Clutch issues please help 72 honda cl350

[cafenoir]

Bike is warm and I even pulled the clutch in about twenty times to warm up the clutch... adjusted the clutch lever according to shop manual but free play isnt really set correctly. Can roll the bike into first and ride thereafter but clutch lever doesnt do anything even got it into second gear. what do you guys suspect is wrong... and could someone expect what the free play in the lever actually means and how it affects the shifting. Also I took off  the plate that is connected to the clutch cable which is also covers the shift pedal and inspected it for problems seemed to be in working order can you reassemble the shift cover horribly wrong and the bike not work because Im lost at this point any insight fellas also if you live in grand rapids michigan and wanna look at it feel free haha.....

[frogman]

There is a small steel ball in the clutch mechanism on the sprocket cover if you lose it the clutch won't work correctly might check for it

[cafenoir]

In the inside it has three small bearings and one large bearing in the middle of it so I think it has that is that supposed to push the rod to disengage and reengage the clutch maybe I put it back together incorrectly

[cafenoir]

I just watched a youtube video and it seems as if the rod that pushes the clutch basket out to separate the plates isnt pushing it out as needed... it sucks because the manual doesnt really give any pictures or tutorials for the clutch mechanism basics but I guess ill just have to toy around with it until i get it to push the clutch plates..... also i know that every bike is different but how much resistance should the clutch lever have when working properly... should it be similar to the front brake lever or softer than that?..... The only problem ive ran into with the bike with the manual and common sense this is the only problem I cant resolve...... thanks for any insight anyone can give me

[crazypj]

If the cable is properly routed, lubed and adjusted, it should move pretty easy
 You did loosen all the cable adjusters and back them off before you adjusted the screw on sprocket cover?

[cafenoir]

Yeah I did Back them off so that the cable was as loose as possible but I just read a thread as to where if A bike hasnt ran in a while the Clutch plates could be stuck together in which im guessing i Need to loosen or replace... I dont know the last time the bike was driven as it had no license plates so Im going to pull off the side cover and hope the gasket doesnt disintegrate if so ..... hopefully its just the plates and the springs need to be unstuck ... fingers crossed

[crazypj]

Before you do that, just put it in gear, pull clutch lever and jerk backwards couple of times. There should be enough weight transference to try and lift front end which prevents wheel slipping (go forwards and wheel just slides)

[frogman]

Clutch handle will move harder when the bike isn't running. Sounds like PJ said you have stuck clutch plates.

Recently had to do the same with a 550f, we just let the bike run for about 15 minutes to get nice and warm and then did the exact thing PJ said to do, popped right loose after that.

[cafenoir]

I took the side cover off and unstuck the plates and then cleaned the stuff in the oil filter out and cleaned the inside of  the side cover.... clutch works fine now thanks for all the help guys Oh yeah changed the oil while I was at it haha so it all worked out in the end... thanks a ton.... Heres a vid of the bike running going to pay a guy twenty bucks to tune her up.....