Clutch lever adjustment

[vtlion]

I paid a visit to my local Kawi/Triumph dealer yesterday to have them order me a jacket (got a great price on a JR Blaster 3.0, but that's for another thread).  The parts and service guy is young, but very good at what he does.  Anyhow, we got to discussing the finer points of the SV650 vs the Triumph 675.  I drool over a few 675's and he kicks the tires on my SV.  Then he grabs the clutch and says "whoa, you have way too much play in the clutch lever" and proceeds to dial the play back to about 1/4 inch.  I have been riding the SV for three years now, and I'm very comfortable with the large amount of play I had in the clutch, but I thought 'what the heck, I'll give it a whirl". 

It feels incredibly awkward.

I'm riding around wailing on the engine because the clutch is still disengaged in what used to be my friction zone.  I realize that I will adjust to it.  I'm not too old of a dog to learn a few new tricks, but I was wondering if there is any real benefit to the change, except of course being able to clutch about 0.05 seconds faster. 

[badguy]

I'm not sure, but I can't think of any reason to have less free play other than comfort, and i guess you could conceivably have too small a range of motion where the clutch is actually disengaged (but it'd have to be really loose for that to happen - I mean basically it wouldn't disengage the clutch until you have the lever about a half inch from the grip). 

I'm on the other end...I had mine adjusted so there was very little play, and a buddy I just met last night suggested that I adjust it a little.  When I pulled the adjustment barrel boot off, the barrel just flopped around   Apparently the threaded part of the adjuster had broken in half.  Awesome.  Maybe I had it TOO tight...

[scratch]

The only real reason to have a minimal amount of play is so that there is no doubt that the engine will be disengaged in a panic situation.  I have small hands so I have a lot of play, and to bring the friction zone closer to the bar, so when I just begin to curl my fingers around the lever that's where I know my friction zone is.  Everybody is different, but there is a factory standard; the part/service guy probably just figured it should be set to factory standard, and he's used to that.

[vtlion]

cool.  that's what I suspected.  The MOM for the SV states 0.4-0.6 inches of clutch play.  I fiddled a little with it this afternoon and got it back where I like it.  Clutch play is about 3/4".  I'm cool with that.

[ohgood]

i started adjusting the clutch with every oil change. keeps it from feeling waaaay weird when you adjust it and make a 1/2" difference in engagement.

not that mine -needs- adjusting that often, but I still reset it to factory spec.