I've read all the manuals... That is not the issue. It's that I don't understand the jargon. What is clutch "slipping"? There's nothing in the manual that tells me what that means, so I don't know if it's happening.

Same thing with "free play". Is free play:
- the amount of space the lever moves BEFORE placing tension on the cable (ie without any force in your grip, jiggling the lever slightly forward and back)

or

- Is it AFTER placing tension (gripping) on the cable?

I've read the manual, many times. I love manuals actually. But the manual assumes people Understand all this terminology. I don't, and I think if I did, I could fix these problems. Which is why I am hoping someone here could help.

 

If the clutch is slipping, the engine revs are rising without the motorcycle going faster.

Free play is the amount of movement in the lever before tension is applied to the cable.

 

or, walking your intellect thru it;
when you start off, releasing your clutch lever slowly,
as opposed to dropping the clutch [ releasing lever quickly]
the clutch plates are not yet fully engaging, ie; slipping..
there you, are slipping your clutch..

starting off up a very steep hill requires more slipping
of the clutch to take up power that starting downhill..

we want to be able to slip our clutch..
this allows smooth acceleration from rest..
but we also want full engagement of clutch plates,
once we are underway and riding normally
so as to transfer all power to the wheel..
including slowing down using engine braking..

to 'play out' means to feed out gradually..
feeding rope over a cliff say, each section of rope
fed out is the play,, whereas the rope between your
hands, not under tension, is its free play..

experienced riders may prefer less, freeplay,
for immediate reactions to finger control,
whereas novices may prefer more freeplay
to allow for untrained finger movements..

some ride with finger/s on, levers,, but if fingers
were flexed, taking up the free play, that could cause
slight disengagement of clutch plates or slipping..

there are slight differences in tolerances between
moving parts including lever mounts and
the cable itself inside its outer housing,
including bends in position and when
handlebars are turned..
freeplay at the lever thus also helps
with smooth cable operation..

 

So:
If free play is the movement of the lever BEFORE I apply tension to the cable...

Does that mean that as soon as I start to feel tension when gripping the lever, the cable is starting to disengage the clutch?

I had no idea this was the case. I thought free play just referred to the distance you have to pull the lever in toward the handlebar for clutch disengagement to take place! I thought the adjuster on the handle bar was meant to adjust the clutch engagement point, but in fact...all it does is adjust the amount of free play in the lever?

Thanks for the explanation eh?

 

So:
If free play is the movement of the lever BEFORE I apply tension to the cable...

Does that mean that as soon as I start to feel tension when gripping the lever, the cable is starting to disengage the clutch?

That IS correct!

I had no idea this was the case. I thought free play just referred to the distance you have to pull the lever in toward the handlebar for clutch disengagement to take place! I thought the adjuster on the handle bar was meant to adjust the clutch engagement point, but in fact...all it does is adjust the amount of free play in the lever?

Thanks for the explanation eh?

Please don't be shy about asking questions! We are here to help!
It can be tough if you don't have any experienced friends or relatives to ask when you are new to the sport.
And in this day and age, no one but the hardest core gearhead buys a car or a truck with a clutch, so you are not likely to have that experience beforehand. I was lucky, my 2nd car (and many more) had one. Sink or swim, as I recall.

 

What is the point of free play then? What use is the lever when its in the free play "zone"? It seems inefficient to me, why not just have a nice tight lever with no play that starts to disengage the clutch as soon as you apply tension? Is there a practical purpose for adding free play to the lever?

 

Yes, there is a point, and it is very important.

When the clutch lever has play (no tension), then the mechanic can be assured that the springs are completely compressed, putting maximum pressure on the clutch pack (the stack of discs).

When you pull in the clutch lever, you are engaging the lifter mechanism, and separating the plates.
When you release the lever, the springs take over, pushing the plates together.
If there is no free play, then there may be some pressure on the lifter mechanism, very slightly separating the plates. If this is happening during locomotion, it will quickly ruin the friction material on the friction plates, because they are slipping constantly.

This is the first time I have tried to explain it, so I may not be doing a very good job.

I suggest watching this video https://youtu.be/TcYsV063lk8
and if that is not good enough, there are several other videos that may help.

Perhaps some other forum members can help, too.

And relax, you don't have to learn it all tonight!

 

I think I get it in motorcycle class, they did show us a set of clutch plates from a motorycle to explain how the clutch works (so I get that much!)

But now I see the importance of free play. Basically, if you have free play, you know there's no tension on the cable when the lever is fully extended (I.e. You're not pulling it) and therefore the springs in the clutch are fully pushing the entire mechanism together, transmitting maximum power.

ISSUE:
Going back to one of my original comments...I am wondering if an issue I am having with the bike is even related to the clutch lever now. Let's say I'm driving the bike, in 1st, on a flat road. When I release the clutch lever, and get up to about 10 km/h on the throttle, I let the throttle go (stop giving it gas). So now, my hands are simply resting on the handlebars. The bike starts to slow down to about 5, but instead of keeping on SLOWING DOWN and stalling out....it just keeps puttering along at about 5 km/h until I hit the brakes, and only that that point, does it slow down and stall. Is this normal for the bike? Why is it "self-propelling" itself at 5 km/h and stopping itself from stalling out? Is this purposely done so that people don't accidentally stall, or is this abnormal bike function?

I may need to see a mechanic if the bike isn't supposed to self-propel like this. Maybe it's giving the engine too much gas when the throttle isn't even being touched. So maybe my problem was never with the clutch adjustment but in fact, has something to do with throttle or idle adjustment.

 

first gear is made for starting on hills and for
fast take off at the lights etc, and for when
carrying a pillion or other loads..
your bike idles at around 1500rpm
which with high ratio first gear
is enough to continue slowly..

remember you always have control
of any, power to rear wheel, with clutch..
down that slow and in first you would be
about to come to a stop normally
such as at the lights etc..
just use your clutch lever together with
throttle, to feed in as much power
as you want for the situation..

eg, riding slowly in small circles
typically requires first gear, clutch
and rear brake feathering..
[just another reason for
skills practicing]