Different reaction with throttle twisting...

[CA]

Hey guys, its been a while! Mainly because the bike has been running smooth as can be, plus graduation, moving, new job, vacation etc. Anyways I was taking my first bike trip down the Natchez Trace, an amazing motorcycle road, and beforehand I changed my idle setting because it was way too low. That may or may not be connected, but during the trip i noticed if i twisted the throttle a good ways the response was noticeably different than it used to be.

Its hard to describe but I felt like it used to really dig in and rocket me and I gave it full throttle. It seemed that the RPM's would stay low and gradually go up and usually it would almost stick around 7k rpm as the speed flew higher. I guess the best way to describe it would be torque.

Yet on the trip and now I notice when I give it WOT the RPM's immediately would go up, it almost sounded as the engine was straining, and I would be at the redline before I knew it. There wasn't that satisfying "dig in" torque feeling, and while I haven't timed it or anything it doesn't feel as fast in acceleration.

Any idea's? Hope all is well with everyone. THanks

[XJOK2PLAY]

Possible clutch slippage? How many miles?

[CA]

It only has about 13000 miles...i havent replaced the middle or final gear oil or added to them since i have had the bike....

[bikerphil]

Clean or change the air filter maybe.

[RUSH]

Did you use synthetic oil? That will make the clutch slip. Oh, and someone once mentioned that weight gain can make the bike feel and ride different. As my stock broker always says "past performance is no indication of future performance". He's an ass too.

[TopCatGr58]

I think XJok2play got it,

IF the rpm is rising, but the bike isn't going any faster, then you've got some clutch slippage. Occurs normally with clutch wear, the plates get thinner, and the throwout rod keeps pushing the pressure plates apart, and they don't grab all of the frictions and steels like they should.

See the tech tips, Maintanence, adjusting the clutch at the engine cover, and that should solve the problem, unless you have Xsive clutch plate wear and/or clutch spring wear, being sprung!

Hopefully you haven't changed from Dino to Synthetic oil in the engine, it's okay in the middle and final drives, but can lead to clutch slippage in the engine!
T.C.

[CA]

bad boys

No I havent changed to synthetic, which then it seems weird its all of a sudden but I guess clutch sounds to be the culprit? I'll look into the fix. Is it bad for it to drive it while its slipping?

Oh and I was talking to a guy at starbucks just now about his nice new bmw bike, and i told him I had a xs1100 and he said "oh man! those used to be the bad boys around!"

I just smiled.

[RUSH]

They still are bad boys!

[DiverRay]

If you put in new clutch springs, and re-adjust the clutch, your problem will probably be solved. At 13K miles, you should have another 50K on the clutch! The good news is you can replace the clutch springs without draining the oil! Just get the best "heavy duty" springs you can find.

[CA]

Dumb Question

I have never played with a clutch before so I have no idea what half the terms mean including clutch springs, so if I pop off the clutch cover do I need to drain any oil? Is there a gasket there that I would need to replace? I need to see it before I understand anything. I want to try the clutch cable adjustment but the tech tip didnt say anything about draining oil or replacing gaskets....sorry learning as i go!!

Thanks!

[oseaghdha]

I have never played with a clutch before so I have no idea what half the terms mean including clutch springs, so if I pop off the clutch cover do I need to drain any oil? Is there a gasket there that I would need to replace? I need to see it before I understand anything. I want to try the clutch cable adjustment but the tech tip didnt say anything about draining oil or replacing gaskets....sorry learning as i go!!

Thanks!

Read thru this for details, it shows what's in there.
You don't need to go past the part about the springs, obviously.

[TopCatGr58]

Hey CA,

To do the simple clutch cable and lever adjustment, you don't need to take off the entire clutch housing, just the small cover plate that's held on with 2 philips head screws, and it's DRY under there, no gasket. ONLY if you need to work on the actual clutch basket, then you would pull the housing cover off, and would possibly need a replacement gasket, and if you do this on the side stand, you may not need to drain the oil.

To see what it looks like, look in the tech tips under the Mods, extra steel clutch plate, several photos there showing whats behind the clutch adjustment cover and the main clutch housing.
T.C.

[CA]

thanks. I will try and adjust the cable and see if that does anything before I have to get into draining the oil, getting a new gasket etc.

[Dragon Tamer]

Yes, you can pull the clutch cover off with the bike on the side stand without draining the oil. I have done it several times. However, this last weekend I was planning on redoing the clutch in the Black Dragon and so put it on the side stand and pulled the cover. For the first time ever in this situation I wrecked the gasket and so delayed the rest of the project until I could get one.
This morning when I opened the shed to get a bike out to go to work I found that I had forgotten one other thing that I should have done before starting the project.
The Black Dragon (being a fairly recent addition to the fleet) does not have a gremlin bell installed on it as of yet. So of course a gremlin had moved right in and taken up residence somewhere in the bike. I suspect somewere in the area of the back wheel as the rear tire had gone flat causing the bike to somewhat stand up more vertically on the side stand. This caused the thing to self drain its oil all over the shed floor. Ah well, it needed an oil change shortly anyway and the oil on the floor will help keep the dust down.
Before I even lay another hand on it I will install a gremlin bell!!!

[TopCatGr58]

Hey Dragon,

I didn't post it in my "Reason" thread, but we had to make a clutch cover gasket. Used a roll of the rubber mixed type gasket material, just drew an outline, pressed the gasket against the inside lip/edge to make a tracing mark, and used my pen refill(skinnier) to fit down into the bolt holes to draw the holes, and then used a single hole punch to punch out the bolt holes, just scissors to cut out the remainder, marked the dowel holes and again used the single punch to make them, just taking several bites to make them a little larger. Only took 10 minutes, good as OEM!
T.C.