cafe PITA is alive and I have questions.

[MeatTooth]

I took the rattle can bike out for the first time this morning and it was running fine and sounded good then I goosed it and it kinda revved real high but didn't go anywhere. It stayed in gear and then would eventually hook up and try to tear my arms off!!!!

It feels and sounds like the clutch is slipping but I'm not sure. Has anyone else expericned this? Also I know that there is the second gear problem but I don't know what that feels like so if any members have experienced that please share with the rest of the class.

[Silent]

Sounds like clutch slippage to me. There's several possible cures in the tech section at the top of the page. Including adding plates and heavy duty springs.

[MeatTooth]

Thanks... I'm relieved that it's not the 2nd gear problem!

[motoman]

Clean choice of style to get one back up and alive again. Nice job! Slack up your clutch cable and check the adjustment under side cover. Read tech. tips for adjusting that location first, then at your cable. If still slippin', replace the clutch springs. IMHO, I would NOT add the extra steel plate. It WILL eventually collapse the new springs, then your back where U started. Heat is always your enemy pertaining to motors, and unnecessarily putting additional load on clutch springs I would avoid. Know this has been a mod. several have done here, but will come back to haunt many,many thousands of miles later. After your adjustments are correct, you might change oil and be sure and use a 20-50wt automotive oil of your choice, no syn. or with modifiers such as any 5-30w, 10-40w or for the most part any 15-40w with Shell Rotella being the exception in 15-40w, which IMO and several others here is one of your top choices. Stay away from any of bike dealers oils for these motors since these were before ceramics and teflon that's widely used internally in todays bike motors. just my 2cents, plus your motor will be happier. Maybe worst case scenario would be replacing clutch springs, and OEM or aftermarket would work fine..

[MeatTooth]

I guess I'll change the oil to the 20W auto type since I just put in some castrol GTX synth stuff the bike shop recomended. I have found out that the dealers do not have a clue about these old bikes. It pisses me off to no end that they don't know their products or have the ability to support them.

Oh well thanks for the heads up on the oil and I believe I read somewhere that you don't have to drain the oil just put the bike over on it's side stand to access the clutch is this true?

[fredintoon]

Sequencing

I guess I'll change the oil to the 20W auto type since I just put in some castrol GTX synth stuff the bike shop recomended. I have found out that the dealers do not have a clue about these old bikes. It pisses me off to no end that they don't know their products or have the ability to support them.

Oh well thanks for the heads up on the oil and I believe I read somewhere that you don't have to drain the oil just put the bike over on it's side stand to access the clutch is this true?

Hi 'Tooth,
dealers don't want to know about and have no parts for 29 year old cars neither.
Yes, lean the bike over on it's sidestand and you can get at the clutch while not spilling the oil.
If you are careful.
But in your case, why bother? You are swapping back to non-synthetic oil anyway.
Drain the oil, change the oil filter, fix the clutch and put the cover back on THEN pour the new oil in.

[MeatTooth]

But in your case, why bother? You are swapping back to non-synthetic oil anyway.
Drain the oil, change the oil filter, fix the clutch and put the cover back on THEN pour the new oil in

Good Call I'm an idiot. I'll try that out tomorrow and see what happens

[MrOzz]

Interesting. Like the cafe. How does it stop with no rear brake?

Ozz

[Silent]

Stopping is over rated

[XSokieSPECIAL]

Hey MT,

I had the same problem with my clutch when I first got mine going. I was running 15W40 Rotella, I switched to 20w50 Castrol 4 cycle oil and it went away completely after I rode it for about 200 miles. You can get that oil at O'Reillys., about 3 bucks a quart. Worth it.

Did you get the messages I sent you about the tanks on ebay and get one, or is that the old one revitalized?

Greg

[furious4]

clutch

I would first check the adjustment under the side cover. when i changed my bars to drag bars that left alot of cable to route. In doing so some how the inside cable got pushed down and was catching the shoulder so was not seated in the lever and causing my clutch never to fully disengage. I also agree to change that syn. oil. good luck

[MeatTooth]

How does it stop with no rear brake?

Not very good! I got on it in third gear and that was fast enough to make me not feel comfortable with just front brakes. The rear brake is going to be setup when I make my new exhaust that will be routed under the frame. The brake pedal will hit my pipe the way it is now.

had the same problem with my clutch when I first got mine going. I was running 15W40 Rotella, I switched to 20w50 Castrol 4 cycle oil and it went away completely after I rode it for about 200 miles. You can get that oil at O'Reillys., about 3 bucks a quart. Worth it.

Did you get the messages I sent you about the tanks on ebay and get one, or is that the old one revitalized?

I just picked some of the oil up tonight. And the tank seems to be working for now but it still has some rust inside of it. I put a gallon of evirorust from orileys in it for about a week and kept rotating in a new position every day. That stuff works pretty well, but a gallon couldn't reach some spots. has anyone noticed that it's a standard tank with a special cap? just don't look to close at the bodywork my welding kinda warped it up......not kinda a whole lot......got impatient.

[XJOK2PLAY]

Hi, MeatTooth...

Yeah, these bikes use a "wet" type clutch. If you use synthetic oil, it can cause it to start slipping. 20w50 std. oil's the ticket...

If you ever develope the dreaded 2nd gear problem, you'll know it!

When you get on it hard, it'll slip out of the gear cogs... gives you a ratcheting-type effect... first time it does it'll scare the crap outta ya.

Just swap oil, clutch should be happier after that.

[XSokieSPECIAL]

I took the rattle can bike out for the first time this morning and it was running fine and sounded good then I goosed it and it kinda revved real high but didn't go anywhere. It stayed in gear and then would eventually hook up and try to tear my arms off!!!!

It feels and sounds like the clutch is slipping but I'm not sure. Has anyone else expericned this? Also I know that there is the second gear problem but I don't know what that feels like so if any members have experienced that please share with the rest of the class.

It looks-----------------DANGEROUS!

Be careful brother. Nice work!

[trbig]

IMHO, I would NOT add the extra steel plate. It WILL eventually collapse the new springs, then your back where U started. Heat is always your enemy pertaining to motors, and unnecessarily putting additional load on clutch springs I would avoid. Know this has been a mod. several have done here, but will come back to haunt many,many thousands of miles later.

I laughed my azz off at this. Especially the last sentence.. since most springs are going to fail "Many many thousands of miles later.."

So you smash a spring in there with the stock setup.. but adding just one little slim stock steel is going to be the straw that broke the camel's back and collapse the spring, huh? Do you have any proof for this statement? Have you run springs with an extra disc until the clutches failed.. then measured the springs... then done it with a stock setup and run it until fail.. then measure those same exact type and brand of springs?

Many people on here are running the setup with an extra steel plate, and we'd love to see your research. In the mean time.. those with this mod that go many many thousands of miles with no problems and a better stiffer clutch... then finally starts slipping... a new set of $16 springs and 20 minutes gets you back and running.

I will admit that mine has started slipping again, and I do actually wonder if it's caused by a case of the steel plate against steel plate thing, but I was racing guys and doing many many launches and wheelies with the 750 final drive when it started slipping finally. BUT.. I thought I'd just pull the extra steel plate out and put it back together before I came on here and told of my experiences.. instead of making a bold statement on opinion. Especially when many many others find something works just fine...


Tod