Intruder 1400 Clutch Slipping

[Fred]

For a normal everyday rider the BTL does nothing, but slam down a couple of gears and the Back Torque Limiter will slip and keep your rear wheel on the road. Well thats the theory. If they were an optional extra I would not have one because I don't ride like a twat or as you say like I stole it.

BUT the BTL does nothing for an every day rider --it does not affect the clutch in the slightest.


However the stock 8 springs are not the same. The BTL has 4 different springs. Designer springs are all the same. Your BTL will be none operational or work In a manner that is not stock or designed to do.

[Herb]

For a normal everyday rider the BTL does nothing, but slam down a couple of gears and the Back Torque Limiter will slip and keep your rear wheel on the road. Well thats the theory. If they were an optional extra I would not have one because I don't ride like a twat or as you say like I stole it.

BUT the BTL does nothing for an every day rider --it does not affect the clutch in the slightest.


However the stock 8 springs are not the same. The BTL has 4 different springs. Designer springs are all the same. Your BTL will be none operational or work In a manner that is not stock or designed to do.

Actually, Designer's springs are of 2 different lengths.

I don't know if the BTL doesn't work, because I never had it work with the stock setup, but the clutch doesn't slip either, guess which one I want to work? I rode my 87 for 154,000 miles and my 99 for 35,000 miles with the stock springs, changing them out ever 15-18,000 miles and fighting the slipping clutch for about half the time. The BTL never came into play.

The 1400 is the first bike I ever had with a BTL, and it never was used. While I do sometimes ride pretty hard, I have always matched rpm to speed when downshifting. It would take a pretty lousy street rider to need the BTL in the first place. Anyone that needs it, needs to learn to ride, or get an automatic transmission.

Sorry if I offended anyone, but I learned to ride before all of this "safety", for dummies, crap was even thought of. Don't have a whole lot of empathy for people that need things like the BTL, the kickstand lockout, or the clutch safety switch.

Just another crotchety old fart.

[Fred]

Then im a crochety olde fart too, took all that side stand and clutch inhibitor sw years ago.

When I press the button to start --I expect the engine to start not to be questioned about it

But I kept the neutral sw and light.

[Designer]

The very best mod that can be done on the intruder is to get rid of the stock springs. I am not sure what fred did to fix the slipping clutch, not sure how well the barnett springs work/last. What I am sure of is the Designer springs work well, for a long time, and the added pressure is not a major issue, unless you are a real whimp.

When I put Designer's springs on my bike I was riding 100 miles a day, 50 each way, in San Diego traffic. There was a lot of shifting and clutch use, but the extra force required was not even noticeable after the first day of use.

I put over 180,000 miles on a stock clutch and with Designer's springs it was still working well. When I changed out the engine, I swapped the springs to the new(to me) engine, I now have over 220,000 miles on the bike and the springs are still working well The vast majority of those miles was commuting to work between 50 and 100 miles a day, in San Diego's heavy traffic. BTW, Interstate 5 is the worlds narrowest and longest parking lot.

While the barnett springs may be good, and work well, I dam well know that Designer's springs work well.

Actually, Designer's springs are of 2 different lengths.

Yes, there are are two sets of Different Strength Springs with my Clutch Springs Upgrade "kit" (as many guys refer to it).

Over 1,000 Riders report there is not only NO slippage ever again, but an Improved Power Transfer to the Rear Wheel. Something no other clutch Springs Kit gives you.

And you Herb are our Resident Longevity Expert at 220,000 miles. [emoji106]

[Fred]

Designer spring mostly eliminate the effect, they are HIGHLY recommended.

Yo-

Yes the 1400 had terrible springs, you can squeeze them with your fingers. I have replaced mine also but with a slightly less strong spring with perfect results.

[Herb]

Designer spring mostly eliminate the effect, they are HIGHLY recommended.

Yo-

Yes the 1400 had terrible springs, you can squeeze them with your fingers. I have replaced mine also but with a slightly less strong spring with perfect results.

