flush out the bell housing with brake cleaner first . 2 reasons , 1 if it is oil on the plates , it will clean them and the problem will go away for a while . 2. it will do a lot of the cleaning inside for you before you go in .Â
+1
It’s a ‘both-and’ approach.
May fix and will make life easier it it doesn’t.
Brian Clay used to ATF as it swells the seals and he had access to the quantities required.
discussed your situation with Guy Wain yesterday. He’s seen sticking/grabby clutches on bikes which have stood for a while and which have resolved with use.
Good luck & keep us posted
Steve
re new clutch grabbing issue: I always lightly lubricate the splines with thick graphite grease which appears to make it quieter and smoother on the uptake. Think this is a recommended action in service books?Â
Mine works, albeit very sudenly, so I am reluctant to operate. It has done a couple of thousand miles since I bought it. Would this be enough to cure it, if it was going to cure itself?
How do I go about flushing with brake cleaner?
Has it got a bung in the bellhousing jmee…the 700s havent…
I haven’t looked Kate, but will do when I can get into the shed. The Fuhrer is in rather an agressive mood at present. Her bid for total domination is hard to fight - she has an answer for everything just waiting - it’s almost like she has sat for hours planning her attack. Gott in Himmel!
Just a thought - have the flywheel/pressure plate got some corrosion on them from being stood making it grabby??
If its not impossible/dangerous to ride a decent trip out might sort it before you GO IN 
The only bung I can see is the for setting the timing. Is this where we’re talking about for putting in brake cleaner? I can see at the bottom of the bell housing there is a tiny screwdriver sized slit for breathing/draining - is that right?
Wires crossed Steve…yes I think thats where they are suggesting you put the brake cleaner…I was actually talkin about the older loop frames which don’t have the bung…
I agree with the majority of the advice above, to me it sounds like friction material or spline wear, or it could be dirty plates. If it were broken plates there would be a LOT of noise!
I fully agree with the suggestions to try cleaning first, if it does’t cure it you will have to get the gearbox off and have a look see.
I’m sure Opie oils or similar outfit will sell you some cleaner you can put in a squirty bottle (soooo technical, me!) - could get expensive using aerosols which squirt out a lot of…air
I agree with the above.
I experienced similar problems on a Cali 1100i that I acquired.
In the end and after a year of struggling with partial cures I did the new clutch and the bike was transformed. You won’t regret doing it!
For info on doing the clutch - see Peter Ropers Guide on frame crabbing, etc. Essential for a pain-free clutch job.
I had this happen on my Lemon after about 60,000 miles.
The tab washer on the bolt that holds the gearbox boos in place had not been punched over and the bolt had come undone.
an easy fix but still had to get the engine and gearbox apart.
I have bought new friction plates, centre plates, etc. I am just holding off fitting until I run out of good riding weather…
In the meantime, and under normal riding conditions, the best solution seems to be to start off in second gear. I am making sure I am not slipping the clutch too much and there’s plenty of torque to get going and release within a short space of time. This is so much smoother. The only time I engage first and risk the bunny hop is on hill starts.
When you are riding different bikes each time you go out (got to be fair to them and give them equal exercise!) it is easy to forget you need to be oh so gentle with the clutch lever. I either churn up the gravel on my drive, or leap forwards. I’m sure I will get airborne one day.
I won’t consider surgery till the weather is bad enough to investigate. I have ridden it for a year like it is, so I’m sure a few more months won’t hurt.