Clutch lever randomly really loose

[igingeee]

Hi all,

So I have a problem with the clutch lever on my bike suddenly being very loose and always engaged, I discovered it this morning when attempting to set of to work, pulled the clutch in shifted into 1st and attempt to release the clutch and found myself going no where to the point where I completely let go of the clutch and could shift up or down at free will without having to do anything to the lever.

I thought that despite it being very random and out the blue that maybe I'd knocked it somehow the night before and not noticed, after fiddling about with the clutch tightening nut and adjuster for a while and trying to tighten the clutch lever and get the required amount of free play as well as tightening the nut/screw that holds the clutch lever in place it finally engaged and disengaged properly and worked as it should, took it for a spin around the block and decided to take it to work.. had no issue, slow moving control, going from a complete stand still to getting going wasn't an issue.

Then when I came out from work today I had the same issue.. I had previously pulled the clutch in before starting it just to make sure it hadn't come loose again.. and then when I shifted into first suddenly it was loose and didn't want to disengage.. so I did the same.. messed around with the tightening nut and adjuster and the nut/bolt that holds it in place.. after riding in circles around the car park I finally got a setting that felt it would get me home, and it did.. with a little slow getting going from a complete stand still (empty roads / no traffic made it easier).

The only sign of this issue occurring was last night when I attempted to set off from work and the bike seemed to rev high but not get very far and also engine breaking wasn't working for the first couple of minutes.. down-shifted and the engine didn't slow down.. like it wasn't happening.. although sorted itself out a couple of corners latter.

Anyone got any suggestions at how a clutch lever can randomly come loose and stick having had nothing done to it (to my knowledge), I could understand if I'd knocked it or it was loose last night and not realised but the fact that after getting it to work and getting all the way to work without any issues (bar a false neutral once) that it had the same problem again?

I should mention the bike is under warranty and will be getting the bike to the dealership first thing monday, so any solutions that may help with me being able to get to and from work properly tomorrow without as little trouble as possible is helpful.

I should also add that when the issue first occurred this morning (letting the clutch out and being able to shift up and down, stuck in engaged) that the clutch pushrod was stuck in engaged, although after adjusting the locking nut and bolt it worked properly again.

Once home I've attempted to move the clutch cable around and free it up a little just to ensure it's not getting pinched or pulled when the steering is being turned or jumbled up with any other wires.

Any help?

[Tango]

What bike is it?

When the clutch is loose you can move the lever in and out ok? Does the clutch arm on the clutch case move as you move the lever? If it does then it's not likely to be the cable.......in which case it could be a sticky clutch rod or possibly a notched clutch basket which is not allowing the plates to move freely......

[igingeee]

Lexmoto Arrow (que the chinese jokes )

The clutch lever on the engine case works fine and moves as it should however was stuck pulled in/engaged when I first found the clutch lever issue Saturday.

A tighten of the screw/nut that keeps the lever in position and a few fine adjustments on the handlebar end has kept the bike on a limb for now, I'm going to the shop tomorrow to get it looked at as the adjustments I'm making on the clutch lever seem to be giving the same amount of free play, seems like it's not adjusting properly.

The clutch lever was sticking and wouldn't disengage at first and has also been a little stick after the above adjustments, took some time to get it to fall back into it's natural position after being pulled in, even now it falls back but not entirely (only a small gap between fully closed and the position in ends up in).

I've checked the clutch cable on the engine case while riding and isn't stuck in being engaged (although I'm sure I'd know about this pretty quick if it was even without looking).

There is one of a few possibilities as to the cause of the sudden looseness and inability to function/tighten;

1) A part is broken or is slowly on it's way out

2) I've knocked it and been unaware and has slowly come loose

3) after a conversation today there is a chance that someone has attempted to make the bike unusable after a bike using the same parking bays was attempted stolen (didn't get took thankfully).

I did think it was strange that the lever could come loose by itself (after being worked on and being used) with the third option being found out today I'll be sure to mention it to the dealership however struggle to understand why if this was the case they didn't (or from what it looked like) attempt to try anything else.

I've made it there and back on my usual commute and have all day tomorrow to let the shop work on it, i'll be sure to update on the outcome.

Thanks tango

[eastanglianbiker]

and the shops responce was ????

[igingeee]

I left it with them this morning as they had a fair amount of work to undertake and my problem was one with what could be many outcomes.

I spoke to the mechanic and he said that the clutch had no free play hence why it was always engaged, I then explained that this happened when I found it on saturday going into first and it just got stuck in engaged and that I'd had to botch the adjustment to get it to move and that it wasn't adjusting properly and the lever was just randomly loose etc.

I also explained that it's best left for a while and then tried again as after sitting for a while it will look and feel fine but then when you attempt to take of in 1st it will slip again.

After the above he said I'd provided him with a decent amount of information on what to look out for and what's happening, awaiting the results of the test ride and to see if it needs anything else doing to it.

The mechanics also aware that I've had problems with the gearing and clutch for a long time so wants to ensure there's nothing internally wrong and it runs fine before handing it back over.

Shall keep you posted.