Perfect results with a spring that is less strong than the stock spring? Am I misreading what you are saying?

[Fred]

Yes you have misread. I have no Idea what Designer springs strength is we have had failed attempts to determine this. I just replaced mine with a spring slghtly stronger than stock some years back with satisfactory results. I can not deny a stronger feel but that would be expected if a stronger spring was used However it does appear to be less of a pull required than some users of Designer springs have stated.

Years ago on the Purple we tried to get the designers spring strength but it was said it was a trade secret.

I can measure the pull on the tip of my lever right by the ball end and give a pull to the handle bar reading if any Designer spring users cared to show any interest in this information.

[Fred]

I have measured the pull required to pull the clutch lever to the handle bar with a cooking weighing scale.

I will publish my findings first,

The cooking scale was simply used to push the lever to the handle bar 7 and 1/4 pounds.

A very very cruel test is to ride your bike up to a wall, put it in top gear rev it up and then let out the clutch and fully open the throttle.

Do this only once it is a terrible thing to do but my clutch will stop the motor. I have no doubt Designer springs will do too, but I have a lighter clutch lever.

[Lechy]

Hey Fred, ya won't be doing that to a Thai built wall, all that torque would push it clear through to Soi Cowboy.


[emoji41]

[Fred]

Hey Fred, ya won't be doing that to a Thai built wall, all that torque would push it clear through to Soi Cowboy.


[emoji41]

You did'nt read it right ----select top gear.

[Herb]

I have measured the pull required to pull the clutch lever to the handle bar with a cooking weighing scale.

I will publish my findings first,

The cooking scale was simply used to push the lever to the handle bar 7 and 1/4 pounds.

A very very cruel test is to ride your bike up to a wall, put it in top gear rev it up and then let out the clutch and fully open the throttle.

Do this only once it is a terrible thing to do but my clutch will stop the motor. I have no doubt Designer springs will do too, but I have a lighter clutch lever.

OK, I see what you are saying.

I never thought the Designer springs made the pull on the lever that much more than stock. Never bothered to measure it, but by the second trip to and from work, I didn't even notice it.

[Fred]

Yes I have got used to mine too unless I drive the city and then I get to feel hard work just in and out of first gear. That 7 1/4 pounds can be quite a 'handful' in Bangkok traffic trying to get down Suriwong road. Its only till I ride another bike that I think how hard my clutch is,-- even a Harley is light in comparison.

I see my biker mates sit with bike in gear with clutch held in at traffic and I think of all that force on that tiny roller thrust bearing, I guess they don't know that.

If my hand is sweaty( mostly usually is) and I am in gear behind an expensive car I generally knock it out into neutral just in case. A lady friend of mine will not ride my bike --she cant hold the clutch.

And yet I can access neutral at all times even at stand still.

[Herb]

Yes I have got used to mine too unless I drive the city and then I get to feel hard work just in and out of first gear. That 7 1/4 pounds can be quite a 'handful' in Bangkok traffic trying to get down Suriwong road. Its only till I ride another bike that I think how hard my clutch is,-- even a Harley is light in comparison.

I see my biker mates sit with bike in gear with clutch held in at traffic and I think of all that force on that tiny roller thrust bearing, I guess they don't know that.

If my hand is sweaty( mostly usually is) and I am in gear behind an expensive car I generally knock it out into neutral just in case. A lady friend of mine will not ride my bike --she cant hold the clutch.

And yet I can access neutral at all times even at stand still.

Then you have a LOT stronger springs than Designer's.

I rode my bikes in heavy traffic for 50 miles each way, for 2 years. The next 3 years I rode some really bad traffic, 25 miles each way. Then for 10 years I rode at rush hour, 35 miles each way. All 3 rides were in heavy freeway and city traffic, mostly at rush hours.

Never had a complaint about the clutch being hard to pull, still don't.

[Fred]

When I talk bad traffic I think it might be above your imagination. Its more like walking pace in out of gear every meter. 2nd gear is rarely used.

