Clutch adjustment issues.

I adjusted my clutch as per Rickomatic's great writeup, but it's still harsh going into first and the clutch is still partially engaged. How do I know this? Because with the bike on it's center stand, the rear tire spins. It seems that hand leaver is not pulling the clutch leaver enough to completely dissengage the clutch. I've tripple checked everything as per Rick's instructions. Can't seem to figure it out.

Anthing else I can try, or is this signs of a clutch replacement?

 

is it the same cold or hot is oil fresh? cold or very dirty oil can drag a little and cause some friction between plates,
if same hot or cold clutch basket may have grooves warn in it or warped steel plates would be my guess

 

dan-
Mine does that on the centerstand also, and I'd bet most bikes here do. The way I understand it, there are two things at work here:
1) clutch will stick to plates when oil is cold.
2) oil in crankcase is spinning with clutch, and causing plates to spin.

When you have the bike on the centerstand, hold in the clutch lever -- the rear wheel starts spinning. Now reach over and apply the rear brake. The rear wheel stops spinning. Now release the rear brake, while still holding in the clutch lever. I bet the wheel doesn't start spinning again. What you just did is un-stick the plates, and everything is ok.

 

All XJs will do this. There is parasitic frictional transfer between the spinning clutch basket and the drive plates through the oil (oil is a frictional medium too, just not that high a friction coefficent). No need to worry. A hard shift into first is not that uncommon either, every one I've owned does the "clunk" into first.

 

Thanks. I'll have to give this test a try and we'll see what happens.