Motorcycle Repair: 93 Suzuki 1400 intruder clutch question, suzuki 1400 intruder, vance hines pipes

Question
Hi Mark,
 I purchased a used '93 Suzuki 1400 Intruder a few months ago. I purchased it from a dealer that had taken it in on trade. The bike has a little over 16000 miles on it. I have not ridden it much yet due to weather. I took it on a trip with some friends to a local Mardi Gras. We got caught in a hugh traffic jam leaving town. I had to set in traffic a long time. I was concerned about the bike overheating. I also would shift into neutral as much as possible. As we finally got out of traffic, my cluth lever goes limp and would not work the clutch. I left the bike overnight, and when I got the bike the next day, the clutch worked. I checked the fluid in the clutch reservoir and it was still full. I detect no slippage of the clutch at speed.
Could the excess engine heat cause the clutch not to function properly? Should I be concerned about the clutch repeating this problem, or was this just a fluke? If necessary I will do the repair myself. Any info you can give will be greatly appreciated.
 Also what exhaust system would you recomend for a better sound, but not hurt performance. I would like to stay away from rejetting if possible.
Thanks,
Danny Waites

Answer
Hi Danny,

I suspect excessive heat caused the clutch to act as described. If the problem returns with normal riding, measure all clutch plates for evidence of warping and wear.

I'm like Vance & Hines pipes. They are clean swept and sound fabulous. Technically, any modification to the fuel/air flow requires tuning. Some have added pipes without tuning and without negative results.

Keep an eye on the appearance of the spark plugs. You want to see light shades of brown for best performance.

Respectfully,
Mark Shively