Got the bike back from it's 30k service last week. The clutch pull was extremely easy, almost what could be described as "weak."

I'd never felt a clutch lever with such easy pull so I asked the tech about it, he said he lubed the cable and pin. It engaged properly, and drove well on the way home. I was in a lot of stop and go traffic, so a very easy ride home.

Saturday morning while on a ride, I noticed the clutch slipping above half-throttle. The bike is back at the shop now. They looked the clutch adjustment over and said it was ok, took the bike out, and still slipping.

Kinda frustrating that I had no problems with the clutch prior to the service, and now such easy pull on the lever, and clutch slippage. Is it just dumb luck, or could the tech have screwed it up "on purpose"?

 

If this is the Ultra Classic with a cable and not a newer bike with Hydraulics, I'd say its not adjusted correctly if it was fine when it went in. If it starts slipping more as it gets warm, I'd check the clutch adjustment.

 

Sounds like the tech did not adjust properly. It just blows my mind when I hear dealers say "it's fine" or that's "normal". Another reason I do my own service.

 

Not normal, not cool. Bring it back and let them know you almost crashed due to slippage on a turn and they'll fix that quick to avoid a lawsuit!

 

The clutch is not adjusted properly. Id take it somewhere else.

 

I doubt it was a trick, a proper clutch adjustment should be done when the bike is cold. I normally do my own maintenance but when I bought my new Roady ultra I rode up to the dealer for the 1K service. Riding home I noticed the clutch slipping when I got on it hard, went home and adjusted it the next morning cold, problem solved. Just something to check.

 

Bike needs to be cold to do a proper clutch pack adjustment.

 

Yeap I'd just wait till morning & adjust the clutch myself & do it right

 

First, I can't begin to tell you the countless times I have popped a clutch cable off a buddys lever, sprayed WD-40 down it and put it back together. Only to hear the exact same eews and ah's you are making. The very nature of the cables is to get stiffer over time if they are ignored. As riders get used to it, they forget how nice these clutch pulls truly are. So no, THAT is perfectly normal. The SLIPPING is not. The fact you now have a properly lubed cable and a full throttle slip are unrelated. What you have is a tech that did a half *** job, and did not properly adjust EITHER the clutch, or the cable slack. Its very possible that the cable itself is simply adjusted too tight. Does the lever have a bit of slack??? Or is it tight against the mount? If there is obvious slack or play at the lever, then your clutch is improperly adjusted, as the previous replies have indicated. Take it back, insist they adjust it properly, or buy a manual and do it yourself.

 

why not just install a HD clutch spring. Any mods getting you up there in H P could make it slip. All clutches are weak from the factory because the first thing you do when you sit on a bike on the showroom floor is pull the clutch in. almost everybody does it. the factory wants a smooth light clutch feeling on the dealer floor. Manufacturers have been doing this for years. its a fact. a lot of times when you install a HD spring, it feels like you gained 20 HP.