Friction Zone ? for a Yamaha.

[KimL]

I have a Yamaha 250cc and a 1100cc. My 250 Yamaha has no real friction zone. It is so far out that it is almost realsed fully. Can this be corrected? I bought the bike in another State and before I haul it back to the dealer I thought I would ask you guys if there is anything I can do at home. My 1100 has a great friction zone but not that 250.

[5thwheel]

I know that the friction zone is adjustable on all of our bikes by turning the "wheel thingy" at the cable on the clutch control end. Hubby oiled my cable the other day and it took a couple of tries to get it back to the same place.
Not sure how to judge where it should be but I bet someone will know.

[CieBme]

I'm not an expert on this, hope someone will chime in, but I think "the right place" or where it should be is anywhere that with the lever pulled all the way in the clutch is disengaged (clutch plate not contacting gear), and when the lever is let go of, the clutch allows the bike to be in gear 100% ... the sweet spot (where you start feeling the bike pull as you let out the clutch lever) through the travel (distance of friction zone), I believe, is a matter of preference. Sometimes lubing can take so much "tension" off a dry cable that the friction zone sweet spot seems to have moved. I don't think the friction zone changes too much on a bike as far as travel goes - the lever to clutch plate connection is probably gonna stay the same.

Example: if I look at my clutch lever as the left side of an analog clock, the minute hand on seven would be clutch lever pulled in all the way (clutch disengaged), the minute hand on eleven would be clutch lever let out all the way (clutch engaged, bike fully in gear). On my bike, the friction zone, or amount of travel I have in the lever is about "10 minutes" long, from about 18 minutes till to 8 minutes till the hour, or as quick as "two minutes" worth of movement from the eleven on pulling in the lever.

Most bikes have notoriously large grips, long clutch levers, and worse for me, very long lever distance/friction zone start distance from grip. Rolling the lever adjustment can pull in the friction zone, on mine - taking the first touch from 8 minutes till the hour to 11 minutes till the hour (clutch resting position [engaged] starts closer to the grip now. I found a clutch adjustment kit (for about $20) that has a spring and a little chrome tube that gave me a little easier lever (not as hard to pull) and brought the sweet spot back another "seven minutes".

Sorry for the clock hand analogy. (Seriously need a graphic. ) Hope it helps a little till someone else chimes in.

[Starlight]

I had a 650 V-Star and it had the same issue with the friction zone. I know that for the 650's, there was an aftermarket fix, but I don't know about the 250's. Before you take it to the dealer, I'd call and ask them if anything can be done. The way it is may just be the way that it normally is.

[Condor]

I believe there is an issue of adjustability for the 650, but the 1100 can be adjusted. I would guess the 250 will be the same as the 650.

[KimL]

Thanks everyone. My DH worked on my clutch last night and I now have a friction zone!!! I see a lot of slow speed practice in my future! The man (retired MC) that owns our R.I.D.E. School showed him how to do it. Did not take long at all!

[amethaelf]

Glad to hear. With bikes, you really have to get everything just right for you. Sounds like its all good now.