Dear people.

My name is Heimir Bardason and I am taking my first "footsteps" in the trials sport. I

Nearly all modern trial bikes have trouble with the clutch like this and the best way is just to run it for a while getting the engine hot and this enables the clutch to work. I then use a cable tie to keep the clutch lever pulled in when i am not using the bike and this allows the clutch to work every time.

You can also pull the clutch in and shift to a high gear before starting.

Just rock the bike back and forth, engine off, clutch in.

yeah,common problem.Just run it till it sorts itself out,usually only a few minutes.You can modify your clutch plates by knurling them(if you know someone who does it)

Steve

Semms a shame to beat up a tire like that when you can just ride in circles for a minute.

the clutch plates on my sherco get stuck aswell but usually go back to normal within 5 mins of riding

Thanks for your quick replys, trial friends.

In my motocross and enduro experience, this would never be tolerated.

Just shows how much I need to learn in Trials.

Definetely a new way of thinking......

Heimir Bardason

Ahhh, but how often did you change clutches in those machines.

Learned long ago, always click them in gear (ANY BIKE) pointing in a safe direction as you may find yourself headed there quickly. Mid 70's Bultaco's come to mind. Dad hitting the back of the motorhome,,,, TWICE kind of drove the point home.

What is happening is that your clutch plates are just "sticking" together quite well.

Take two pieces of glass, and a drop of oil, and you will be amazaed at how attatched to each other they are.

If you want to improve this situation I would suggest.

Ride more often, the plates will not stick

Change oil more often, fresh oil tends to help alleviate this problem

Try changing brands / types of Oil, Maxxima give's me good results, but I do not know it's availabilty in your area.

Rock back and forth in gear prior to starting

Click into second pointed in a safe direction when you start and idle around pulling in and releasing the clutch in combination with the rear brake.

If it seriously bothers you, you can bead blast the metal plates to roughen the surface (thereby eliminating that glass to glass demonstration)

Lightly sand the metal plates

Some shops offer knurling of the plates, I have no idea who would do that in your area, but I believe that B&J does it here.

If it was mine, I would ride it and break it loose as I was warming up (that is what I do as a matter of fact) and On my son's, I am the first to engage the gears on start up to insure it does not run off on him.

Good luck, hope you have fun with it.

hi my sherco does the same thing but what i do is make sure u really warm it ( 10 mins) up well and before you ride it away give it a good rev out this will clear the engine aswell so it rev's out nice and crisp. It should pull away fine then it works for me anyway

hi

i have been reading post,s like this since last august when i bought my 290,

the shop i bought it from advised me to use dexron automatic gear oil, i must say that having used this since august, riding my bike at least once a week i have never encountered this common problem myself.

hope this helps

martinc

Thanks for taking your time ansvering my "beginners" question.

This "Trials phenomen" does not bother me, I just wanted to know if something was wrong.

Alan Bechard, I have Husaberg 550 2001 model, still running stock clutch! But on that bike you hardly ever need to slip it.

I will use neashfella tip and cable tie the clutch lever while not in use.

Thanks again friends, It

Hi from New zealand ,my 290 is the same ,I use elf oil and when it's near use by date the clutch will bind initially ,normally rubber band clutch lever in when not using .But also let bike idle on start up for 3/5mins max ,but hey we're probably not used to your lower temperatures .Great choice of bike they are magic.and absolutely miserable on fuel compared to a Gasgas.

If my bike has been idle for a period of time I shift into 5th gear, pull the clutch lever in and GENTLY kick it through, this will ALWAYS release the plates. I then shift back to neutral and start the bike. Ryan Young the US importer showed this to me several years ago.

Wayne

Those of you who store your bike with the clutch disengaged (lever pulled in)are increasing the sag rate of the clutch springs. This is like storing your bike on the trailer with the forks compressed. The springs will sag faster than otherwise. For bikes with hydraulic clutches, it may also have a negative effect on the hydraulic seals.

The Alan Bechard clutch plate freeing technique mentioned above is by far the kindest to the bike's internals overall.

I was wondering whether someone would come up with a reason for not leaving the clutch in. In the cable days it would simply have been that it would stretch the cable, as well as the compressed spring thing. Seems a reasonable reason.

Unless it's really bad, I'd say just leave it, push the bike off and clunk in to gear. Second gear with clutch in and put both brakes on lightly. Not likely to have any great effect on your brake wear, but clears it in seconds usually.