RGS clutch

[andrew112_uk]

Dear all, I'm about to start my minor overhaul (honest) Here's a question..
When I start up from cold, I pull the clutch in, into first and it stalls. Just like the clutch was not in. This jump seems to free up the clutch and after that, all is fine. The clutch seems to work OK. I had an 81 Bonneville and you had to kick it over with the clutch in to free it before you started. Otherwise it would do the same as my RGS. But that was accepted practice, I don't see that in the Laverda handbook.

So, what's the likely cause? Gummed up plates?  (It's not run much for 11 years) I'll be changing the primary chains, so it seems like a good time to investigate.

Thanks, Andrew

 

[CLEMTOG]

could well be a foible of the engine oil that you use,certainly no harm in stripping everything out and giveing it  a good wash,then check the internal "teeth" of the drum for signs of "notching",remove the clutch pushrods and clean and reoil them as well,my money is on the oil.
CLEM

 

[Laverdalothar]

Have you tried to pump twice or three times before you shift in the first? Sometimes the O-Ring in the slave cylinder is hardened out and does not allow the piston really to move and stay, but it "pulls" the piston back when you release the clutch master lever.

Next point to check is if the little 7,9mm ball in the piston ist still there and if you can remove it. If so, take the chance to grease it. If you can't remove it or if its not really visible, your piston has to much play and the spring behind the piston is not pushing the piston against the push-rod. Everthing in the engine vibrates, which causes the rod to "hammer" onto the piston, which pushes it slightly back. Next time you stop the engine and everything gets cold, the freeplay grows to a point where the piston has no contact with the push-rod before you pull the lever and that results in to less travel to separate the clutch-plates. Have a similar situation on my 1000SFC.

This is all meaningless if pulling the lever first 2-3- times does not improve the situation. In that case, it might well be the oil or other reasons causing the plates to stick together.

HTH

 

[lawrence]

I am obliged to lay up my triples for a short period each year due to the weather.  I routinely experience the clutches refusing to disengage when I try to put them back on the road.  They usually yield to simply thoroughly warming up the engine.  However, after one bike was in storage for over a year it was really reluctant to behave.  I rode the bike around sleepy side streets for a good while with the clutch lever in.  It was fairly exciting, knowing that if I would have needed to stop I may have been unable to do so quickly and, once stopped, may not have been able to start the bike again. It all worked out in the end though.  I have found that the clutch plates stick together more readily with some brands of oil than with others.