Clutch slow to release especially in 1st

[HarryHornby]

Gonna do separate posts for each issue, rather than things get lost in a general one.

OK, so did some town and country side riding last night, mainly to test the lights!  OMG, mission accomplished, I can see the road!  LOADS better than the FZS - Anyway....

I now see what B1kerDude meant about the clutch.  It's almost as though it's not releasing, slipping (not sure if that is right).  But it's like it's delayed, especially when in first.  Get to the bite (closer to the handlebars now I've adjusted it, nice) and it doesn't "engage" for a split second, and then does, causing a not so smooth pull away.

B1kerdude may well be right about the cable sticking, let's hope so, easy fix for my bike shop, hopefully.  Hydraulic etc sounds lovely, but funds need to be spent wisely, and not all at once :-)

[Gnasher]

Take it back, don't touch it, you've just bought it, there shouldn't be anything that's not working and it's under a limited warranty.

This could be anything from the cable needs oiling, sticking clutch release mechanism, to a buggered clutch drum. Same goes for anything else that's wrong, as mentioned before dealers don't like doing work on bikes they sell especially valve and this type of thing.  What they bank on is new owners won't know it's a defect before the bike will be out of it's limited warranty, or it breaks having then done ex amount of miles and they'll blame you.

Call them today and take it back ASAP.

[unfazed]

I agree, contact them immediately and return with it as ASAP. Most likely it needs a new clutch cable, but always possible it is something more.
Not to uncommon for the inners of a cable to come apart and make the cable stiff usually from water getting which can happen on the FZ6 at the centre cable adjuster if the cap is not pushed back after adjusting, very like what happens on the FZS1000.
Oiling helps, but just puts off the inevitable.

[b1k3rdude]

I now see what B1kerDude meant about the clutch.  It's almost as though it's not releasing, slipping (not sure if that is right).  But it's like it's delayed, especially when in first.  Get to the bite (closer to the handlebars now I've adjusted it, nice) and it doesn't "engage" for a split second, and then does, causing a not so smooth pull away.

B1kerdude may well be right about the cable sticking, let's hope so, easy fix for my bike shop, hopefully.  Hydraulic etc sounds lovely, but funds need to be spent wisely, and not all at once :-)

Before you ride all the way back to the shop, get a cable oiler.

I had a similar issue with the clutch cable on my FZ1 a few weeks ago (which i thought I mentioned), and flushing the cable through mostly resolved the issue making the bike way more pleasant to ride. I flushed it with Double T lubricant spray.

- https://www.amazon.co.uk/cable-oiler/s?k=cable+oiler
- https://www.amazon.co.uk/Double-TT-Maint...B00499DFLY

If the issue mostly resolves itself, then you can either go back to the shop (get them to swap the cable) or buy and fit a replacement from Venhill.

[HarryHornby]

Cheers Bikerdude, that spray, isn't the easiest to find for sale. Will WD40 work? Seems (according to me) to be pretty much the same, water displacement, cleaning etc etc

[b1k3rdude]

 that spray, isn't the easiest to find for sale.  

As Gnasher will probably tell you - WD40 is fine for penetrating, but not really lubricating.

That DoubleT I found in my local auto factors, and again channelling my inner Gnasher, I imagine he would say GT85 should do the trick...

So yes at a push you could clean out the cable with WD40, but then liberally flush with GT85, or just clean and flush with GT85.

[Grahamm]

Will WD40 work?  Seems (according to me) to be pretty much the same, water displacement, cleaning etc etc

WD40 isn't a lubricant and, worse, gets sticky, so can attract more gunk!

Slinkyglide recommend Lithium spray lube which seems to do the job.