Any wayl it all comes down to facts N figures. Do you have a kitchen scale to check what your pull is, then we know something.

[p90fool]

Yep, somebody do what Fred asks and tell us what the lever pull actually with Designer springs is so we can make an objective comparison with stock.

I have carpal tunnel issues, and I'm a professional musician too so have to look after my tendons, I don't have any use for a clutch which is significantly heavier than stock.

It would be nice to have the clutch weight quantified rather than guessed at.

[Herb]

When I talk bad traffic I think it might be above your imagination. Its more like walking pace in out of gear every meter. 2nd gear is rarely used.

Any wayl it all comes down to facts N figures. Do you have a kitchen scale to check what your pull is, then we know something.

Try an hour to go less than a mile... Almost every morning going to NAS North Island, the same in the afternoon. On hot days I would sometimes have to pull over and let the bike cool down. I also had to keep using the front brake to keep from rolling backward. So, yes I do know what heavy traffic is.

I-5 and I-15 are some of the longest parking lots in the world, between 0630 - 0930 and 1530 - 1830 the freeways I had to travel quite often would take me 2-2.5 hours to cover 35-40 miles. And that amount of time was with me splitting lanes at 10-20 mph, when ever I safely could.

No I don't have a scale that measures beyond 2 lbs. Not that it really matters, since lever pull really isn't that big of a deal to me.

Then again, maybe I am just in better shape.... [emoji2]

[Lechy]

Riding around Bangkok is more like lane threading rather than lane splitting. It really takes a toll out of the clutch and left hand especially on a Friday afternoon.
I freakin' hate riding around the place but you can forget even attempting it on 4 wheels.

[emoji41]

[Fred]

[quote=" 10-20 mph, when ever I safely could.

No im sorry 10 to 20 mph is just not possible. 2 mph is not possible. Changing lane -- not a chance.

its all clutch clutch in and out constantly ----and bikes are not allowed on the overhead motorway so you just cant get out of it. Best is to get a hotel and try the next day. It is not impossible to be stationary an hour.

Its ok ---no one understand Bangkok traffic. Some people give up and abandon the car. Years back Thaksin prime minister was going to hook up abandoned cars with a big helecopter and shift them out.

You can buy a small toilet for the car called 'comfort 2000'' and most cars have TV.

I do not and will not live there Lechy does.

[Lechy]

It's not that bad.

[youtube][/youtube]

[emoji41]

[Herb]

[quote=" 10-20 mph, when ever I safely could.

No im sorry 10 to 20 mph is just not possible. 2 mph is not possible. Changing lane -- not a chance.

its all clutch clutch in and out constantly ----and bikes are not allowed on the overhead motorway so you just cant get out of it. Best is to get a hotel and try the next day. It is not impossible to be stationary an hour.

Its ok ---no one understand Bangkok traffic. Some people give up and abandon the car. Years back Thaksin prime minister was going to hook up abandoned cars with a big helecopter and shift them out.

You can buy a small toilet for the car called 'comfort 2000'' and most cars have TV.

I do not and will not live there Lechy does.

One of the great things about CA is the fact that splitting lanes is NOT illegal. Traffic at a dead stop, bikes still doing 5-10 mph. HOWEVER, the town of Coronado has a law against it, and a 25 mph speed limit. During rush hour, traffic backs up across the bridge from the mainland. Lanes are too narrow for lane splitting and the climb is pretty steep. Every stop, about half a car length means using the brake to keep from rolling backwards, and there is enough movement that there is never any chance to put it in neutral to rest your hand, over 2.5 miles with almost no chance to rest the hands, unless there is a jumper on the bridge, then there is plenty of time to rest. Possibly not as bad as you are used to, but if the pull on the clutch lever was really bad, it would be a major pain in the butt.

https://www.google.com/maps/place/North ... 17.2043706

Like I said, the pull never bothered me, but maybe I am in better shape.