Clutch Pushrod - ok to pull out?

[Fazerider]

... what I do want to know is, what is behind the goldish cover with an "X" and 4 screws. I canot remove the screws as the metal is so soft that the heads just knacker( same gos for the cluch actuenter) 2 screws   

It's the damper plate. The name suggests it was to cut down on noise from the chain on the front sprocket, the fact that they left it off later versions suggests it wasn't very effective. :lol
It does have one benefit though: when the sprocket nut comes loose, it can't fall off the end of the shaft. So the thread on the shaft just mangles the softer thread of the nut rather than getting wrecked by the splines of the sprocket.
This may be the reason Yamaha told your dealer that '98 models aren't affected by the sprocket nut problem. So far as I'm aware, 9mm nuts come adrift on '98 models just as frequently as the later ones, it's just that they're less likely to need the output shaft replaced afterwards.


As for the clutch pushrod, what little lubrication it needs is provided by the engine oil. Any grease pushed in past the oil seal is going to find its way into the oil, so I'd avoid Moly and copper greases and just use engine oil. Copper grease is intended for parts that don't move, it's not a great lubricant... just an anti-sieze compound.