Hypermotard 1100. Brand new clutch 500 miles ago. Notice just the last couple of hundred miles it’s now a pig to get into neutral. I’ve bled it through a couple of times and just done it again today after a ride. Know this is a common thing with our bikes but I hate it. Read it can be a few things and pretty much narrowed it down to it being because it’s a relatively new clutch. I have put a aftermarket slave and also adjustable levers but I’m sure it was ok the few times I used it after these was fitted
When you say “new clutch” - what do you mean? Entire assembly (hub, basket, steel and friction plates and pressure plate) or a combination of the assembly? What make were the parts? How was the stack height? As you have made a number of changes it could be due to one or all. My money is on the slave or stack height. I have an M1100 which is the same engine and never had a problem getting neutral.
Just new plates. Couldn’t tell you anything about them as they was fitted when engine was rebuilt last year. It definitely didn’t do it the first 300 miles though and was ok when I fitted the new slave at first.
It’s not the gear selector spring it’s clutch drag. You say you have new adjustable levers. How are they adjusted, close to the bar or far away? If you adjust them out as far as possible I’d lay money on your problem will go away. I had a new to me ST4S. It was fine but the hotter it got, especially in traffic the more the clutch dragged and the less I could find neutral. The aftermarket lever was on position 2, 1 being the position where it’s closest to the bar, but it was nice and easy to reach & operate especially in traffic. As the engine/clutch got hotter the more it dragged. I whipped the clutch cover off, saw that actuation of the lever moved the plates about 0.5mm. Adjusted the lever to position 5. Could still reach it but now it moved the master cylinder a further 1mm which equate to an extra 1mm on the pushrod which equate to better plate separation which means I no longer get the drag and can always find neutral, even when hot.
This may help.. https://www.ducatiforum.co.uk/threads/clutch-stack-height-and-plate-count.62002/page-4#post-1671732 If nothing has changed other than the levers and slave then you've answered your own question. First Principles... " What has changed? " I'd do as Paul suggests and look at levers first. If it's those vile aftermarket shorty things from a cheap chinese supplier just throw them in the bin. The distance that the lever works on will proportionally affect the throw of the slave. If (a) is shorter it will affect (x) resulting in reduced (t) meaning that the slave cylinder piston won't move as far. Alternatively see how many plates need to be removed before it starts to play nice - this will give you an indication as well as to where to start trouble shooting.
To be honest guys I thought I made sure the lever was on the fullest extended position. But when I looked yesterday it had one more click to go. They are short levers. But not cheap Chinese shit. I made sure I brought some quality ones. Next time I go out I’ll find out if this cures the problem. I’m pretty sure it’s not the slave as it wasn’t doing it directly after it was fitted. Then again I don’t think it was doing it directly after the levers went on
Well, yes, x will be shorter but that doesn't mean t will be. Levers innit? If his fingers are in the same position on the shorter levers and he's applying the same force then t will be the same. But if b is shorter..
