C: Clutch Honda Clutch

Vince Farrell

Well Known and Active Forum User
VOC Member
I’ve just been speaking to George Ellin. He has a Honda clutch on his Comet and wonders if lighter springs are available, he’s finding it too hard to pull in traffic. Can anyone advise?

Vince Farrell
 

Peter Holmes

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Vince, I posted this problem a few years ago, the clutch pull can be quite challenging, I spoke to Steve at Conways at the time and he seemed to think they may have had some softer springs in the past, but did not have any now and with little prospect of sourcing any more. In the end I fitted a 7/8” centres clutch lever, fitted a new clutch cable, well lubricated and routed the cable as frictionless as possible, it now reasonably acceptable, but nothing like as easy as a standard twin clutch, just something you have to live with and avoid heavy stop start traffic.
 

Gene Nehring

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Hi Vince,

I am having the same troubles as George. The ones supplied by conway's are awful, the plates were second hand and one was missing.

I went to barnett clutches in the US and brought new plates with better material and ordered springs from them too. As the bike is in transit from Canada to New Zealand its a job I will do once its here.

Best.
 

Martyn Goodwin

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Non-VOC Member
Its all about setup.

1. Inside the burman box there is an adjuster for the clutch arm actuator. Needs to be adjusted so that the clutch just starts to lift as the angle between the arm and the cable reaches 90 degrees and no more.
2. Use the in-line adjuster to adjust the clutch (handlebar) lever position.
3. Standard clutch cables do not help, too many sharpish bends. Make up your own avoiding sharp bends - do NOT try to hide or position the clutch cable inside the fuel tank "tunnel". You want the cable to exit the gearbox in a straight line then sweep around the left side of the motor, then in front of the motor and another smooth sweep to the left up to the clutch lever, again entering the clutch lever in a straight line.

One more thing with the Conway/Honda kit - The best thing to use in the primary case is MOTUL TransOil 10-30. If you use ATF within 200 miles the friction plate will be contaminated and you will forever experience sticking plates. I know, it resulted in me purchasing a complete set of new plates from my local Honda dealer.
 

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Gene Nehring

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VOC Member
Its all about setup.

1. Inside the burman box there is an adjuster for the clutch arm actuator. Needs to be adjusted so that the clutch just starts to lift as the angle between the arm and the cable reaches 90 degrees and no more.
2. Use the in-line adjuster to adjust the clutch (handlebar) lever position.
3. Standard clutch cables do not help, too many sharpish bends. Make up your own avoiding sharp bends - do NOT try to hide or position the clutch cable inside the fuel tank "tunnel". You want the cable to exit the gearbox in a straight line then sweep around the left side of the motor, then in front of the motor and another smooth sweep to the left up to the clutch lever, again entering the clutch lever in a straight line.

One more thing with the Conway/Honda kit - The best thing to use in the primary case is MOTUL TransOil 10-30. If you use ATF within 200 miles the friction plate will be contaminated and you will forever experience sticking plates. I know, it resulted in me purchasing a complete set of new plates from my local Honda dealer.

Martyn,

It seems to me you got lucky. I did not receive any instructions from Conways, a number of parts were second hand. Splines on basket too tight etc, etc. It seems to me that there is no standardization in the manufacture of the clutch kits. They buy the honda clutches in bulk, machine them and them send out.

I have set my clutch up carefully and ridden the bike in excess of 6000 miles since install. The springs that I was sent are way too heavy. I have sourced softer spings and will install them for sure. One vancouver section member could not believe how heavy it was as compared to a standard twin set up.

Best.
 
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TouringGodet

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I recall hearing that the reason the splines are tight was in order to account for the likelihood of worn out splines on the input shaft.
 

Simon Dinsdale

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VOC Member
VOC Forum Moderator
I agree with Martyn that adjustment setup makes a difference. I fitted a Conways Honda clutch to my series A Comet and after assembly but before final setup I tried the feel of the clutch at the handlebars and thought it was heavy. Then after I setup the cable & lift etc ensuring the lever on the gearbox (external on series A) was at the correct angle during operation and the clutch became a lot lighter. Nearly as light as a post war twin clutch. I never changed the springs.

This is the only Conways /Honda clutch I have fitted though and I know the donor clutch was used by Honda on several different models and so I don't know if different springs were fitted or available across the models and over time.
Simon
 

vibrac

Well Known and Active Forum User
VOC Member
I only have a Honda clutch on the electric comet it's harder than the Newby clutches that's for sure but it's Ok perhaps thats because the cables are 'untidy'
 
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