Clutch Adjustment @ 500 miles?
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Road Master
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 1,058
Likes: 2
From: Gainesville, FL
Clutch Adjustment @ 500 miles?
Has anyone needed the clutch adjusted at anything less than 500 miles?
I was heading home from a ride a few days ago, going about 60-65 in 6th. Start to slow down since I was coming into town. Go to downshift, it wouldn't shift. The entire shift lever was locked or frozen. I could pull in the clutch, no shifting. Stopped at the light, was able to downshift to first. Go to pull away from the light, I had to go almost wide open throttle to get going.
Managed to limp home (was about 100 miles away) but couldn't go any faster than 50ish or so and the trike would not stay in gear. Bring the trike in to Harley, they said the clutch needed major adjustments.
This was my third new harley and I've never had that happen before where the clutch needed adjusting with so little miles. I know the adjustments are made at about 1k miles but I was surprised with just over 500 miles the clutch needed adjusting. The trike is just about 3 weeks old and never sat idle for more than a day or so.
The sales guy said he never heard of that happening before but the service tech said it happens "from time to time".
I was just wondering if anyone ever heard or had a similar experience.
On the upside, it's a heck of a lot easier to find neutral now!
I was heading home from a ride a few days ago, going about 60-65 in 6th. Start to slow down since I was coming into town. Go to downshift, it wouldn't shift. The entire shift lever was locked or frozen. I could pull in the clutch, no shifting. Stopped at the light, was able to downshift to first. Go to pull away from the light, I had to go almost wide open throttle to get going.
Managed to limp home (was about 100 miles away) but couldn't go any faster than 50ish or so and the trike would not stay in gear. Bring the trike in to Harley, they said the clutch needed major adjustments.
This was my third new harley and I've never had that happen before where the clutch needed adjusting with so little miles. I know the adjustments are made at about 1k miles but I was surprised with just over 500 miles the clutch needed adjusting. The trike is just about 3 weeks old and never sat idle for more than a day or so.
The sales guy said he never heard of that happening before but the service tech said it happens "from time to time".
I was just wondering if anyone ever heard or had a similar experience.
On the upside, it's a heck of a lot easier to find neutral now!
Ultimate HDF Member
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 5,926
Likes: 138
From: NE Ohio
Never had a clutch need adjusting before its service, there are a good many times the clutch doesn't need messed with at all. Initially a clutch will need adjusted due to cable stretch and parts seating.
Advanced
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 62
Likes: 0
From: Texas
If you're talking the clutch cable, not the clutch itself, I've had all my bikes, Kawasaki, Road Star, Ultra and Trike need clutch cable adjustment within 300 miles when I got them, all new. The cable will stretch, but normally after this first adjustment (easy to do), they all seemed to stablize.
Road Warrior
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 1,267
Likes: 6
From: Northern Michigan
Heres the thing with the clutch cable, if it streaches it would mean you would have trouble disengaging the clutch. flagirl actually needed clutch plate adjustment unless of course the clutch cable was tight,tight.
Advanced
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 61
Likes: 0
From: North Adams,Ma
Heck your lucky.At least your dealer knows a clutch can be adjusted.Mine told me last year there is no way to adjust a clutch when i complained about how hard it was to hit neutral.
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Road Master
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 1,058
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From: Gainesville, FL
Well, brief little update. I'm up in Daytona with friends, did another 300 miles on the bike. I'm on 95 heading south about 30 miles away from Destination Daytona and this time, the same thing happened - lost ALL power to the transmission, bike wouldn't shift AT all.
Manage to get to the right lane and slow down enough to get off on the shoulder. Turn off the trike, let it sit, start it up, no power going to the transmission at all! I had to get the trike towed to Destination Daytona.
Long story short, the clutch plates were totally burned and needed replacing. The service tech accused me of not knowing how to ride, until I clarified that I had over 15k miles between 2 former Harleys before I got my trike.
Long story short, the theory is that somewhere along the line, the clutch was not properly adjusted the first time, or the dealer prep before sale wasn't done properly. Let's hope there will be no more problems.
Manage to get to the right lane and slow down enough to get off on the shoulder. Turn off the trike, let it sit, start it up, no power going to the transmission at all! I had to get the trike towed to Destination Daytona.
Long story short, the clutch plates were totally burned and needed replacing. The service tech accused me of not knowing how to ride, until I clarified that I had over 15k miles between 2 former Harleys before I got my trike.
Long story short, the theory is that somewhere along the line, the clutch was not properly adjusted the first time, or the dealer prep before sale wasn't done properly. Let's hope there will be no more problems.
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Club Member
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 3,792
Likes: 6
From: North East Ohio
Well, brief little update. I'm up in Daytona with friends, did another 300 miles on the bike. I'm on 95 heading south about 30 miles away from Destination Daytona and this time, the same thing happened - lost ALL power to the transmission, bike wouldn't shift AT all.
Manage to get to the right lane and slow down enough to get off on the shoulder. Turn off the trike, let it sit, start it up, no power going to the transmission at all! I had to get the trike towed to Destination Daytona.
Long story short, the clutch plates were totally burned and needed replacing. The service tech accused me of not knowing how to ride, until I clarified that I had over 15k miles between 2 former Harleys before I got my trike.
Long story short, the theory is that somewhere along the line, the clutch was not properly adjusted the first time, or the dealer prep before sale wasn't done properly. Let's hope there will be no more problems.
Manage to get to the right lane and slow down enough to get off on the shoulder. Turn off the trike, let it sit, start it up, no power going to the transmission at all! I had to get the trike towed to Destination Daytona.
Long story short, the clutch plates were totally burned and needed replacing. The service tech accused me of not knowing how to ride, until I clarified that I had over 15k miles between 2 former Harleys before I got my trike.
Long story short, the theory is that somewhere along the line, the clutch was not properly adjusted the first time, or the dealer prep before sale wasn't done properly. Let's hope there will be no more problems.
Road Master
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 1,229
Likes: 20
From: Greater St Louis, MO
Well, brief little update. I'm up in Daytona with friends, did another 300 miles on the bike. I'm on 95 heading south about 30 miles away from Destination Daytona and this time, the same thing happened - lost ALL power to the transmission, bike wouldn't shift AT all.
Manage to get to the right lane and slow down enough to get off on the shoulder. Turn off the trike, let it sit, start it up, no power going to the transmission at all! I had to get the trike towed to Destination Daytona.
Long story short, the clutch plates were totally burned and needed replacing. The service tech accused me of not knowing how to ride, until I clarified that I had over 15k miles between 2 former Harleys before I got my trike.
Long story short, the theory is that somewhere along the line, the clutch was not properly adjusted the first time, or the dealer prep before sale wasn't done properly. Let's hope there will be no more problems.
Manage to get to the right lane and slow down enough to get off on the shoulder. Turn off the trike, let it sit, start it up, no power going to the transmission at all! I had to get the trike towed to Destination Daytona.
Long story short, the clutch plates were totally burned and needed replacing. The service tech accused me of not knowing how to ride, until I clarified that I had over 15k miles between 2 former Harleys before I got my trike.
Long story short, the theory is that somewhere along the line, the clutch was not properly adjusted the first time, or the dealer prep before sale wasn't done properly. Let's hope there will be no more problems.
I believe the dealer she bought it from did not prep it right.