I bought a 1984 VT700 shadow and rode it home (about 1 mile on a cold day). Worked great. 2 guys came to try it out (fairly warm day). They each rode it around the trailer park and it worked great. Then they went to ride it again and it barely moved while in gear. It seemed to shift good but it just wouldn't go anywhere. Put it in first and release the clutch and it would just barely creep along. What could this be?

SOURCE: 84 honda shadow vt700 clutch slips when hot

Your clutch plates have lasted 25 years. It is probably time to get some new plates. Have your dealer get you a set of Barnett clutch plates.

SOURCE: 1100cc 87 Honda Shadow. Replaced

Hi

The major working component of a motorcycle clutch are the friction plates and clutch plates. The friction plates take the abuse and wear of daily riding. Designed as a consumable item, they wear out and need to be replaced. Some of the more common reasons for clutch slippage are:
- Clutch controls are improperly adjusted. Improper cable adjustment. You'd have to start looking into the clutch basket itself again since you have already replaced it.

- Insufficient clutch spring tension. This can be due to excessive wear or in highly modified engine, to much power.
- Worn or warped friction plates or steel plates.

You can do several things to extend the life of your clutch. Make sure all components are properly adjusted. Maintain proper lubrication of your wet clutch. Change your clutch oil at regular intervals. Always use good quality oil, at the proper viscosity, in your clutch. Adjust your riding style to eliminate excessive slipping, which causes excessive heat resulting in rapid wear. When clutch components are replaced, always use the best parts available and replace all worn components. High quality clutch components will save money in the long run.

There are usually just two things that can go wrong with a clutch:

1) It slips because it is too worn. If you have a tachometer you'll see the RPMs rise as you give the bike throttle, then they'll drop as you ease off. The only fix is usually new clutch disks, but occasionally the clutch springs are weak and can let it slip too. Springs can sometimes be made tighter by putting washers in to compress them more.

2) The clutch doesn't disengage completely. This is usually noticed by the inability to get into neutral with the engine running and the bike stopped. You'll also notice the clutch begin to engage when you haven't released the lever very far. For cable operated clutches, adjust the cable so that clutch engagement is between half way and 3/4 released. For hydraulic clutches, bleed the clutch lines and try to get the air bubbles out that are causing the problem.

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