Motorcycle Repair: Bleeding Clutch on 85 Goldwing Aspencade, clutch master cylinder, goldwing aspencade

Question
Hello Chris,
Took the plunge and a chance on a 1985 1200 Aspencade.  68k miles.

Rode it at the sellers home with no problem. Noticed the clutch was very sensitive but worked fine.  I trailered it home about a 2 hour drive.

When I get home and rode it I discovered the clutch is not totally disingaging.  Another words I can pull the clutch all the way back and can hear the cylinoid click as I am reaching the stopping point of squeezing the clutch. But the bike wants to keep going.

Can you tell me how to correct this?  I assume there is an adjustment somewhere or a Line that needs bleeding. If it's just a bleeding can you explained how to bleed this to me?

Thank you for time,

Frank

Answer
Hi Frank.

This is a very common problem amongst bikes with a hydraulic clutch.

And here's the solution;

1) Bleed the clutch line like normal.

2) With a rag placed over anything near the master cylinder that you don't want to get hydraulic fluid on (and while wearing safety glasses), place a wrench on the banjo fitting and depress the clutch lever.

3) With the clutch lever depressed, crack the banjo fitting loose and retighten without releasing the clutch lever.

4) After the banjo fitting is tightened up again, check the clutch.  If it is not as it should be, then repeat steps 2 and 3, but no more than 3 or 4 times.  And make sure that the fluid level does not get low in the master cylinder.

If these steps do not work at all, then you may need to rebuild the clutch master cylinder and/or slave unit.

Start with that and let me know what happens.

Good luck and ride safe.
FALCON