I drive around Manhattan pretty often. Going in and out of the city from New Jersey. As the temperatures heat up and traffic slows I've had the worst time trying to shift gears. It was a nightmare trying to get through the Lincoln Tunnel tonight in stop and go traffic. Couldn't get it into neutral and shifting in general was hell !!!Don't know if my clutch cable is starting to go or what. Any advice. Please
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CLUTCH AARRGH!
- Thread starter tibor
- Start date
jennygirl
Tuned and Synch'ed
Sounds like your clutch cable might have stretched a little bit, which lessens the amount that the clutch can disengage. Also the lock ring that keeps the clutch adjuster tight might also have become loose, which allows the clutch adjuster to move around and change the setting (usually in the direction that causes this problem). Your hands will be the only tools you need 
V7's only have one adjustment for the clutch, and that is at the handlebar. What you'll want to do is:
• pull back the rubber boot at the top of the clutch lever, mine says "brembo" on it. move it 4-5 inches down the clutch cable housing to expose the clutch cable tensioner
• loosen the tensioner's lock ring (shaped almost like a disc)
• turn the clutch adjuster (the longer and thinner of the two grip twists) counterclockwise to draw slack out of the clutch cable (which tensions the cable more and moves the lever's friction point outward from the handlebar).
• turn the adjuster counterclockwise ("loosen" direction) until there is about 1mm of free play in the clutch lever when not pulled. This will properly tension your clutch cable *see notes below*
• tighten the lock ring once adjustment is complete and put the rubber boot back
Some notes on the adjustment itself:
You do want some free play. If you have none, your clutch will not fully engage when you are off of the clutch lever or "in gear". This equates to a burned out clutch because the clutch will always be somewhat slipping. It would be really bad to ride like that for a length of time, because it will eat up the clutch FAST and that is about 10000% more involved than this fix.
With too much free play, you're back to square one with this same problem. Once you get it dialed in, make sure that lock ring is tight and you shouldn't have to deal with this again for a very very long time.
By the way, this happened to me, too. Luckily the fix is very easy. You can also have a look at youtube, there are a bunch of tutorials on how to adjust motorcycle clutch cables at the handlebar. Most bikes have an upper (handlebar) AND lower (at the transmission housing) adjustment, so you can ignore adjusting the lower part because the V7 (at least my 2015) doesn't have it.
Hope this helps, good luck, and safe riding
V7's only have one adjustment for the clutch, and that is at the handlebar. What you'll want to do is:
• pull back the rubber boot at the top of the clutch lever, mine says "brembo" on it. move it 4-5 inches down the clutch cable housing to expose the clutch cable tensioner
• loosen the tensioner's lock ring (shaped almost like a disc)
• turn the clutch adjuster (the longer and thinner of the two grip twists) counterclockwise to draw slack out of the clutch cable (which tensions the cable more and moves the lever's friction point outward from the handlebar).
• turn the adjuster counterclockwise ("loosen" direction) until there is about 1mm of free play in the clutch lever when not pulled. This will properly tension your clutch cable *see notes below*
• tighten the lock ring once adjustment is complete and put the rubber boot back
Some notes on the adjustment itself:
You do want some free play. If you have none, your clutch will not fully engage when you are off of the clutch lever or "in gear". This equates to a burned out clutch because the clutch will always be somewhat slipping. It would be really bad to ride like that for a length of time, because it will eat up the clutch FAST and that is about 10000% more involved than this fix.
With too much free play, you're back to square one with this same problem. Once you get it dialed in, make sure that lock ring is tight and you shouldn't have to deal with this again for a very very long time.
By the way, this happened to me, too. Luckily the fix is very easy. You can also have a look at youtube, there are a bunch of tutorials on how to adjust motorcycle clutch cables at the handlebar. Most bikes have an upper (handlebar) AND lower (at the transmission housing) adjustment, so you can ignore adjusting the lower part because the V7 (at least my 2015) doesn't have it.
Hope this helps, good luck, and safe riding
elkgrichard
High Miler
I ran out of adjustment the first month with m clutch because of how it was adjusted at the factory. I had to go to the back of the transmission and take the slack out. Difficult access but the good news is you probably only need to use that adjuster probably one time for the life of the clutch cable.
As far as missing gears and difficulty going down, YUP, all part of the ownership experience. Once the bike reaches maybe 10,000 miles it will loosen up a bit. Or so it appears to have gotten better after 10,000 miles onm y bike. I still get the occasional hang up going down or the mis shift (lazy foot) up to third gear.
As far as missing gears and difficulty going down, YUP, all part of the ownership experience. Once the bike reaches maybe 10,000 miles it will loosen up a bit. Or so it appears to have gotten better after 10,000 miles onm y bike. I still get the occasional hang up going down or the mis shift (lazy foot) up to third gear.
andyb
Cruisin' Guzzisti
I know this thread is about the clutch, but adjusting the gear lever just right makes a big difference. Have it too high or too low and it is easy to miss gears
AndyB
AndyB
GerryP
Cruisin' Guzzisti
Hmmmm, interesting as I did loosen up the clutch/brake perches and move the units up to the grips to get better view from the mirrors.
I'll check the alignment tomorrow before I ride.
A couple interesting thing I discovered is that I can shift better with my old A* boots or my outdoor yard boots than my new pair of A* riding boots(same model as the old ones). Also if I short shift from 1st - 5th below 3.2k shifting is butter smooth vs trying to shift gears around 3.5k or higher. Down shifts have never been a problem.
Gerry
Gerry and I got our bikes at almost the same time-same dealer.
Mine goes "snick-snick" up and down with zero issues finding "N".
Mine goes "snick-snick" up and down with zero issues finding "N".
Also watch out for the clutch cable melting on one of the cylinders.
There was a guy around here a while back who was saying he needed to have a custom clutch cable made because the stocker was wrong. What ever happened to him. I think he was mistaken, but sometimes you just can't help someone....
There was a guy around here a while back who was saying he needed to have a custom clutch cable made because the stocker was wrong. What ever happened to him. I think he was mistaken, but sometimes you just can't help someone....
GerryP
Cruisin' Guzzisti
Jim, your bike has the stock set up right, while I had rear sets installed.
Correct.
WHY
Tuned and Synch'ed
- Joined
- Jul 7, 2011
- Messages
- 32
one thing worth to point out when adjusting the clutch cable. make sure you handle bar is facing forward when adjusting, not when it is turn to left like when it is parked. something simple but i always overlook. and it does make a few mm different on the clutch cable when the cable is stretch to the right/left
francod123
Cruisin' Guzzisti
put some blue loctite on the locknut after you adjust the freeplay. Use feeler gauges to get it just right.
Where would I find that?
still having issues...
Tibor, sorry... missed this. Follow the clutch cable down the right side of the motor. It hooks to an arm. That arm has an adjuster on it where it meets the back of the transmission. There is a 13mm lock nut and a straight nub-ed adjuster bolt. All a bit fiddly and difficult to get to and adjust. Be sure you put all of the slack back in the cable at the lever before adjusting, so it makes it a bit easier to adjust at the back of the trans, and you can take the remaining slack back out at the lever like normal. This is likely covered in the service manual under the Resources tab above. Let me know if that helps.
