If turning the barrel doesn’t fix it—maybe it’s maxed out or the bike is 40 years old—you need the big honking adjustment at the engine side. This is where the caveman lives. Find the cable where it meets the engine casing; there’s a lock nut and a second adjuster. Loosen the lock nut with your wrench (counter-clockwise, as your ancestors taught you). Then turn the adjuster screw to take up slack, then tighten the nut back down. Pro tip: if you strip the nut, you’ve earned a trip to the hardware store and a lecture from the old guy behind the counter.
Motorcycle Jerks When Feathering the Clutch? Causes & Fixes - MOTOZMO
While you’re down there, check the cable routing. Is it pinched against the frame? Is it rubbing on something hot? A cable rubbing on exhaust pipes will melt faster than a popsicle in hell. Wrap it in a nylon sheath or re-route it. I once saw a guy’s cable snap mid-ride because his clutch cable was tied to his brake line with a zip tie. He ended up crashing into a hedge. Don’t be hedge guy.
