QuestionI am a new female rider that just bought a '69 Honda cl450. Yesterday was my first day riding (I rode for over 6 hours). The clutch is extremely tight and hard to squeeze - I don't think my left hand is going to work today! Is there a way to adjust the clutch so it's not so difficult to squeeze?
Thanks!
AnswerLeeann, welcome to the world of vintage Honda motorcycles.
In general, the clutch shouldn't be excessively difficult to pull in, but perhaps there are some issues related to the level of difficulty that you are experiencing.
If the bike has over 10,000 miles on it, it may require a new clutch release portion, which is located down where the clutch cable ends in the engine. If the parts are not regularly lubricated, then wear occurs and a lot of the lever pulling is wasted on taking up the slack, causing you to have to pull the clutch all the way in as hard as you can to get it to release.
Corroded clutch cables can also be at fault, so I would have the cable removed, inspected, lubricated with some cable lube or light motor oil, while you are in there working on it.
If you still have the original exhaust pipes they are often in the way of getting in to work on the left side of the engine, which means removal by whoever is working in it.
Other clutch release issues could be related to: Heavy duty clutch springs installed by a previous owner, worn clutch hub/outer, causing the clutch plates to dig into the worn spots, instead of sliding along the edges, worn clutch pushrod end which requires adjustment of the clutch release mechanism out of normal motion.
The clutch release arm should swing through an arc that swings through a 80-110 degree sweep. If parts are worn then the the swing starts beyond 90 degrees to begin with and you lose mechanical leverage in the release process.
Recognize that your hand muscles may not be used to this kind of repetitive motion too, especially after 6 hours of riding, so take it easy on yourself as they get stronger. A lot depends on the size of your hands and fingers, as far as your ability to operate the clutch, but when everything is correct, it should not be excessively difficult to operate.
A thorough examination of the related parts will reveal the cause of this problem. Be sure to get a shop manual from www.motorcyclememories.com, www.helminc.com, www.motorcyclebooks.com or perhaps Ebay auctions to help guide you. An on-line Honda dealership is www.westernhillshonda.com who can be of great help to you.
Check out the site at www.vjmc.org for connections to other vintage Japanese bike fans.
Bill Silver
