I agree with all the complaints about getting use to the hydraulic clutch. I have been riding since '63 and on my first '17 ride, I looked like the village idiot leaving the dealers lot. It almost kept me from getting my 17 SGS, in fact I had to talk myself into the purchase.
The bike has a little over 100 miles on it now and we become a little more friendly with each ride. I feel now that I will end up liking the new set up.
Guess there is going to be another learning curve when switching back and forth with my other bikes w/o hydraulics. Couldn't possibly be worst than the idiot that left the Harley lot with the '17 demo!
From what I've seen it's only partially the hydraulic fault.. It the new clutch design that causes the issue. A hydraulic clutch will cut friction and the natural friction of a cable helps damping of clutch control. With the right grips and lever on a hydraulic setup, I can position the lever so that the friction zone is right in middle bone for the 3 middle finger of left my hand. This means I can set precisely the position of the clutch lever.
The problem I have is that the clutch itself changes the friction zone as clutch releases or if the engine RPM changes.
It's pretty much the same for HDs..
The thing is that HDs have massive flywheels so as the clutch engages and grabs, the bike lurches.. I would expect that on a 4 cylinder high rpm motor with less flywheel inertia, engagement surge is less.
I think the biggest issue for me is that this clutch is harder to control on up sloped surfaces or in softer dirt on the side of the road. Clutch control in parking lots seem to work best if I modulate the lever in the friction zone (probably sounds spastic to others) . I'll live with it for now but may end up replacing the clutch with a non slipper type.
One thing that is interesting is that some of these clutches don't use the mechanism to increase plate pressure. Here are a couple links that show the ramp is one sided and used to stop wheel skid but does nothing for acceleration..
Glad I'm not alone here, I've only got a couple hundred miles on my new SGS but the whole clutch deal is gonna take awhile! I'm wondering if there's a somewhat closer lever I can install - this is right at the end of my arthritic fingers reach!
I have to say that I like it as well. I've got big meat hooks so maybe I don't notice what everyone else is saying. My wife is picking up here M8 SGS in Hard Candy Hot Rod Red tomorrow and she has average sized kits for a woman, so we'll see if she notices anything about the clutch.
I agree that the clutch is a problem especially if you have another bike, Heritage 1340 for me. You really have to adapt from a clutch to another. On the M8 you have probably to be slower with the clutch, it's my experience with the RKS. Anyway ther is a problem here.
You will get used to it, stop thinking about it and let muscle memory take over. As long as you think it is a problem for you it will be. It will take longer for your muscle memory to take over if you get on the bike thinking this sucks.
I go back and forth between my 15 Heritage with cable clutch and the 17 M8 with hydraulic clutch, no problem. Love em both, be positive, it helps.
A simple mod that brings the lever an inch closer making engagement right in the sweet spot, is to carefully take some of the bend out of the lever. Move (bend) the lever at the existing bend, until you get an inch closer to the handlebar, measured at the ball.
Try a half inch first if you want. See the improvement and go the other half inch.
You can use heat, if you know what you're doing, or I've seen it done cold...just takes a while.
When you're done polish it back up if necessary.
When you're done it looks stock.
K.I.S.S. Really applies here.
Bob
03-13-2017, 10:31 AM
