How can I move my engagement point further from my grip

[navid]

Hi guys, I noticed that even when I firmly grip with 2 fingers, the bike still creeps forward. Interestingly, I can keep it still with some pressure from my legs, but I do think the clutch is biting.

What would I do for the bottom nut adjustments and on the spindle to move the engagement point further away? Any advice is appreciated.

[M. Hausknecht]

If there isn't any slack in the cable when the lever is at rest, create some. Just a little. Loosen the top nut in the photo by a little ( a flat or two), and tighten the bottom nut to match. You'll probably need to use two wrenches.

[Triple Jim]

If pulling the lever all the way doesn't quite disengage the clutch, you need less cable slack so that the cable pulls the arm in the photo more.   This assumes there is no other problem.  Normally as clutch plates wear, the cable gets less and less slack until you can't fully engage the clutch and it starts to slip when you don't want it to. 

[ElGonzales]

And with hot oil / engine it's the same? I mean, it's normal to have a moving rear wheel with disengaged clutch as long as the oil is cold. As soon as the engine is warm and you can stop the free rotating rear wheel with the tip of your boot while the clutch lever is fully pulled, everything is fine.

Edited May 17 by ElGonzales

[navid]

2 hours ago, ElGonzales said:

And with hot oil / engine it's the same? I mean, it's normal to have a moving rear wheel with disengaged clutch as long as the oil is cold. As soon as the engine is warm and you can stop the free rotating rear wheel with the tip of your boot while the clutch lever is fully pulled, everything is fine.

Tbh, I just researched and I think this is my case. My previous MT03 did not have this at all, so I thought it was clutch biting. I can keep it still with my foot, but this fluid drag was non-existent in my old bike.

[Triple Jim]

Mine might make the wheel turn if it's on a stand, but it doesn't try to creep forward enough to feel when on a road.  How much play in the cable do you have when you let out the lever?

[sweetscience]

Use the clutch adjuster nut at the handlebar to make small, fine adjustments first.  If that don't work, the nuts by the clutch cover/arm are for broad adjustments.  

If you look at the clutch cover by the clutch arm, you will see a triangular indentation.  The peak should point or align to a punch mark on the clutch arm.  When they are aligned, it is the point at which the clutch is fully engaged.   This is the state where you can set your freeplay slack.    

[navid]

4 hours ago, Triple Jim said:

Mine might make the wheel turn if it's on a stand, but it doesn't try to creep forward enough to feel when on a road.  How much play in the cable do you have when you let out the lever?

Almost none. Which makes me wonder why my engagement point is so close to the grip. I'll play around with it tomorrow and see if I can fine tune it.

[Triple Jim]

I have to wonder is that fancy lever has something to do with it.  Mine is stock.

[klx678]

On 5/18/2024 at 1:01 AM, sweetscience said:

Use the clutch adjuster nut at the handlebar to make small, fine adjustments first.  If that don't work, the nuts by the clutch cover/arm are for broad adjustments.  

If you look at the clutch cover by the clutch arm, you will see a triangular indentation.  The peak should point or align to a punch mark on the clutch arm.  When they are aligned, it is the point at which the clutch is fully engaged.   This is the state where you can set your freeplay slack.    

Along similar lines, the way the lever at the clutch cover is situated is very important.  In the picture the lever looks a bit past center, which would affect the travel for clutch engagement/disengagement making less travel.  Ideally that lever should be slightly behind the pivot, coming across center as it is disengaged, maximizing the clutch engagement/disengagement action.   Back off the case and lever adjustment to the minimum, make sure the lever is in the right position, then do most adjustment with the case adjuster and fine tune at the lever. 

Personally I try to make the lever adjuster have the slot down toward the back so water won't sit in it and run into the cable if the bike gets wet.  So I usually will do adjustments with enough rotation to have the slot downward.   

[Pursuvant]

2 hours ago, klx678 said:

 Back off the case and lever adjustment to the minimum... then do most adjustment with the case adjuster and fine tune at the lever...

make the lever adjuster have the slot down toward the back so water won't sit in it and run into the cable if the bike gets wet...

Turning the lever adjuster slot to face backwards, to make it harder for rain & the guts of murdered bugs to pollute the inside cable sounds simple it's easy to say "who cares" - but you will have a smooth cable action for many moons if you follow this good advice

[klx678]

Just made me think of some friends who would shoot water through their handlebars when washing their off roaders.   Then one friend had his handlebar break, rusted through!