moto fugazzi Posted October 7, 2015 Posted October 7, 2015 On my 2004 V11 (12k miles), the clutch engages when the lever is almost all of the way out. On my old 2001 V11, the clutch would engage very close to the handlebar grip. From what I understand, there is no way to adjust this. And here's what I noticed over the past few months with my 2004: The bike used to shift smoothly, and I realized that it's been more "notchy" feeling lately. If I pull the clutch in slightly while at speed, the discs will slip. I just bled the clutch, and I have cleaned/lubed the shift linkage to try and improve shifting. No improvements. Tranny fluid was replaced about 2k miles ago. It's not that the bike is unrideable, but I'd like to get it back to shifting properly. Any ideas? Not sure if a broken spring in the clutch m/c would cause this problem, but I'd like to get a rebuild kit before I would tear into this. Ken
Scud Posted October 8, 2015 Posted October 8, 2015 Yeah, getting into the clutch is a commitment. I don't have any words of wisdom on the clutch internals. But on the lever side of the equation, I assume you've already tried the adjuster on the clutch lever and still can't get it where you like it. I got Pazzo shorty levers that have 7 positions for adjustment. It was easy to find a comfortable position.
GuzziMoto Posted October 8, 2015 Posted October 8, 2015 First I would make sure it is not an external issue. There is an adjuster screw where the lever pushes on the master cylinder piston. If that is mis-adjusted that could likely cause your issue. Plus there is the obvious adjustment of the lever itself. Have you flushed / bled / changed the clutch fluid?
czakky Posted October 8, 2015 Posted October 8, 2015 If you do adjust the adjuster screw that Guzzimoto mentions I suggest making very small adjustments. Don't ask me how I know....
moto fugazzi Posted October 8, 2015 Author Posted October 8, 2015 I bled the system using the gravity feed method that gstallons wrote about a few years ago: http://www.v11lemans.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=14093&hl=clutch%20cylinder I filled the reservoir about 6 times without letting it run dry. I did play with the clutch lever No. 1-4 settings, and 2&3 seem to work the best. I did play with the screw adjustment a little about 1 week ago when the shift lever wouldn't return back up after a downshift, unless I released the clutch. I had that issue a few times this summer during hot weather. Turning the adjustment screw clockwise made the pedal sticking worse, while counter clockwise helped, although it didn't change at which point the clutch would engage while releasing the lever. After bleeding the clutch, I now have the adjustment screw at it's factory setting. No shift lever sticking so far. I did find a clutch rebuild kit, and that may be a winter project. This looks like the same kit that DOCC bought back a while ago. Ken http://www.gothamcycles.com/Bodyworkhtml/ducati-brembo-12mm-front-brake--clutch-master-cylinder-rem-rec-seal-rebuild-kit.html
GuzziMoto Posted October 8, 2015 Posted October 8, 2015 The shift lever sticking is not clutch related. That is usually a case of adjusting / lubing the shift linkage, or it could be the shifter spring. It is not the clutch.
docc Posted October 8, 2015 Posted October 8, 2015 Lately my shifting has gotten "notchy" also leading me to consider fluid changes and such. Scud had me take close look at my shift lever and found it had, once again, picked up a lot of play at the inboard mount. I had shimmed it years back, but the shim had crushed over time. New shim, nice and tight, and the shifting is much better! I remember some reports that changing the rear drive oil could affect shift changes as well. But lever movement is probably more a function of the lever itself (shimming, striking the porkchop), or the internal shift plate mechanism/spring.
andy york Posted October 9, 2015 Posted October 9, 2015 How many miles on the bike and is it a single plate or twin platter? I have 115,000 miles on mine. Original clutch. I don't drag race but I'm not "easy " on it either.With what you have told us, I would say its not the clutch itself . I think you have other problem/problems. andy
Scud Posted October 9, 2015 Posted October 9, 2015 There's a long pivot bolt for the shift lever - you mentioned you cleaned the linkage, did you pull that pivot bolt out and lube it while you were there? I found that mine had gotten a bit corroded.
moto fugazzi Posted October 9, 2015 Author Posted October 9, 2015 Docc, where did you get those shims from, or are they just washers? BTW, nice amp! I didn't know you also play. Andy, I believe I have the twin plater, and about 12k on the bike. The bike did sit in storage for about 5 years, but it used to shift perfectly, and now it's getting more notchy feeling. Scud, which pivot bolt are you talking about? The knurled bolt the the base of the shifter physically mounts to? I'm assuming that I'll have to take off the side cover in order to do that. Thanks for everyone's help so far! I'm sure it's just a simple cleaning or adjustment. Ken
Scud Posted October 9, 2015 Posted October 9, 2015 Scud, which pivot bolt are you talking about? The knurled bolt the the base of the shifter physically mounts to? I'm assuming that I'll have to take off the side cover in order to do that. By side cover, you mean the porkchop? If so, then no, that stays on. But it's easiest to do with the shock reservoir out of the way - one nut on the back of the porkchop. The long bolt goes through the porkchop, then through the widest part of the shift lever (on which it pivots), then threads into the tab on the frame, then there is another nut on the back side of the threaded tab. To remove the bolt (and lever), you first have to undo the nut on the inboard side of the threaded tab. Docc's picture shows the threaded tab clearly - and the hole in the porkchop where the long bolt was removed. I used waterproof grease - same stuff I use for axle lube.
moto fugazzi Posted October 11, 2015 Author Posted October 11, 2015 Scud, which pivot bolt are you talking about? The knurled bolt the the base of the shifter physically mounts to? I'm assuming that I'll have to take off the side cover in order to do that. By side cover, you mean the porkchop? If so, then no, that stays on. But it's easiest to do with the shock reservoir out of the way - one nut on the back of the porkchop. The long bolt goes through the porkchop, then through the widest part of the shift lever (on which it pivots), then threads into the tab on the frame, then there is another nut on the back side of the threaded tab. To remove the bolt (and lever), you first have to undo the nut on the inboard side of the threaded tab. Docc's picture shows the threaded tab clearly - and the hole in the porkchop where the long bolt was removed. I used waterproof grease - same stuff I use for axle lube. Sorry, I was thinking of the shaft that the linkage connects to at the tranny. I wasn't thinking things through properly at that time. I did take it all apart, clean and grease everything (I also found out that if you over torque the bolt (even by a little), then the pedal will bind up). Everything shifts so much better, but the clutch lever seems to want to be in the No. 2 or 3 position. No. 1 engages the clutch too far out for my liking, and No. 4 has a few shifting issues at times, and finding neutral while stopped is a little difficult. Thanks again everyone! Ken 1
docc Posted October 12, 2015 Posted October 12, 2015 @Ken -so you've got it sorted? All good now? (The "shims" were, first - a bronze crush washer that didn't hold up as well as I had hoped, although it was probably in there 30,000 miles; and the current one which is a stainless steel washer.) Thanks for the compliment on the amp. I love my tube (valve) amp! It's one of the joyous things in my life that always reminds me of the V11!
GuzziMoto Posted October 12, 2015 Posted October 12, 2015 Sorry to be off topic, but I love tube amps as well. I have a Mesa Boogie tube amp, a little one, that I love the sound / tone of. I am not that good a player, but I like the sound of tube amps. Maybe it is not surprising on a Guzzi site that tube amps are also well respected.
moto fugazzi Posted October 12, 2015 Author Posted October 12, 2015 I have a few bass tube amps as well...a Marshall JCM800 Bass, and a Music Man 100B. I have one of these tubes on my clutch arm as well:
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