I've posted this before but didn't get much help on this one. I put a Tusk clutch and new springs in my 250X. Install went perfectly. I then put new oil in it. Bel-Ray EXL 10-40 motorcycle oil to be specific. I know the clutch is adjusted correctly. So, now the problem. The clutch will not disengage on a cold start unless I warm it up for a long long time. Like 7 minutes. If I try to put it in gear before that, I pull the clutch in, shift into 1st, and the dang thing lunges forward and stalls. I called Tusk and they said I have to let it warm up like I am doing. But the OEM clutch never had that problem. I have a hard time believing it's a clutch problem. I am thinking it's the oil. If I try to cold start it in 1st with the clutch pulled in, when I kick it, of course it lunges, but if I hold the brake at the same time I can free the clutch up when I kick it. It's almost as if the plates are really sticky with oil. Once it's free, all is great. Any ideas? It's really frustrating when I have to sit there and let it warm up for that long while I watch everyone else ride off.

 

No personal experience with any of Bel-Ray's oils, but if you suspect the plates are sticking due to the oil, try some Honda HP4M which is JASO MB. This oil contains moly which is very slippery and is normally meant only for the engine side of the 450R, but in your case running it for a short time might just get your clutch plates loosened up permanently????

Note-I know folks who ran HP4M once by mistake and had no clutch slipping issues (400EX and 300EX), so maybe the no moly with a wet clutch issue gets overstated!!!

 

Thanks Recon. I just emailed the Bel Ray techs. I'll wait to see what they have to say.

 

i have the same problem with my 300ex all i do is hold the rear brake and shift into first and that solves it until i put it revers i am un shore what brand clutch is in it as i didn't install it

 

The 300EX is famous for its sticky clutch, and not doubt the 250X is just the same.

 

My 250X with the stock clutch has done that for as long as I can remember. I have been using Mobil-1 10-30 which is supposed to be "bad" for clutches, but I have been pulling brush, logs, and a 1000lb trailer around - hitch installed - and it looks like the clutch will last forever. But it will stall if I do not let it warm up.

 

But why didn't the OEM clutch ever do that?

 

Well, I changed the oil to Honda GN-4 and it fixed the problem. So, on the surface, I would say it was the oil causing the problem. However, my friend uses Bel-Ray EXL in his 300EX with the OEM clutch with no problems. So, it can't totally be the oil. It must be that Tusk clutches just don't like Bel-Ray EXL oil.