Beware a clicking clutch lever....

[RussB644 379]

Had an excellent touring break in Germany and Belgium. The problem is having to go back to work so quickly with not much time to add anything to a previous post on the forum! Have some video I wanted to share but not managed to upload it properly yet     

 

Just over 1000 miles and 79.4 MPG based on some economical riding and a number of fairly quick paced legs of the journey, it was a cracking trip.    

 

The NC performed really well apart from a clutch lever problem that is worthy of note. As a result I’ll be regularly checking the clutch lever for any re-occurrence. Forgive my lack of terminology but here goes…you might want to watch out for this...

 

My sat nav mount and sat nav obscure  my view of the handle bar area around the clutch lever, the section where the lever hinges, which includes a ‘bolt’ with a chrome head that sits on the upper side of that assembly. The bolt has a ridge in it to accommodate a flat headed screw driver.

 

That ‘bolt’ drops through the clutch lever and holds it in place, creating the hinge ability and allowing the lever to be pulled in and released. On the underside there should be a nut.

 

At some stage my use of the clutch lever  has loosened that nut somehow (can't think how else it would be missing?) but what ever happened I didn’t have one mid way through the week. As we worked our way through a town at low speed the clutch lever began ‘clicking’. I could feel it through the lever as I used the clutch.

 

What I didn’t realise was that as I used the clutch this bolt was moving, undoing and slowly rising out of its recess. Each time the clutch was used the bolt was turning and undoing by about an eighth of a turn or so. The clicking was the bolt about to pop out of the assembly. I stopped just in time to prevent the bolt from rising completely out of the cluch lever assembly, the clutch lever was about to fall out and away from the mount point.

 

By re-seating it and tightening it back into place the clutch went back together, I could then ride for a fair time, depending on clutch use, before stopping to re-tighten it. Once loose it would once again begin to undo, rising up and slowly out of the recess.

 

Only when a replacement nut was added to the screw thread from the underside was it then secured properly. I’ve added a washer and lock nut since.

 

From now on this will be a weekly check for me, the thought of the clutch lever falling apart on the move frightened the **** out of me.

 

Anyway…long story but I thought I’d share it.

Edited May 25, 2016 by RussB644

[Grumpy old man 4,670]

Thanks Russ, just another thing to keep my eye on.Who said motorcycling relieves stress

[Guest Simo]

Had exactly the same thing happen 2 weeks ago.

[Tex 36,817]

Clutch lever? Remind me, what's one of those?

Glad you had a good trip, Russ, I've had some wonderful times in both those countries. Yes, anything that suddenly starts feeling 'different' on a bike needs investigation PDQ..

[Rocker66 34,375]

Clutch lever? Remind me, what's one of those?

 

   If I were one of the riders in the race team your with that comment would worry me  :D

[ScaredyCat 1,655]

I had this a little while ago. It's not *that* much of an issue, easy enough to replace and the lever still works perfectly well with just the bolt in it.

 

Good to know this seems to be a 'thing' and not just my own ineptitude.

[Tex 36,817]

   If I were one of the riders in the race team your with that comment would worry me  :D

Oddly enough they don't mind that. It's when I say "Are wheel spindles OK done up with your fingers?" Or "Which way round do the brake pads go?" Now that gets 'em going every time..

[Rocker66 34,375]

Oddly enough they don't mind that. It's when I say "Are wheel spindles OK done up with your fingers?" Or "Which way round do the brake pads go?" Now that gets 'em going every time..

No wonder Joey liked to fix his own bikes

[Guest DelBoy]

Had exactly the same thing happen 2 weeks ago.

I also had similar yesterday.

 

I had to re-grease my brake lever pivot and also had a look at the clutch lever as it seemed to be a bit stiff. The pivot was dry and had rusted a bit so was turning with the lever. so cleaned it up and re-greased the pivot. now all is well...

[Guest Mac750]

Brit bike syndrome, what can rattle undone will do. All part of twin cylinder ownership. I cannot say too much I lost my sump bolt on a Honda and managed to get home using a Merc wheel nut, six washers and some cheap engine oil.

[Guest andrewturner12]

My lever went "notchy" recently, and the nut loosened, and the bolt raised and seems to have cross threaded itself, thus 'safe' for now, but looks silly, raised above housing.  Where can I get a replacement bolt , as I've already rounded the slot a little taking trying to take it out, and I don't want to damage it further before having a replacement ready? 

[Andy m 23,473]

Fowlers maybe?

 

https://www.fowlersparts.co.uk/browser/manufacturer/honda/bike/nc750s-abs/year/2014/country/all-countries/colour/graphite-blacknhb01

 

£4.51 if its item 19 on the handle/lever/switch fiche.

 

Andy

Edited July 8, 2018 by Andy m

[Guest andrewturner12]

Thanks Andy m