Alright guys, I come bearing photos and videos of the situation! I can see that there's a problem, but I'm not sure why the problem is occurring. That's where I need your help and advice.
Let's start with the videos, seeing as they tell the majority of the story here.
Here's what's happening under that right side cover after I removed it (this is before I did anything to the clutch)
I watched some other videos on youtube which showed the plates moving WITH the basket. Obviously mine aren't doing that. I decided to remove the plates (I have 7 plates and 6 metal spacers) and see what was up with the basket. This video shows what's going on there. Slight play side to side, I'm assuming that's the problem here?
Because my commute is so long and I can only work during daylight hours, I was already running out of time to work on the bike so I decided to put all the plates and spacers back in before leaving for the night. Before doing so, I dipped them in oil before reinstalling. I put them all back and torqued the bolts to 7ft/lbs. This video shows the difference in action between when I first pulled the cover and after oiling the plates. Sometimes some of them move, sometimes none of them move, but they never ALL move. What's happening?
That wraps it up for the videos, but I did want to do some additional photo-based finger pointing to key items that I felt you guys might have questions about.
For starters, the spring to the left of the clutch basket (the one that's often missing causing a first gear slip) is indeed there and it's in great shape.
Next, the shift shaft spring is also in place and in good condition, this is above the clutch basket.
Often people will remind folks to ensure their clutch basket alignment hole is matched with the notch on the basket. Indeed they are
Moving outward to the cover, you can see here that the basket is hitting the case, note the circular skuff marks.
I'm thinking those skuff marks and that case contact are responsible for the shavings I'm seeing here in the filter
Here's a quick shot of the plates themselves, they're certainly not new, but the meat on them is within spec
Last but not least, here's a shot of the middle of the clutch basket, in the event that anything looks off about it.
Please take a look through all this documentation and let me know if anything seems immediately off to you. Again, I know that the plates shouldn't sometimes move and sometimes not move, but I don't know WHY that's happening or how to correct it.
Thank you!