[SomeBaldGuy]

Hi All. While I have a 1300C, this question is general for clutches and concerns my son's Shadow 750.

Some TLDR notes:

• Extremely long clutch-lever travel when purchased a few weeks ago, but it test rode fine and rode the 8 or so miles home fine with no problems.
• Bike sat for a few weeks, then we did some basic clutch-lever adjustments and changed the oil with appropriate motorcycle oil and K&N filter.
• Next test ride after oil change, clutch starts slipping about 3 miles into ride, then only moves the bike at 10% throttle...anything above that just send the engine into free revving as if the clutch lever were pulled in. Bike moved very slowly with clutch barely engage at all.
• I checked oil level after returning...level was perfect, but it definitely smelled like burnt material (I assume clutch).
• Assumption is that we need to replace clutch...any recommendations for clutch kits?

Now, the longer version:

We bought the bike, and the clutch lever would not engage/release the clutch until about 80% of lever release. We did a few adjustments to it for better lever feel where it would engage/release the clutch about 50-60% of lever travel.

We then changed the oil with motorcycle oil (Valvoline 4-stroke 10W-40 with claimed "Excellent We Clutch Protection"), a K&N filter, refilled to a proper level, and took the bike for a test ride.

About 3 miles into the ride, the clutch started slipping and then not engaging at all. I was able to do some adjustments on the fly to get it to where it would engage just slightly enough to get the bike to limp home. I could only have the throttle at about maybe 10%, otherwise it would just slip and rev the engine without accelerating. We got it home, though, but not without having to ride it a few miles in that slipping condition (which I knew was probably destroying the clutch worse, but it had to be done).

So, my assumption is that we will be getting new clutch plates and installing them. My question is, does it sound like the clutch was already basically bad when we purchased the bike? It literally probably has about 20 miles on it since we bought it, and the first 10 or so miles and test drives went well, other than the exceptionally long clutch-lever travel. The, suddenly after the oil change, the clutch failed on us about 3-4 miles into the ride.

Thanks for any and all help, I'm just trying to figure out if clutch was already going bad when we bought it because of the crazy lever travel, and do you have any recommendations to where I should buy the new clutch kit from? All help is greatly appreciated! This my son's first bike, and yesterday was his first legal ride on it with a license, and this happens.

 

[Vinish]

How much freeplay do you have in the clutch lever?

 

[SomeBaldGuy]

How much freeplay do you have in the clutch lever?

When it was slipping like crazy, there was zero, even though it had been adjust to spec before that. The during the trip, I adjusted things to add a bit more play (as much as it would allow), and then there was none again by the time we made ot home.

 

[Vinish]

You need to adjust the clutch cable so that there is freeplay at all times - even after having been driven for a while. Your problem may be as simple as needing to properly adjust the clutch cable.

 

[SomeBaldGuy]

You need to adjust the clutch cable so that there is freeplay at all times - even after having been driven for a while. Your problem may be as simple as needing to properly adjust the clutch cable.

That’s the thing…from everything that I’ve read and every tut that I’ve watched, it was adjusted correctly. I had to take the “major” adjustment to an extreme at the clutch just to give it any play at all to make it home (coupled with “minor” adjustments at the clutch lever). I could t give it any more play at all, and it tightened up as it rode a few miles, even though the adjustment points were locked in place and hadn’t moved at all.

It’s like something inside the clutch failed that has nothing to do with the adjustment.

Looks like my only answer at this point is to drain the oil, pull the clutch cover, and see if anything is readily noticeable inside.

 

[Vinish]

Above you mention an oil change occurring shortly before these problems began. What oil did you use in this oil change? It is important on wet clutch systems to NOT use an oil that is labeled as "energy conserving". These have additives that cause clutches to slip.

 

[SomeBaldGuy]

Above you mention an oil change occurring shortly before these problems began. What oil did you use in this oil change? It is important on wet clutch systems to NOT use an oil that is labeled as "energy conserving". These have additives that cause clutches to slip.

Valvoline motorcycle 4-stroke 10W-40…the oil should be fine.

 

[SomeBaldGuy]

I don’t know if the is helps…here are some pics of a few of the clutch components. Also, when I opened up the housing, the burnt smell was immediate and thick. The clutch plates appear to have a good amount of material still on them, but the steel plates seem darker than they should to me. But I’m going off of online images and videos and comparing to them, so I could be wrong. All of the clutch plates and steel plates seemed evenly worn and none had any noticeable anomalies.

