Shaft driven GS clutch adjustment

[igoldin74]

How does one adjust clutch on a GS650G? I am not seeing anything on it in the service manual. With chain driven bikes there’s an adjustment rod on the left side of the bike, but my bike doesn’t have it.

[Nessism]

The only clutch adjustment on your bike is for cable free play, which can be adjusted either at the hand lever, or at the crankcase, where the cable is anchored by the clutch cover.

[rphillips]

Don't think any adjust on clutch, you just adjust the cable.

[lizzywhite45]

Try to adjust the clutch cable.

[igoldin74]

Got it. 2-3mm cable free play should do it? The reason I ask is because my clutch seems to be dragging just a bit. It’s not enough to push the bike forward when it’s on the ground but it’s enough to spin the wheel when on a center stand. Also the engagement point seems to be at the very end of the lever travel.

[Who Dat?]

... not enough to push the bike forward when it’s on the ground but it’s enough to spin the wheel when on a center stand. ...

Even with FULL disengagement, there is enough drag with all the oil in the housing that the rear wheel is quite likely to move. Won't take much more than a light grab with your hand to stop it, and putting the bike on the ground will definitely stop it (without moving the bike forward).

[tom203]

On the 650 shanties, best to first orient the clutch lever arm so that it angles slightly inward as in picture. Then fiddle with cable . When all is well, you get push on lever arm and get a small bit of play before you feel clutch engage.

[Nessism]

Got it. 2-3mm cable free play should do it? The reason I ask is because my clutch seems to be dragging just a bit. It’s not enough to push the bike forward when it’s on the ground but it’s enough to spin the wheel when on a center stand. Also the engagement point seems to be at the very end of the lever travel.

You can try adding a smig more freeplay, until the release point is where you prefer.

[Rob S.]

...enough to spin the wheel when on a center stand

Completely normal.

[igoldin74]

This is how clutch arm is position on my bike right now:
Clutch arm by Juleb Jakarta, on Flickr

[rphillips]

The idea is to get the arm to move as far as possible with a complete pull of the lever. I'd say yours is fine, but if it were mine, I'd turn it out another spline or two. Just my opinion. but want get the most movement of the arm.

[Grimly]

This is how clutch arm is position on my bike right now:
Clutch arm by Juleb Jakarta, on Flickr

I'd definitely move that out at least one more spline.

[igoldin74]

We don't want any slack on the shaft itself, only on the cable, correct? E.g. I should turn the shaft all the way until it reaches a stop point and then put on the arm?

[rphillips]

There should be very little turning of the shaft when the arm is off. Be sure play in cable, take out little pin and disconnect cable from arm, take bolt out of arm, raise arm off of shaft, watching closely where it is presently, then move it 2 splines to the right, slide it back down onto shaft, reinstall bolt. You will need to adjust a little more slack in the cable so it is easily reconnected. After completed, check free play of clutch lever and adjust there if needed.