My Dec 02 built K3 that I have owned since about 2016 also known as "Bilbo".
It currently has 54000km on it. I replaced the standard clutch with an stack and heavier clutch springs about 6years ago, probably longer, as I felt the originals were too soft and don't give enough 'feel', plus I have no history of the bike before I bought it apart from std service records.
I run Gulf Western synnex 3000 oil in this bike, chain and sprockets are only about 1500km old if that and I lube them with Castrol VMX gear oil.
Clutch is working fine, gearbox is also fine, the only issue I have is that the clutch bite is or has progressively moved further from the handlebar.
- Fluid is new, resevoir is clean.
- No air in the line, braided HEL lines and no leaks at the banjo's.
- Slave is clean and has full travel
- actuator rod is clean and straight, no leaks from the engine casing either.
- removing the oil filler cap and squeezing the clutch lever you can see the plates separating as they should
- master cylinder has been rebuilt with a new boot and seal kit
- clutch lever is set at position #2 for reach which suits me. I have tried all others and makes no difference to the bite point.
Apart from the bite point being further from the bar than id like, the drop into 1st seems also to be getting harsher. I now pull the clutch in, wait 5seconds before selecting first but it still clunks. I doesn't do it when at operating temp all the time, the bite point being the much more noticeable issue.
My thinking is the thrust washer and bearing that sits behind the clutch basket is wearing or worn, so not allowing the full separation of the plates and also making the grab point further away.
Has anyone experienced this or have specs on the thrust washer? The manual gives plate thickness and distortion limits, and says to inspect and replace parts if worn.
I will pull the clutch and basket when I get a chance and report back with what I find...
With the bite point getting further out, could that be caused by the clutch friction surfaces getting worn down? With less meat there you'd have to let the clutch out further for it to bite. Just putting it out there . . . :confused1:
or, maybe those heavy springs have squashed the friction material? :happy1:
Correct Col,plates get thinner,friction point goes out further.
Cheers and thanks. Will check the friction plate thickness as well, that would explain the bite point being further away,but not the heavy clunk into gear.
I've had so many UJM, all have clunked into first. Current 14 also, have never liked but never tried to stop.
My BMW does it too, but that has a dry sump and wet clutch, fed by an oil pump into the clutch basket, with stiction of the plates being the worst, plus the steel plates are smooth so they don't hold oil.
The 1403 never had aa big a clunk as far as i remember.
As a side note to the clunk issue, my Rocket does it too, but only once it's been ridden for a while. First up it's smooth as, maybe it's the oil, a bit thicker when cold.
On a cold start on mine I hold the clutch in for a count of ten before I engage first which then goes in with gentle click. It will bang in if I go to first straight away which is quite audible even with earplugs in. A warm start is usually a count of five for a nice gear engagement. :onya: .
I'll be surprised if your clutch parts are worn, my old 14 never had it's clutch apart in 186k miles & it still worked fine. Besides, surely one of the pluses of hydraulic clutches is they self adjust for wear so you shouldn't notice the bite point move. As when the plates wear & the stack gets thinner the slave adjusts because it's resting position is when the pushrod just touching the clutch plate as the spring behind the piston holds it there?
Quote from: Eric GSX1400K3 on Monday, 13 April 2026, 07:04 PMMy BMW does it too, but that has a dry sump and wet clutch, fed by an oil pump into the clutch basket, with stiction of the plates being the worst, plus the steel plates are smooth so they don't hold oil.
The 1403 never had aa big a clunk as far as i remember.
I'm curious Eric...did boring the motor out to 1403 make much difference to performance?
:whistling:
Quote from: Pommeroy on Tuesday, 14 April 2026, 04:28 AMQuote from: Eric GSX1400K3 on Monday, 13 April 2026, 07:04 PMMy BMW does it too, but that has a dry sump and wet clutch, fed by an oil pump into the clutch basket, with stiction of the plates being the worst, plus the steel plates are smooth so they don't hold oil.
The 1403 never had aa big a clunk as far as i remember.
I'm curious Eric...did boring the motor out to 1403 make much difference to performance?
:whistling:
Well, it gave him 'the clunk' anyway . . .
Quote from: Hooli on Tuesday, 14 April 2026, 02:25 AMI'll be surprised if your clutch parts are worn, my old 14 never had it's clutch apart in 186k miles & it still worked fine. Besides, surely one of the pluses of hydraulic clutches is they self adjust for wear so you shouldn't notice the bite point move. As when the plates wear & the stack gets thinner the slave adjusts because it's resting position is when the pushrod just touching the clutch plate as the spring behind the piston holds it there?
Excellent point Hooli, yep the hydraulic clutch would (does) do exactly that. My brain was just thinking what would move the bite point further, forgot about the effect of the hyrdaulic clutch.
I've been thinking about it & I think I'd start with taking the lever off & making sure the pushrod into the master cylinder was free, the hole in the round brass bit isn't full of crud etc as all of those could effectively make it longer so the lever needs to be further out to get the same master cylinder travel.
It's a lot easier than stripping the clutch down too.
Cheers fellas, and yes Hooli thats how I understand it too, self adjusting etc. Last fluid change made a difference, may try to bleed it again to be sure. Everything works fine, just the bite point...
If I get around to it I'll check the friction plate thickness, no big deal to strip the clutch pack down.
Rod and slave cylinder is fine, checked that on the weekend, all clear.
Good tip re the master cylinder, will check that rod too.
Re clunk, I may try the 10sec hold in instead of 5sec and see how it responds.
Re 1403cc, sorry, just allowing for wear....
I've owned mine from new and never had any issues with the clutch and I've checked all the things others have complained about. I think we were extremely lucky Suzuki did a hydraulic clutch all those years ago. Yes it's self adjusting for wear, however I don't have any issues that are obvious after 25 years and 180,000+ kms. :cheers:
The clunk on mine was always random. One day a big clunk, the next smooth as silk. I just put it down to one of those things.