Clutch Drag
 

I searched the forums for answers and have found a few possibilities but i wanted to ask the experts myself.

First of all, i changed the oil in my primary when i parked the bike last October, adding the entire quart like the manual says. Then over the winter i added taller bars so i had to change the cables. All was fine as far as i could tell. I've set the free play at the clutch lever properly and have been impatiently waiting for spring so i can finally test out my new set up.

So my problem... i find neutral just fine but my bike will not roll when i have it in any gear with the clutch pulled in. So i checked my free play setting again, good to go. Then i opened up the derby cover to have a look and reset the clutch setting in there (followed manual settings, quarter turn clockwise after you feel resistance turning counterclockwise first). I didn't pull out the well nut or outer ramp this time, simply reset the clutch setting.

So is it just because its been sitting in the cold garage all winter? Possibly too much oil? I just don't know if it is safe to try and start it. I am thinking if i could get it to warm up it might be ok. I just do not have enough experience to know WTF is going on. I have never experienced drag the last 5 years I've had this bike (2005XL 883 - 1200). Any ideas would be really appreciated.

It's hard to tell seeing as you have been in there adjusting things, I would say if your satisfied that you have followed all the steps in the manual in the proper order to set the clutch to spec you should fire it up and go for a short ride.
Living in the tundra means my bike is tucked away for at least 6 months each winter and yes the clutch drags a bit on the first ride of the year, don't know if its a bit of rust or corrosion or just gunked up oil from sitting but once I've had it out for the first good ride its fine.

The first thing you did wrong was simply pour in a quart of oil! While we need a quart available before we start, there is a set level up to which the oil should be filled, which may leave a little left over. If the primary is over-filled the plates may be partly drowning in the stuff. Check your level by the book and adjust if necessary.

Totally man. I realized the other day when i was trouble shooting that i probably shouldn't have simply poured the whole damn thing in. A quart probably would be fine if it was actually dry, but it wasn't.

Thanks to both of you for your replies

FWIW, it has always been difficult to roll my bike when in gear with the clutch pulled in. But I live with it. 2007 XL1200L.

Mine is hard to roll in gear with the engine not running and my clutch is adjusted properly. I either start the engine to role it or roll it in neutral Being a little over full of oil will not hurt it. There are more people who dump in a quart than don't. .

Won't roll at all? Like it's in gear with the clutch engaged? It's always a bit difficult to roll, in gear, with clutch released. I think that's normal. But if you can't roll it at all, then there's something more going on.

+1 on the "shouldn't have poured in the quart oil first" comment.

I've seen this scenario with a couple of my friends sporties that were adjusted at the dealership (hopefully according to the book) so there was always clutch drag..we had adjust the free play again to get rid of it.

Do the clutch adjustment at the primary and adjust the clutch lever free play again..this time with much less free play or just about where the clutch is fully engaged and clutch cable has no tension on the liver but is firm enough. Try this and let us know.

Caution : no clutch lever free play will result in clutch slipping and eventually burn out the clutch

Thanks everyone for your input. I went through everything again. I got about 1.5 - 2 ounces of oil out of the primary as i could clearly see that i had too much oil in there. It still seemed a little stiff still after i did that but i left it for a day then started it yesterday. I drove it back and forth in the garage, all is good. Again, thanks fellas.

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