85' VF500F Clutch

Is there any way to adjust the clutch on an 85' VF500F Interceptor?

My book says it's automatic & not adjustable.

As I am letting out the clutch nothing happens until I am about 80% of the way out & then it starts to grab. I hate that, I like it to start dragging about half way out.

If it were a cable I would want to screw the adjusters in to shorten the cable.

I haven't felt the clutch slip but I haven't been wailing on it either. It engages real smooth but just too far out for my taste.

What are my options as to adjusting the clutch?

Thanks in advance.

 

You are correct....the clutch is not adjustable.

Maybe try some adjustable levers?

Did you try bleeding the clutch? (for shits and giggles)

 

+1.

As a first step bleed the hydraulic clutch line and replace with new brake fluid.

 

Will do, thanks.

If that doesn't change it, would changing the clutch pushrod length perhaps work?

Buy one on Ebay cheap, shorten it a little at a time & get it where I like it. Whadya think?

Put my new 85' Interceptor back together with a clean fuel system. Didn't take the carbs off as I haven't found a reasonably priced kit. Douched out the entire fuel system, capped an open vacuum line, new air & fuel filters. I am hoping that my high speed surging was caused by (1) the open vacuum line, (2) the 1.5 quarts of MUDDY WATER (I shit you not) extracted from the fuel system. The slides were a little catchy so I hosed them down with WD-40 & they smoothed right out. Hopefully it will run nice & smooth at highway speed.

Next I'm gonna install my 16T front sprocket. 6500 RPM @ 70mph is a little high for me. The 16T gives me 6.7% decrease in gear ratio & that means +8 mph in 6th gear. Got the sprocket new for $13 on Ebay, hell yeah.

I'm gonna ride that thing tomorrow even if it's raining steel.

 

It's 29 degrees out with 80% humidity. That comes out to a wind chill of 8 degrees at 65 mph. And there's a 30% chance of snow.

And I'm going for a test run!

 

Bleed your hydraulic lines out first. Sounds like the springs on your clutch might be worn out or maybe thats just how the bike is if its always been like that.

 

Mine was similar on it's maiden voyage to my house. It was a bit unnerving once I realized that the clutch shouldn't be like that. I found two things wrong once I got it home:

1) The clutch lever looked like it had been through a giant eyelash curler.

2) The fluid in the reservoir was very low, indeed.

I've changed the levers on both sides, and that has alleviated the grand majority of the problem.

I'm waiting on some watch crystal and new screws to show up so I can redo the sight glass on the master cylinder.... Unfortunately, the old screws in both the master cylinders are rusted and stuck so it will take some drilling before I'll be able to flush the fluid in the front end/clutch. I'm planning on doing all of that at once: drain, replace sight glass, refill/flush.