AJS & Matchless Owners Club

If I leave the bike standing for over a day, the next time I start it I have first to free the clutch by pulling the clutch lever and then pushing the kickstart.

The clutch is really tight and it takes a fair bit of effort.

The primary chain case has the correct amount of (fresh) oil ..

I know that this is a known condition, but wonder what is actually happening, and is it a precursor to further trouble down the line?

I always have to do this on my bikes. Doesn't everyone?
Dave.

dave16mct wrote:I always have to do this on my bikes. Doesn't everyone?
Dave.

when I had my previous one (in 1955/6) I don't recall it happening .. but that was a while ago ..

Because your 55/56 would have a Burman clutch which are not as prone to sticking. Your '57 will have an AMC clutch which do stick (in my experience). Just take a few seconds to free off, not a problem.
Dave.

dave16mct wrote:Because your 55/56 would have a Burman clutch which are not as prone to sticking. Your '57 will have an AMC clutch which do stick (in my experience). Just take a few seconds to free off, not a problem.
Dave.

It's not a 57, though it does have a 57 engine (56 frame) but a Burman gearbox and as far as I can tell a Burman clutch ..

But whatever , if it's the 'norm', I'll (try to) cease worrying about it ..

In my old british bikes you allways freed the clutch prior to engaging first gear-semi wet clutches stick-especially when left standing as many of our bikes do these days for weeks!

I use ATF in the the primary, and the clutch works very nicely. But with a tin chaincase...

Standard procedure on my bike.

Malc

The clutch on my '68 Triumph Tiger 90 was very prone to sticking. Unfortunately, the 350cc twin didn't have enough compression to free the clutch and kicking it with the clutch lever in just turned the engine over. That made engaging first gear on the first start of the day problematic. I had to start it on the centre stand and let the oil drag in the gearbox start to spin the rear wheel. Then I could engage first gear with a minimum of 'crunching'. Once in gear, I could hold the clutch lever in, and apply the rear brake to free the clutch.
In the end, I stripped out the old, original, clutch plates and replaced them all, friction and plain, with Italian Surflex plates. That cured the problem, though why they should be any different, I don't know.
John

I have 3 bikes currently running with between them Burman CP and B52 boxes and 2 with AMC boxes, I don't have to free any of them.