I got new tires on my '02 Fatboy today (wide white walls) OMFG looks like a whole new bike ( would have taken some pics but she needs a serious bath so I will post some this weekend...

But my questions is, when I picked up the bike from the shop one of the guys that work there said that my clutch was way out of adjustment.

This is my first bike so I really have nothing to go on as far as how a clutch should feel but, I have not noticed anything wrong, I mean when I pull the clutch in it disengages like it is supposed to, it is a little stiff but again I have nothing to compare it with, I have had no trouble pulling the clucth in regardless of how long I have been going, I have not noticed any slipage really, there have been a few times ( and I am talking maybe 3 at the very most) when as I am going from 2nd to 1st while stopping where it will kind of slip into N and I will have to play with it a little to get it back into first, butt this is very rare.

So what am I looking for as far as feeling or anything you can tell me.

Thank you in advance for any tips you can send my way.

 

Clutch adjustment is covered in the service manual. If you don't have one, order it from the dealer or one of the online vendors.

 

He might be talking about when it starts to engage as you release the lever. I had a dealer adjust mine without asking me and I almost fell (almost) over because the bike didn't start moving when I expected it to. Went home and adjusted it back to normal. The lever should not be extremely tight against the stop with the engine off. Nor should it take a lot of release to make the bike start moving. Hope this helps some.

 

Maybe he noticed alot of play at the perch. Should only be about a dime's worth between the lever and perch when cold.

Definitely a diy job. Always adjust while the bike is cold.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zl92w...eature=related


__________________________
2008 Heritage Classic: His
2008 Deluxe: Hers

 

When you say perch I am not sure what you are talking about, but that video was perfect thank you for that link

 

He's talking about the gap between the lever and the mounting perch.
Here's a pic I just took of mine to show you what he means.



BTW mine is proplerly adjusted and when yours is the dime should almost fall out of the gap on its own.

 

Hate to be dumb, but when you put the dime in, and the squeeze in the clutch, the dime should fall out right? and then that is when to shift? or is that dime trick just to do that to make sure the cable is adjusted correctly?

I cant view video at work, will do when I am home tonight.

 

That's not a dumb question, "technically" your supposed to first adjust the clutch pack, per the video. Then your supposed to adjust the cable so that when you pull the cable covering away from the lever you should see about a 1/16" of gap between the shoulder of the cable cover and where it goes through the hole in the lever assembly.
I just used the dime on the other side to show what the gap looks like there. I like to tape the dime there as I tighten the cable.
That way I can keep checking it as I go along without being forced to refit it to the gap all the time or have to find it after it falls on the floor.

 

Thanks man. I appreciate it. My concern was that I just installed some new levers, and had to adjust the clutch cable adjuster only, to give me slack to install the new lever for the clutch. Never adjusted the clutch adjuster screw.

So I was assuming, as long as i get as close back to the way it was adjusted before, I should be good. I marked where it was, then the mark was rubbed off, so I then adjusted to what felt good. I have been driving it for a week or so since then, and shifts, accelerates and everything great, but just wanted to make sure when I did the clutch cable adjuster, I was as close to as before. Friction "zone" feels good, but wanted to understand it more rather than go by feel.

 

Hows this? lol