Ur clutch cable stretched a little. Back out the barrel adjuster a turn or two by the clutch lever and u should be good

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What I do is look at the lever on the clutch cover. Start the bike, put it into 1st and see where the clutch starts to grab. You can use the lever on the clutch cover or the hand lever. Set it where you want, but make sure you have full movement so it's not rubbing while open.

You can use 1/3 as a guide... The clutch should start to grab when you release the lever about 1/3 of the way and should be fully released (look at tension on the clutch cover lever) before you run out of lever travel.

Yours should be a simple adjustment like nathanktm said. BTW, it's a good time to put a dab of grease on the end inside the lever, they tend to get water/dirt in there. A quick clean, lube, adjust every year isn't a bad idea.

 

I did fiddle a bit with the levers when I swapped out the bars. Maybe I went overboard on the clutch adjustment. Although IIRC the clutch does engage about 1/3 of the way through its release travel. I'd prefer is engage a little further out honestly - I feel the clutch pull is quite long as it is. Thanks folks.

 

Do you remove and/or change the shift linkage?
You may be (also?)dealing with actuating arms relative misalignment, as in the centrelines through the two pivots of each arm not being parallel.

 

Dumb question. When was the oil last changed? If as you say it had 4,000 miles on it when you got it, and you did not change the oil immediately there is every possibility it has the original oil in it after 13 years. If this is the case it could explain the shifting problem, plus a lot of other problems in the not too distant future.

From your description of the trans problem it sounds like you are coasting to a stop in whatever gear it was in before the necessity of coming to a stop became apparent, then dancing on the shift lever to get down to first. This almost inevitably gets the trans in a blocked condition which is alleviated when you roll the bike forward. Just conjecture on my part, but on the assumption that it's an accurate description of your riding I strongly recommend downshifting while slowing. It has many benefits, not the least of which is if you find yourself in a situation where you have to accelerate to avoid ... whatever is happening around you ... you are in an appropriate gear to do so.

My recommendation (other than what I have already put forth) is stop concentrating on modifications and focus on refining your basic riding skills. The long term benefits are incalculable.

Rob

 

Mcromo: I didn't mess with the shift linkage. When you say misalignment of the actuating arms, are you talking about these points? What could cause them to be out of alignment, or otherwise change from factory positions?

Robtharalson: No idea. Bike was sold with no service history, so its possible the transmission oil was never changed, or any of the bike's flluids for that matter. Sounds like I should make this a priority? Indeed I'm coasting to stops but I clutch in and as the bike rolls I push down through the gears and always try to get into first before I have to put my feet down. I don't feel like I'm at the point yet where I can rev-match my downshifts, and don't like the feeling/idea of downshifting without matching revs (from my days of driving stick shift). IIRC bike clutches are different and are made to slip right, so might it be OK for me to downshift without rev matching as long as engine RPM is low, like around 1500rpm?

 

Robtharalson: No idea. Bike was sold with no service history, so its possible the transmission oil was never changed, or any of the bike's flluids for that matter. Sounds like I should make this a priority?

Absolutely! At the very least you will know when it was changed instead of guessing. That, and it is infinitely preferable to spun rod bearings.

Indeed I'm coasting to stops but I clutch in and as the bike rolls I push down through the gears and always try to get into first before I have to put my feet down. I don't feel like I'm at the point yet where I can rev-match my downshifts, and don't like the feeling/idea of downshifting without matching revs (from my days of driving stick shift). IIRC bike clutches are different and are made to slip right, so might it be OK for me to downshift without rev matching as long as engine RPM is low, like around 1500rpm?

Only if it is equipped with a "slipper clutch", also referred to as a "back torque limiting clutch" which will allow some slippage during deceleration to prevent sliding the rear wheel. The 919 is not so equipped, so you will have to do it yourself by slipping the clutch and / or matching revs, which I recommend be used at all times. Go here for a better understanding of the finer points of shifting a motorcycle trans as opposed to a car: http://www.wristtwisters.com/forums/f322/smoother-shifting-67465.html#post1181137

Have you taken an MSF beginner riding course? It really does help with the finer points of operation of a motorcycle, which it does sound like you need.

Rob

 

There's no transmission oil, the motor oil is all in one. Lubricates engine, clutch and transmission. On these bikes, anyways. Coasting to stops is fine. But yeah, you can easily take a look at the oil sight glass and peek at what oil the oil is, along with the level. I know for a fact that my bike on fresh oil shifts like butter, to the point the first few hundred miles it slips out of first sometimes

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