gen 1 Hayabusa hydraulic clutch question.

[first time rebuild]

This might be a dumb question, but ive never had a bike with a hydraulic clutch. What is the handle pressure supposed to feel like? Is it like the brake system where it gets stiff?
Just bought a bike to rebuild and i rebuilt the clutch. i know the clutch isn't working because with the back tire on a stand, engine on, clutch handle depressed, shifted into first gear, the bike tire rotates. like its in gear with the clutch handle pulled.
aside from the obvious ( bleeding and pulling air bubbles out) is there another thing i could test/do to make it work?
Thanks in advance

 

[Dustin02]

That sounds normal to me. You can do an easier check with the bike off. Put it in first gear and try to rotate the rear wheel by hand, it shouldn't. Now squeeze the clutch lever, you should be able to turn the rear wheel with some resistance now.

The lever does not get stiff close to the handle like the brake does. It should stay about the same pressure all the way to the grip.

 

[sixpack577]

The lever should have light pressure, consistantly through it's travel.
If you have vacuumed fluid through the line, down to the clutch cylinder in the sprocket cover, and are sure that there is no air in the system, then the master cylinder needs rebuilt, which is simple, remove the snap-ring and replace the seal(lightly coat the new seal with brake fluid too, so it does not stick in the cylinder).

 

[first time rebuild]

That sounds normal to me. You can do an easier check with the bike off. Put it in first gear and try to rotate the rear wheel by hand, it shouldn't. Now squeeze the clutch lever, you should be able to turn the rear wheel with some resistance now.

The lever does not get stiff close to the handle like the brake does. It should stay about the same pressure all the way to the grip.

Thanks for the reply,
I will try testing that next

 

[first time rebuild]

The lever should have light pressure, consistantly through it's travel.
If you have vacuumed fluid through the line, down to the clutch cylinder in the sprocket cover, and are sure that there is no air in the system, then the master cylinder needs rebuilt, which is simple, remove the snap-ring and replace the seal(lightly coat the new seal with brake fluid too, so it does not stick in the cylinder).

Appreciate the advise,
I used a mityvac, and am pretty sure that theres no air. perhaps i didnt wrong the first time i rebuilt it, will be checking that next. of course as of last night, i noticed coolant in the oil, so now i have bigger and much worse fish to fry

 

[Dustin02]

Well shiiiiiiiiittttttt..... sorry brother

 

[BlueBacon]

Something else to look for is slave cylinder flex. Look at the cylinder and your front sprocket cover area while you pull the clutch lever to see if they bulge out. You can buy support brackets that bolt over it (like I did) and there are several posts about them on here.

I put new springs in my stock clutch and noticed a loss of pressure when I put it back together...slave cylinder was tearing off.