

[ionbeam]

...Shaft bikes can't wheelie because of the counter-rotating-precession that shaft-jacks the bike onto it's side when power wheelied...

I think that post was just short one I had to check the calendar to see if it was April 1.

...At New England Dragway, with traction compound on the launch area pavement it's hard not to get monster wheelies with any year FJR.

Do you run "Wheelie Bars"?

First, let me say that I have never killed my clutch plates on any bike even when running them at the drag strip and track. The '04 was still going to the drag strip at 120k miles. Something abnormal was going on with Cav47's FJR.

If he can't find a solid reason for this clutch to burn up there is one check he needs to make:

• Engine and transmission at normal operating temperature

• Put a hose on the clutch slave bleeder

• Leave the cover on the clutch master cylinder

• Don't touch the clutch lever

• Crack open the slave bleeder

• Is any hydraulic fluid released like it's under pressure?

• If no, life is good

• If yes, time to troubleshoot the master cylinder, hoses and perhaps the slave to find out why pressure is retained

Now let me say:


I run my FJR on street nights or during bracket racing. If I set my FJR power and suspension to KILL, a wheelie bar would help. I don't go to kill my bike but do let all the horses run very hard. In bracket racing a consistent launch is much better than a lot of horsepower, tire smoke or wheelies. For reasons unknown I have always been very good at getting off the line with extremely fast reaction times. This regularly lets me best much quicker and faster bikes, it's up to the competing rider to run me down before the finish line. Using clutch control I balance traction and wheelie so that I carry the front wheel just a little off the track to get weight for traction on the rear tire. Even (ab)using the clutch like that I still never killed one.

[escapefjrtist]

Glad you got it sorted out Cav. Looking forward to seeing you in Red Lodge!

~G

[gixxerjasen]

The laws of physics state that shaft bikes cannot wheelie. Anyone who says they have seen or experienced a wheelie either imagined it or is lying. All photographs of shaft bikes in a wheelie are photoshopped. It's science people, can't happen.

Geez, it's been a long time since I've seen this argument come out, but here come the deniers of science.

[Hppants]

I can neither deny nor prove this science. I ride bad enough on two wheels.

So I’ll fold ‘em and move on...

[Bounce]

The laws of physics state that shaft bikes cannot wheelie. Anyone who says they have seen or experienced a wheelie either imagined it or is lying. All photographs of shaft bikes in a wheelie are photoshopped. It's science people, can't happen.

Geez, it's been a long time since I've seen this argument come out, but here come the deniers of science.

IKR? It's amazing how many people still buy into the myth of the shaft-drive-wheelie. It's nearly as many as believe laying it down is AVOIDING a crash or that loud pipes save lives.

[ionbeam]

...It's amazing how many people still buy into the myth that loud pipes save lives.

That's a myth? Hundreds of thousand Harley riders have been duped? Fake news.

[gixxerjasen]

...It's amazing how many people still buy into the myth that loud pipes save lives.

That's a myth? Hundreds of thousand Harley riders have been duped? Fake news.

It's a myth on normal motorcycles, however, the HD I rode recently, I'm pretty certain that laying it down would actually stop it faster than the crap brakes that were on that thing. Putting my feet down Flintstone style would have done more. After swapping from my GSX-S100 to that thing, I'm a believer in the "Had to lay it down" club.

[D-Eagle]

This interesting thread made me do my own clean and lube of the clutch pivot. At 29,000 miles my bushing looked a lot like Josh's. I have no idea how it is supposed to look. For $9 I added a replacement on with a rain jacket Revzilla order for the wife (so free shipping). Piece of mind i guess.

[ionbeam]

...thread made me do my own clean and lube of the clutch pivot...I have no idea how it is supposed to look...

Borrowed picture.

New...............................................................Old

[raYzerman]

This one taken out of my VFR when I first got it.... the clutch lever pivot bearing was also worn way past its best before date, pressed one out of an old lever to replace it.

[Cav47]

Jeez, you guys are skipping a bunch of maintenance items. Clean and lube your pivot points for crying out loud.


lol. What a difference it makes.

[Bounce]

Which is why a DETAILED service folder is important when looking at buying a used bike. It's also worth the effort for YOU as the seller when the time comes.

[danh600]

Which is why a DETAILED service folder is important when looking at buying a used bike. It's also worth the effort for YOU as the seller when the time comes.

I never got around to doing a folder for the FJR and paper work seems to get lost. I have done almost everything you are supposed to do to the FJR, but don't have the paper work to prove it.

I started a folder as soon as I got the MT-09. I put all the original paper work in there. I have the 600 mile service receipt. I have the windshield and custom seat receipt in there. I plan on putting paper work for everything I do to the bike. Really as much for me as for when I sell it. My memory is just not as good as it once was. It's easier to just look up when something was done than try to remember.