Quick question(s)

When you pull the leaver this is transferred to the worn drive which converts your pull into a push. So you are engaging the clutch.
You should have about a inch to a inch and a half of play in the leaver for a nice setup.

Originally Posted by Grinch

When you pull the leaver this is transferred to the worn drive which converts your pull into a push. So you are engaging the clutch.
You should have about a inch to a inch and a half of play in the leaver for a nice setup.

So if a clutch is not disengaged fully when the lever is out how would you tell?

Well its all a matter of experience, and feel. Mostly stiff/clunky gear selection, its a bit hard to iron down.

Originally Posted by Grinch

Well its all a matter of experience, and feel. Mostly stiff/clunky gear selection, its a bit hard to iron down.

But to have clunky gear change/selection you have to have the lever pulled in/clutch engaged. Im talking about the clutch not being fully disengaged, as in lever out, after shifting. Surely if a clutch was not fully disengaged it would manifest itself in one was or another while riding?

Sorry to be so pedantic here...just once i get a question in my head and all that

Well no, as other factors come into play when your riding, like what gear your in, chain, wear/lube/adjustment. Even the road surface, tyre wear, riding style. Where as when your not moving these things have limited factors. You tend to find when your not moving everything feels OK and the set-up right, but you get going and its all clunky, and in other situations that reverses. While there is a logical explanation to get to the source of the problem, its take a bit of trial and error to now it down. In addition not all bikes are the same, how it feels on the SV might not be the same on another bike due to the way the clutch is set-up. The wife's Duke clutch is hydraulic and feels heavier, and the action to the clutch is more direct, and almost feels a clunkier box. Where as I find a nice setup SV clutch light and smooth, with only occasionally clunky first and second. So when it get clunky its a warning sign to me that something is up, and probably needs adjusting.

Thanks for your time any patience Grinch All sorted in the noggin now. See kids, learning can be fun! Until the next random question time

I'm just waiting on someone to come along and tell you everything I said was rubbish and its all really this...

Originally Posted by noob-saibot

Are you engaging the clutch when the levers out, or disengaging? What about if the clutch is not fully (insert correct term) when the lever is fully out? Surely this would show up somehow while poodling along?

Clutch lever pulled in = clutch disengaged.
Lever out = clutch engaged.

I think Grinch's talk of the worm drive may have confused you a tad.

If a clutch is dragging (not disengaging fully) to any meaningful extent, you'll probably notice the bike pulling forwards whilst stationary but in gear. If it's slipping, or not engaging correctly, then with the lever out you might find the revs rising without the speed of the rear wheel increasing accordingly.

Originally Posted by Grinch

Well its normally clutch adjustment that causes the drag, with the clutch leaver in, the bike tries to move forward when its in first. The SV does it if you put the wrong oil in, as it doesn't like fully synthetic.
Most of the time its due to the worm drive not being greased, or adjusted, then from the lack of greasing the bearings break down and it just gets worse and worse.
The other are contributing factors, but you do need to keep a eye on that worm drive.

Mine does......