R1150GS Adv "Spinning Clutch" Like Symptoms

[CaptDougwash]

Good afternoon guys,

So for the last two years I've been having what feels like spinning clutch issues. It's never progressed into anything worse. In low revs it's absolutely fine... However, the second I open up the throttle (70-100% open), it slips and eventually catches on if I don't loosen the throttle. If I want to bring it up to decent speed... I can without it slipping, I just need to do so gradually.
Also, the bike can be stone cold, or I could be 2 hours into a ride... I still get the same results.

I'll be changing the clutch pack anyway, as just before the symptoms started, I had only replaced the friction disc. Having read some of Steptoes posts, I've realised that was a pretty cheap mistake, so I'll be replacing the clutch pack, as well as installing an upgraded longer splined disc.

As much as this sounds like it would be culprit (which it may well be), I thought I'd check the drive shaft, just to rule out any second possibility.

This is what I came across.

Although there doesn't seems to be any chunks of rubber in the swingarm, there does seem to be what looks like melted rubber on the seal... And very black splash marks on the inner edges of the swingarm.

From anyone's experience with R1150 driveshafts... Is it safe to say this has failed?

Cheers

Doug

 

[(RIP) Spangle]

Don’t know about anybody else, but I can’t see the pics Doug


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[CaptDougwash]

Don’t know about anybody else, but I can’t see the pics Doug


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Ah you're right, just figured it out. Should be all sorted now.

 

[Steptoe]

Mark the two sections of drive shaft with a scribed line.

Take the bike out and get the clutch to slip/spin.

Check the drive shaft and see if the scribed line is still aligned.

 

[CaptDougwash]

Mark the two sections of drive shaft with a scribed line.

Take the bike out and get the clutch to slip/spin.

Check the drive shaft and see if the scribed line is still aligned.

Thanks Steptoe, that sounds like the best way to find out. It's hard to tell if the black streaks going up the edges, is melted rubber from the inside of the seal. I'll give it a try once it's rebuilt.