Newbie and a Slipping clutch

Hello everyone! Newbie Has a Question about a slipping Clutch. Thanks

Im a newbie to the VFR world. I am making a documentary of my travels from NYC to Buenos Aries Argentina on my 96 VFR. I will be filming the journey. I am also a musician and will be funding my travels playing at various bars, clubs and venues along the way.
Though I am new to VFR's I am not new to bikes. The last bike I had (about 8 yrs ago was an FJ.1200. It was mean to say the least. I researched the hell out of sport tourers and the Vfr seemed like the obvious choice.

Now for my first problem. I bought this bike a month ago and for a great price. Checked it out pretty well and drove it home. After a few days of getting used to it I decided to see what it could do. Heres the problem.
The Clutch is slipping. There is no play in the lever and it only slips when I really push it. It starts around 7000 to 8000 rpms. At first it only did it in 1st and 3rd but now Im finding it's doing it in all the gears. Not all the time, maybe 1 out of every three times I give it hell. The performance is obviously drastically different. In fact If the clutch engages the front tire easily comes of the ground with out playing with the lever at all. Im afraid I may have gotten such a great deal because it needs a new clutch, but I also know it could just use some simple adjustments. I havent worked on a bike in a long time, but I am mechanically inclined enough to do so. I better be for the trip im planning. I just need some pointers to get me looking in ther right direction to fix the problem so Any suggestions or comments to what could be the cause of this would be greatly appreciated. Also if anyone is in the NYC area and knows a good mechanic that works on and knows these bikes I would love to hear from you. I dont really see alot of VFR's in the city. Thanks for your time and Its nice to be a part of your forum. You all seem like a great bunch of people. But who wouldnt be happy go lucky when you get to ride one of these things every day.
J

 

It only slips when I really push it. Around 7-8 thousand is when it starts, drops out for maybe a second or half a second. It slips about 1 out of three times that I give it hell. At first it was only certain gears but now it slips in all of them. Ive owned the bike a month. Ive read on the forum that there is no such thing as adjusting the hydrolic clutch. Do I need to replace the clutch. :frown:

Thanks for your help and time.
Jason.

 

Jason, your VFR has a hydraulic clutch, so there is not adjustment. What you can do, is bleed the clutch system and by doing so replace old fluid with new fluid. You canuse DOT 4 or maybe even DOT 5 brake fluid. I tend to use DOT 4 when I can find it. Anyway, if that does not help the issue, then a new clutch is probably in order, though the slave cylinder may not be working as well as it should, since it does operate and you don't state that it is leaking, I would say this is most likely not part of the problem. Since you are capable of doing mechanical work, I will say the clutch plates are easy to replace. I change the clutch on my 93 in something like 2 hours and only becuase it was the first time I had done it on a VFR. I could have done it in less time if necessary. Typically, the friction plates are what is replaced, but my mindset is I want no problems from the clutch, so I replaced both friction and steel plates at the same time. This nearly eliminates the chance that I will have to do it again soon because the steel plate may heve been worn down close to the tolerance specs. Hope this hase been some help and I have not been confusing. Good luck and have fun on your trip.

 

Thanks Derstuka

It is a 96 VFR with 37k. I've put 2000 on it since I bought it a month ago, and the slippage has been progressivly getting worse. The bike is in good condition physically and mechanically besides this one issue. The guy I bought it from, who I know through a friend, said he never had the front tire of the ground and that the bike was a bit much for him. I believe him...hes a pretty timid, mild mannered guy. The bike was also physically to big for him. However half of the back coil above the brake light is missing wich it seems could have broke if it flipped over doing a wheelie. The first owner whom he knows and works with was a motorcycle mechanic so the bike seems to have been well maintained. Im not sure what the average milage is for a clutch replacement. Any Idea how much one cost's. Thanks for your help!

 

I recently bought a 99 with 43k miles on it. The clutch slips when getting on it, and the 'friction zone' is all the way at the end of lever travel. I had a guy at the dealer ride the bike and he said the same thing...time for a new clutch.

I'll probably just get a factory Honda clutch kit. Aftermarket parts haven't served me very well lately.

 

Sorry, This is my first time posting. It was an accident. Im not sure why it reposted, but thanks again for you invaluable advise.
Jason

 

It may have been because I merged two threads of the same subject. No probs.

 

could it be that the previous owner put in energy efficient oil and the clutch is slipping not because of a lack of clutch plate, but a lack of friction. Was the oil nice and clean when you went to look at the bike?

VFRs wet clutch needs a motorcycle oil... not any oil with the "energy conserving" in the bottom half of the SAE donut.

You'll have to change your oil to see if the slipping is reduced... get the filter too. :wink:






- this is almost an oil thread now

 

lol

The previous owner used full synthetic mobil 1. I would think that is top of the line? Im I wrong? He changed the oil every 3000 mls. I drove it 700 miles to get it home and a few more when I got it here so I am def. going to change the oil today or tomarrow. Ill let you know if it helps. Thanks
J

 

Some Mobil One oil has the "Energy Conserving" note on the bottom which makes it too slippery for your clutch to grip. Other Mobil One does not have the "Energy Conserving" note on the bottom.

Don't think that Mobil One, or synthetic is bad... just the energy conserving stuff :smile:

If it is the wrong kinda oil, the good news is that your engine is A-O.K. :biggrin: and it is alot easier to change oil than your clutch.

 

I missed the 37K = 37,000 + 2,000 miles = 39,000.0 miles!!

you need a new clutch dude.

Get it before you leave -or- you'll need to learn to say,"I need you to replace the clutch" in Spanish and Portugese -or try crunchy peanut butter: the nuts will provide some extra friction for the clutch :smile:

 

lol...it's actually 35 k + 2K but, yes I do think its time to replace the clutch...oh well. Funny thing is no matter what work I need to do it would be twice as cheap south of the border....and luckily I can say anything I need in spanish...hopefully I will have it all figured out before i have to speak any portugese. Thanks.
J

 

damn math!!!

35K + 2K = 37K... right.

You still need a new clutch, see? I think it will be more expensive at South of the Border, but they do have a nice sombero water tower there.:wink:

http://www.pedroland.com/

 

lol

Maybe a clutch might be more, but anything made of plastic or rubber is about a 1/4 or the gringo cost. Its all made down there....just about everything. Some stuff is made in asia and some is made here but rubber and plastic cheeeeep!!!!!