Yes, I still use the original springs. I believe there are some lighter options and some use alternate normal (heavy) and light. I guess I have been too lazy to try that option as I am quite satisfied with the way it operates. Do you have the dimpled steel plates on your clutch? I have also been told they vary in the number of plates used. I have six plates and needed to fit one of Terry Prince's deeper clutch covers. The added advantage with that is it is a round cover so looks quite at home on the "B".
I hooked up the clutch lever to the handlebar, and the effort is quite heavy so these are probably the original type heavy springs. Not so bad though once the lever is against the bar and my fingers can use their own built in leverage. We'll see what stop and go traffic might feel like but I have pretty strong mitts. This V3 doesn't have dimpled plates. (I looked up the invoice and I bought it in March '02. That's sad...)
The cover that came with the B is original with correct mating number and had at one point been down against the round bottom. The repair weld is rather crude, resulting in a porous bottom, so even the initial ATF used to soak the plates began leaking out before I filled the cavity to the recommended level. Rather than fight that, I put it in the Original B box for dry clutch use and bought a new round B cover from Coventry Spares. Your comment about deeper covers led me to measure and sure enough the original one probably would have had a slight interference with the clutch spring cups. It had already been severely "machined" by the Vincent clutch at some time in the past. It is at least 1/8 inch shallower at center and the taper toward the outside is steeper than the new replacement. I don't know where the replacement cover was designed, but it must have had multiplate clutches as a design input. The original is a bit prettier in shape than the new one, to my eye. and the new cover's bottom area must be even more prone to grounding. I don't intend to get that far over on my own doing though, and the new flat surfaces, the better sealing of a round cover, and a Cometic gasket should help with ATF retention. I haven't fitted the footrests yet, but I would bet I have to use spacers.
Ron
