How to adjust cluth slack

[SoonerYZ125]

Hey, I have a 1991 Yamaha YZ125. I have never had a bike before. The clutch lever on my bike is very loose, there is alot of movement in the lever before it starts to work. How do I adjust this? Also, how do I make it so that when I pull in the clutch it has a longer pull, it is very short atm.

Thanks
Steve

 

[IndyMX]

There is an adjuster on the clutch perch.. Where the cable comes out of the perch...

Big round ring... loosen it. Then turn the smaller barrel that the cable is coming out of, until you remove most of the slack.. about a 1/8 inch of pull before the cable starts moving.. then tighten the big round ring again. Done.

 

[DannyMoto07]

IndyYZ85,

Is there a difference in performance between adjusting for pull rather than throw?

I tend to want my clutch to engage about an 1/8th inch off my knuckles when I release it. I just don't like having a TON of throw when starting off from a stop.

Will the way I have it adjusted hurt things or cause excess clutch wear, or is it simply safer to have your clutch dis-engage sooner than it is to have it engage sooner? (Or is this simply a personal preference depending on riding style?)

Thanks in advance.

Dan

 

[rmc_olderthandirt]

When the clutch lever is all the way out you want it so that all the tension is off the clutch assembly, otherwise you will be "riding the clutch". Otherwise, where the engagement falls is personal preference.

Many clutch perches have a single larger knob with some sort of spring detent and no jam nut for adjusting the clutch. This allows you to actually adjust the clutch while you are riding to compensate for changes due to temperature or wear.

Rod

 

[DannyMoto07]

Mine just has the large nut and a jam nut. I'm not riding the clutch, at least there's no drag I mean... I don't think. I can definitely FEEL the disengagement/engagement quite noticeably and when I pull the clutch in to my knuckles, it's coasting with no drag.

Dan

 

[j12froid]

k so my 01 honda cr125r has alot of drag. when i have it in gear and im holdin the clutch its it feels like the gear is still catch like the clutch isnt disengaging. i have adjusted the clutch on the handlebar. also there is hardly any compression on the kickstart. prolly equivilent to a 50cc. r these problems connected . how can i fix them. thanks guys

 

[DannyMoto07]

k so my 01 honda cr125r has alot of drag. when i have it in gear and im holdin the clutch its it feels like the gear is still catch like the clutch isnt disengaging. i have adjusted the clutch on the handlebar. also there is hardly any compression on the kickstart. prolly equivilent to a 50cc. r these problems connected . how can i fix them. thanks guys

You should start a new post with this, but I'll help you as much as I can.

If your clutch isn't fully disengaging, TIGHTEN up the clutch cable on the handlebar. This will move your throw out from the bars and give you more room to get a full disengagement.

The kick-starter is supposed to be VERY light on your bike. There is no adjustment for it. The only way to test compression of the motor is through a compression gauge, or by physically spinning the flywheel with your hand to feel the compression. The starter is designed to be geared very, very low for easy starts.

Basically you're in good shape, just tighten up the clutch cable and feel-out where you get full disengagement.

Good luck!

Dan