2003 VFR800, 85,000km (52k miles) I just replaced my levers yesterday with some generic adjustable things, nothing fancy but I would have preferred stock. 20 minutes after installing them, riding in heavy traffic, clutch starts slipping. I barely noticed it at first, but every time I pulled the clutch in and released, it would start slipping a little more. Eventually I had to roll on to the shoulder as I had no more power to the rear. A bit exasperated, I decided on a whim to open the bleeder valve and fluid shot out as if it was under pressure. After closing it back up, my clutch wasn't slipping any more so I mounted up and carried on. A half hour later, still in traffic, the same thing happens. Clutch starts slipping a little at first, and gets worse every time I pull in and release the lever. Again I have to pull over, and again opening the bleeder valve releases some pressure and the clutch re-engages. I can't for the life of me figure out why pumping the clutch lever is causing pressure to accumulate. Could it be the new lever? I've pulled apart the lever and greased everything. The push rod in the master cylinder doesn't seem to be binding on anything. I'm working on changing the fluid but I've stripped one of the screws in the cylinder so I have to sort that out first. On that note, is it normal for brake fluid in the clutch to turn black after a few months? I put new fluid in earlier this year, so I'm a bit surprised that it's black already. Any suggestions are appreciated. I'm at a loss with this one.
