Motorcycle Repair: Intermittent Cluth problem, locknut, shovelhead

Question
QUESTION: My husband owns a 77 sporty shovelhead 1200 custom.  He and I will be riding along and all of sudden he has no clutch it will not engage, he can pull the lever a couple of times and it will engage for a gear or two only to do it again.  It has been a pain in the ass and he has tried everything he can think of short of replacing the clutch.  The actuator seems to move well when clutch is engaged and rides fine if put back on but then it starts again after a few miles it is back to the same old thing.  any suggestions the manual has nothing regarding this problem.  Thanks

ANSWER: When you say it wont engage, does the handle just have freeplay in it or does it feel tight like its pulling against somthing?
Mike

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: The handle is tight like it is locking up.

Answer
Make sure you are adjusting the clutch correctly. Put alot of slack in the cable and loosen the adjuster. Now push the cable towards the clutch so that the actuator is all the way open. Now adjust the clutch. Turn the screw inward just until it touches and then back out about 1/8 turn and tighten the locknut. Now adjust hte cable so you have about 1/8 inch play in the lever. If this doesnt help let me know.
Good luck and happy riding
Mike