Clutch Nuances

[gtowsen]

Hi all! This is my first post on this forum - please excuse me for asking any stupid questions.

I have a 1986 GL1200A Aspencade that I bought last year and so far it's been great!

Recently, when sitting at red lights in gear with the clutch lever pulled, the motorcycle will slowly start to creep forward and eventually stall if I'm holding the brakes. This will only start happening after a minute or so. No problem shifting gears on the move or when stopped for a short period of time. I returned home to diagnose the issue.

I assumed that there may be a leak in the hydraulic clutch system somewhere so I removed the fluid reservoir cap and checked the fluid level - all good there. I changed the clutch fluid with a new bottle of DOT4 just before winter storage so I know it's still in good shape.

Next, I reinstalled the clutch fluid reservoir cap and started the motorcycle, clunked it into 1st gear with the clutch in, and waited for 3-4 minutes. No creeping this time. The motorcycle was still fully warmed up.

I also noticed something that sounds like rushing air when I pull in the clutch lever - however I've heard this sound since I purchased the motorcycle and didn't think much of it since everything appeared to be operating normally.

Has anyone experienced a similar issue and found a resolution? Is the sound of rushing air normal when the clutch lever is pulled?

Thanks!

[joecoolsuncle]

i doubt the rushing air thing, but do feel like you have air in system, or your fluid is getting hot.

[DenverWinger]

If not losing fluid, it is more likely clutch master cylinder needs a rebuild.

Fluid leaking past the seals while clutch lever is pulled can cause the clutch to slowly release, as if you were slowly letting the clutch lever out.

Having said that, the slave cylinder is probably not far behind in needing service.

[ksigurdsen]

I had issues with my hydraulic clutch system, too, due to age of the components. As of mid-2021, Honda still carried the seal kits for the master and slave cylinders. They were more expensive than aftermarket but worth it in my opinion. Also, the clutch hose was deteriorating so I installed a 1-piece teflon with stainless steel outer braid. The money was well spent, no more problems.

[WingAdmin]

I would also plan to rebuild both the master and slave cylinders.

Honda rebuild kits can be had from a number of vendors for around $60 each, but I have used aftermarket rebuild kits from PartsNMore for years - they are a third of the price, and work just as well.

[gtowsen]

Thanks everyone for the replies and great information!

I purchased a clutch master & slave rebuild kit. I will report back once I'm confident the issue has been solved.