 

[enduro]

EDIT: removing specs that I had as I see it is not for a vtx.

 

[SomeBaldGuy]

EDIT: removing specs that I had as I see it is not for a vtx.

Yeah, but thanks for the effort anyhow 👍🏼

 

[darrenbashby]

The steels are definitely burned. They should be silver and shiny. I would put in new clutch kit, with new springs. Personally I like Barnett kits. I have been running Valvoline 4-stroke motorcycle for years, have not had any problems at all. Ran the standard on my Magna, in my VTX I run the Valvoline 4t synthetic.

 

[SomeBaldGuy]

The steels are definitely burned. They should be silver and shiny. I would put in new clutch kit, with new springs. Personally I like Barnett kits. I have been running Valvoline 4-stroke motorcycle for years, have not had any problems at all. Ran the standard on my Magna, in my VTX I run the Valvoline 4t synthetic.

Thank you for the response…that’s exactly what I was thinking. Out of curiosity, what makes the Barnett kits worth the extra money? I’m happy to spend the $200 versus the other way cheaper prices, I’m just trying to figure out what gives them the better quality.

Again, thanks for the reply.

 

[darrenbashby]

Thank you for the response…that’s exactly what I was thinking. Out of curiosity, what makes the Barnett kits worth the extra money? I’m happy to spend the $200 versus the other way cheaper prices, I’m just trying to figure out what gives them the better quality.

Again, thanks for the reply.

Well, it is a complete kit with frictions, steel's, and springs. Plus cheaper sets may have cheaper friction material, I do not know. Barnett has been around a long time, and is an Amercian brand with a solid reputation.

 

[SomeBaldGuy]

Well, it is a complete kit with frictions, steel's, and springs. Plus cheaper sets may have cheaper friction material, I do not know. Barnett has been around a long time, and is an Amercian brand with a solid reputation.

Thanks, man. I went ahead and ordered the Barnett kit on Saturday, so now I just wait for it to arrive. I'm glad that doing the work myself is relatively easy...I didn't call any shops to ask what they charge for a clutch replacement, but I'm sure that it's not as cheap as $200. Thanks for your help (and the others who commented as well).

 

[darrenbashby]

Thanks, man. I went ahead and ordered the Barnett kit on Saturday, so now I just wait for it to arrive. I'm glad that doing the work myself is relatively easy...I didn't call any shops to ask what they charge for a clutch replacement, but I'm sure that it's not as cheap as $200. Thanks for your help (and the others who commented as well).

When you install the new set, soak the friction plates in your choice of motorcycle engine oil for a few hours first, I soaked mine overnight. I left them in their plastic bag and cut the end open then filled it up. Make sure when putting in the steels they all face the same way, either sharp edge or rounded edge out. They are stamped steel so they have a sharp edge on one side and rounded on the other. does not matter which way they face, but they all have to be the same. From your photo it looks like they are currently all rounded out, so maybe go with that. Make sure to use a torque wrench on the spring plate bolts, don't want to break them.

 

[SomeBaldGuy]

When you install the new set, soak the friction plates in your choice of motorcycle engine oil for a few hours first, I soaked mine overnight. I left them in their plastic bag and cut the end open then filled it up. Make sure when putting in the steels they all face the same way, either sharp edge or rounded edge out. They are stamped steel so they have a sharp edge on one side and rounded on the other. does not matter which way they face, but they all have to be the same. From your photo it looks like they are currently all rounded out, so maybe go with that. Make sure to use a torque wrench on the spring plate bolts, don't want to break them.

Appreciate the tips very much. This community is great 🤘🏼

 

[lonnier1820]

With the clutch disengaged there is suppose to be about an inch of free play at all times.

 

[darrenbashby]

Here is the freeplay adjustment from the Shadow owners manual.

 

[lonnier1820]

Yeah, that's about right. I hadn't seen the pic of the steels before I mentioned anything. I do know for a fact that there has to be some free play in the clutch lever. I should have mentioned about a 1/2" inch

 

[SomeBaldGuy]

Here is the freeplay adjustment from the Shadow owners manual.
View attachment 245812

Thank you for this.