Clutch failure paranoia

[Twotter]

My bike was in the dealer the other day and they asked if my clutch had been replaced as they normally expect to have to change them between 50-60k, and my bike has done 51k. The tech explained that I would feel the biting point 'moving away' at the clutch lever until the clutch refused to work. Now I'm a bit paranoid that it's doing that and the clutch is going to go at any minute.

Justy wondering what experiences anyone else has ?

 

[oblertone]

It's a mechanical system ...

... therefore it will wear out at some point. However the rate at which it wears is dependent on so many factors that it's impossible to judge. The first sign that mine was failing was 'clutch slip' at high revs i.e. more revs did not increase velocity. I consider myself a fairly gentle rider and this happened at about 15K, but was probably down to poor adjustment of the cable (1100)

 

[Sergeant Pluck]

My bike was in the dealer the other day and they asked if my clutch had been replaced as they normally expect to have to change them between 50-60k, and my bike has done 51k. The tech explained that I would feel the biting point 'moving away' at the clutch lever until the clutch refused to work. Now I'm a bit paranoid that it's doing that and the clutch is going to go at any minute.

Justy wondering what experiences anyone else has ?

You'll notice it starting to slip under load before it gives up the ghost completely. I'd just ride it as normal until you notice slipping, then dust off your credit-card and prepare to give it a good bashing

Pluck

 

[Colban]

Sounds like the dealer is trying to panic you into an early change.
Is your clutch slipping or noisy?.Do you off-road a lot?.
You can remove the starter motor and visually check the friction plate thickness.
I changed mine after 55K miles due to excessive spline wear on the gearbox input shaft and friction plate centre.
There was plenty of meat left on the friction plate.
£800 ish for a main dealer clutch change.

 

[RickG]

I did 110,000 miles on an 1100 with no sign of a problem and at least half of those miles were in town traffic. If you don't habitually slip the clutch then it ought to last a good while providing there are no other contributing factors. I'd really not begin to worry with say 50k on the clock if you ride normally

 

[Rob Farmer]

hmm! my 1100 clutch was knackered at 40k. It's not a huge job if you do it yourself but the dealers want £500 upwards to do it.

 

[Rev Chuck]

Had to have my plates replaced at about 30k last year, and I'm not the wildest rider out there. ('97 1100)

 

[Deleted Member MS]

50k on my 93 GS, thrash the balls of it, and its still ok.(better join the AA now eh !!)

 

[Rob Farmer]

50k on my 93 GS, thrash the balls of it, and its still ok.(better join the AA now eh !!)

Twotter has an 1150. I think it stands a better chance of putting a strain on the clutch than an airhead. A 100GS would struggle to burn out a BSA bantam cork lined clutch

 

[RickG]

I'm with martin S. Thrashing must have been what made my clutch last so long ..that and not slipping it.

Seriously though there must be something going on to explain the huge differences in milage and it's difficult to see what other than riding style and use (town/motorway) I did at least 80k on an 1150 without any problem and it too was at full wellie most of the time

 

[born2gs]

Would that be the local dealer who suggested a change....

...nothing to do with trying to bump up the year end figures...?

I always take the dealers 'precautionary' notes with a pinch of salt... don't forget they need you to part with their cash to keep going...!!

If you get paranoid and book it in - they're £800 up.. and they're hardly going to take it all off just to say sorry mate our mistake you're good for another 50k there are they!?

They'll just say cheers very much...!!

Ride it - forget about the dealer... and as long as you're insured and got breakdown don't let them scare you off!!

I've just come back from Italy on a '02 1150 with 75k on it... worrying about it just makes you miserable - life's too short! Just get on with it and sort it out if it goes pear shaped.

 

[Popeye]

...nothing to do with trying to bump up the year end figures...?

I always take the dealers 'precautionary' notes with a pinch of salt... don't forget they need you to part with their cash to keep going...!!

If you get paranoid and book it in - they're £800 up.. and they're hardly going to take it all off just to say sorry mate our mistake you're good for another 50k there are they!?

They'll just say cheers very much...!!

Ride it - forget about the dealer... and as long as you're insured and got breakdown don't let them scare you off!!

I've just come back from Italy on a '02 1150 with 75k on it... worrying about it just makes you miserable - life's too short! Just get on with it and sort it out if it goes pear shaped.

That's the spirit

 

[Twotter]

Cheers for the tips. I've taken the 'meh' approach and am happily riding. 6 weeks to go before this years Europ trip

The dealer has always been very good with me, even after I stopped taking my bike to them for servicing (diy). They still see it from time to time when I need something doing which I'm not confident enough to do myself.

 

[born2gs]

Now my cynical 'er-in'doors would say they were trying to make their money up!

But me - I say let the good times

 

[ktmmark]

my 1100gs has 82,000 & with me & the wife + all her luggage & my toothbrush it still will not slip when on full load

 

[MickDB1]

Maybe helpfull to know that I thought my clutch was "going" even swapped it - As I was swapping it I found the roller bearing on the actuating arm seized and restricting the rod moving back . So if its a cable pulled clutch dont forget to lube/check yer bearings on that movement HTHY = The dealer is spooking you into thinking of changing yer bike

 

[Twotter]

1150 - it's an hydraulic clutch innit ???

Not trying to scare me - in fact the service manager and I had been discussing my bike going to 100k and he told me they regularly see a few GS's in excess of that figure.

Buy another bike ???

As if