The clutch feel has recently changed on my 1958 99. There is now rather more slack in the clutch lever than until recently and a straining sound from the lever itself. I had just altered the timing to get the bike picking up and revving better and I had been exploiting the extra performance so I think I may have shaken something loose. Should my first call be to remove the chain case and check the clutch fixings?
Cable Probably about to…
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Check, check, check
Robert has identified the likely cause.
The cable end barrel can also become worn and then stops turning smoothly inside the clutch lever.
But also check the gearbox mainshaft nut inside the pressure plate.
Inspect the actuator arm inside the Gearbox cover. This may no longer be lined up with the cable or the whole mechanism may have come loose.
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hello, is the outer cable…
hello, is the outer cable collapsing in on its self.
barry
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Thanks for the ideas - I'm…
Thanks for the ideas - I'm hoping to make it up to Gaydon / Fenny Compton on the bike on the 16th June.
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The nipple needs grease to…
The nipple needs grease to turn freely in the hand lever. Stiffness makes the steel strands break.
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Be prepared
as they say in the Boy Scouts. Buy a new cable, and if you don't have enough time now to change it over, at least tape it up in position, so that if it does fail, you have a chance of getting mobile again. Make sure it is adequately lubricated, then put a small bag or something over the top, to stop rainwater getting in.
Some people do this as a matter of course, along with a duplicate front brake cable.
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The cable is on order…
The cable is on order. Luckily I have my 'modern' ('86 Yamaha) to buzz round on and possibly attend Daventry Festival of Motorcycling on Saturday. So far I have been impressed with the way the 99 feels on the road in comparison to the Yamaha - this may be a lot to do with the 99 having fresher rubber and suspension components.
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I checked out the existing…
I checked out the existing cable, dismantling and lubricating the clutch lever - the noise / feel had been coming from the rubbing or catching of the cable against the lever where it was attached - no strands visibly broken. There may also have been an issue with the routing of the cable under the tank (which I had removed / refitted recently). Things now feel normal again from the clutch lever point of view. I'm assuming this is all down to having a machine that was rebuilt but not greatly used after rebuild - I just have to monitor the tightness of fasteners.
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Cable Probably about to break. If not then check the clutch center nut is secure.