Hello Hello! Slipping clutch Hello!

Loanstar

.060 Over
Joined
Jun 28, 2011
Messages
124
Location
Calgary, AB.
Hi all,

So, I just bought a 2009 R3 with 1800km on it. I have since put a little under 2000km on it in the last 4 weeks. Love the bike. LOVE it! My first bike was/is a 79 Yamaha XS750. Talk about an upgrade.

Today, something very sad happened though. All of a sudden, just this morning, I was having an extremely difficult time getting the bike into neutral while stopped with the engine running. If I cut the engine, I could slip it down from 2nd or up from 1st with no problem but if the engine was running, say, at a red light, there was no way I could get it into neutral.

So I got to work and fiddled with the tension on the clutch cable and then something snapped when I squeezed the clutch. Then there was NO tension at all. In inspecting the cable down to the actuator arm, it appears that something has come loose in the clutch box... possibly at the end of the cylinder assembly attached to the actuator arm. How friggen depressing.

The bike is *just* out of warranty by 2 months but the dealership/service shop is going to see if they can get it covered for me by Triumph under good will.

Has anyone run into this before? I'm curious if this sounds like a simple fix or not. It looks to me like it is a huge amount of labor.

I have posted a link below to a video I made showing the problem. I had nothing better to do while waiting for AMA.

‪Triumph Rocket 3 Slipping Clutch‬‏ - YouTube

Anyhow, good to meet you all. I've been meaning to introduce myself for a couple of weeks. It is a shame that a problem with my bike prompted it.
 
Your clutch is not slipping. Sounds like the clutch actuator shaft broke. I'm on my second one. At the end of the cable at the engine the actuator is connected to a shaft that goes into the engine. If you can pull the shaft out of the engine the shaft is broke, don't pull it all the way out though. Here's some links that talk about and show pictures of the shaft and why it brakes.





Triumph should foot the bill for the repair. Its an easy fix. I also have an 09 standard.
 
Yep, snapped the head off it. That close to warranty should be easy enough to get Triumph to cover it, take her back to the dealer.
At some point the cable adjustment may have been too tight, be sure not to ever snug it up too much where the lever stops before it hits the grip. Pulling on it past that point will snap the head off for sure.

Welcome to the site.
 
That's a crying shame.
Not a very good way to start out on your new bike.
It's not an unheard of problem, but it doesn't happen very often or to very many.
Welcome to the forum anyway.
Anything you want or need to know about your bike can be found right here.
Some of us have been riding these beasts for years now with no problems,
in fact most of us have, but then there's the occasional fluke.
Hope this is the last problem you have with her for many a year.
let us know what the dealer says.
 
Thanks guys.

I dropped it off 2 days ago and they are going to try get Triumph to cover it. I wonder if this fault was the reason I could not get into neutral with the engine running. Anyhow, we'll have to wait and see what they say.

I looked in the service manual and it seems like a fair amount of labor to get this changed. Have to take the rad off, pump, etc.

Yikes!
 
Hey Loanstar, noticed you mentioned klms not miles..where you from ? Just wondering if you're an Aussie i've had dealings with Triumph Australia and may be able to steer you in right direction.... Welcome to Rocketland :p
 
I just got my 09 Rocket touring repaired at my local shop. same problem, hard to find neutral. Clutch shaft broke shortly after a minor adjustment of the cable. Free play in the cable was always within specs but the part failed at 8400 miles. The replacement parts supplied by Triumph were upgraded. The clutch pull rod was beefed up where it connects to the shaft. Took my local shop[Motohio triumph in Columbus Ohio] 3 hours to repair at Triumph's expense.
 
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