Best clutch friction plate 2008 GS?

NicD

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Any advice on the longest lasting friction plate to use? Are there compromises on clutch feel with heavy duty part? Particularly interested in people's experiences rather than just opinion. Thanks
 
Difficult question to answer tbh. What kind of riding do you do for a start.
How many miles have you managed with your present clutch?
Do you do mostly long journeys or commuting into London every day.
My 06 has now done over 102.000 on the original clutch. No hint of it giving up. For me I'd replace with the same when it goes.
Others have struggled with the clutch at less than 30.000 miles.
Who can say if another make will last longer for you (if one is available)
 
Interested in longest lasting, pretty average use other than I don't ride the bike in a manner consistent with 100k clutch replacement intervals. Purposefully trying not to complicate matters. Most interested in people's experiences rather than opinions - as with many, I have an opinion, but it isn't as valuable an opinion as someone with experience of tackling this question. Thanks
 
Put a standard one in!!!

Don;t hold the clutch lever in at Lights junctions etc

Change gear oil for an appropriate GL5 spec oil at specified intervals

And get out and ride the bike

DO NOT BE a DICK and FIT A ceramic one
 
Just out of interest what’s wrong with a ceramic one? It’s of no relevance to me as I’m gone l/c. JJH
 
Just out of interest what’s wrong with a ceramic one? It’s of no relevance to me as I’m gone l/c. JJH

Total bastard of an idea Great if you want to travel around the world and are worried about oil leaks

But much more expensive, tend to be grabby and are very hard on the other components

My only deviation from "Standard" would be to invest in one of those extended spline clutches, Where instead of 17 mm* of spline engagement you get something like 25mm* so the wear/stresses on the input shaft is lessened exponentially

*rough figures but hopefully you get the idea
 
Thanks. Usually the case with components. Harder pads wear out discs quicker ect ect. JJH
 
tend to be grabby and are very hard on the other components

Yes, that's exactly what I want to avoid.

Still keen to know longest lasting - that may be OEM, but i could also imagine there are improved alternatives
 
Second question, in addition to qu re longest lasting

Motobins lists a heat resistant friction plate. Does anyone know if this has a similar lifespan to OEM in road use conditons? (NB no need to go off on a tangent - this is a specific question phrased that way for a reason. Am saying this in advance of unnecessary comments. Thanks)
 
Yes, that's exactly what I want to avoid.

Still keen to know longest lasting - that may be OEM, but i could also imagine there are improved alternatives

Second question, in addition to qu re longest lasting

Motobins lists a heat resistant friction plate. Does anyone know if this has a similar lifespan to OEM in road use conditons? (NB no need to go off on a tangent - this is a specific question phrased that way for a reason. Am saying this in advance of unnecessary comments. Thanks)

Okay the answer to your question is:-

It is the environment that "You" use your bike in AND the way that you ride

If you do long clear motorway miles It will last forever

If you commute and do lots of start stops It will last 35 to 50 K

If you slip your clutch lots moving off because you have a pillion and luggage?? Then it will last less

No one has fabricated a replacement as Fitchel and Sachs have the design patented Just as BMW have the Oilhead pivot bearing design patented along with odd other "wee" things that make the bike
 
Theoretical lifespan for 'average' conditions does not depend on the individual.

The question is whether there is a friction plate with longer theoretical 'average' lifespan than OEM. It is not a question about a specific rider.

In individual cases, long motorway miles likely to deliver longer than that theoretical 'average', while lots of town miles likely to deliver less, and that likely true for every manufacturer. But neither of those affect the theoretical 'average' lifespan. So John might get 30k from OEM while Andy gets 50k from eg SBS, but OEM might on average give longer life than SBS.

To be clear I am not asking how to make my friction plate last longer, nor am I asking how long other people's friction plates last.

All I want to know is wheter, on average, the OEM friction plate is longest lasting or not.

My guess from answers so far is either that OEM is longest life on average, or that there is no clear view.
 
Ffs,
Go and buy a different one and report back in 6 years as to whether it lasts longer than your original or not then.

Simples....
 
Ffs,
Go and buy a different one and report back in 6 years as to whether it lasts longer than your original or not then.

Simples....

Sensible first step seems to ask advice from others.

Still interested in anyone else's experience
 
Total bastard of an idea Great if you want to travel around the world and are worried about oil leaks

But much more expensive, tend to be grabby and are very hard on the other components

My only deviation from "Standard" would be to invest in one of those extended spline clutches, Where instead of 17 mm* of spline engagement you get something like 25mm* so the wear/stresses on the input shaft is lessened exponentially

*rough figures but hopefully you get the idea

I bought an 1100RT (20,000 miles) and the clutch started to slip after 100km on the way home. I subsequently rode it round Europe before changing it. Meantime, I bought, on Ebay a new "Ceramic" (actually Sintered Bronze) clutch plate for £95.00 delivered. Ordered heavy duty pressure plate from Motorworks before dismantling. Afterwards found oil seal gone in gearbox was cause of problem.
Sintered plate was absolutely lovely, not grabby, noisy or horrible.
Heavy duty pressure plate was an abortion. Awful in traffic, with clutch lever far too heavy.
You learn.
 
thanks, that's really helpful. keen to avoid avoidable problems
 
Theoretical lifespan for 'average' conditions does not depend on the individual.

It's down to use.

I recently replaced the clutch on my 2007 GSA as it was completely gone. It lasted about 30k miles, something that embarassed me quite a lot.
Never had clutch issues on my other bikes, took out the clutch from my old R1150R (inspected the gearbox, so checked that too) at around 90,000km and it was still in pretty good conditions with a lot of material still on it.

But then, I rode the GS in London A LOT. I realised that I tend to feather the clutch a lot since the traffic is very slow, or use the second gear excessively instead of shifting down to first again.
Lesson learnt – trying to avoid those habits now.
The R1150R did its fair share of traffic in the city as well, but traffic in Rome tends to be extremely quicker than London (people step on the fucking gas).

I reinstalled a new OEM clutch to be fair. Premature death was 80% rider (me) error. Don't think it needs anything stronger.
 
Again this is an answer to a different question. I am not asking how long the OEM part lasts, nor about the conditions which make it last different periods. Those answers are on here, and owners of the bike will have a good idea already. I am asking if there are any friction plates that last longer than OEM without giving up feel, as per prior posts
 
I am asking if there are any friction plates that last longer than OEM without giving up feel, as per prior posts

Do you not think that You really are chasing your tail here???

Here are questions back at You!! WHY???

How long did the present one last?

Do you see yourself having the same bike in the same time period further along?


To answer your question, I have not found any of the alternatives to be "superior" to OE in feel, definitely the 3 brand new ceramic ones I fitted were HORRIBLY snatchy despite following the instructions!!

Anyway Despite my protesting that "You really don;t need that HD pressure Spring!" or "You don;t need a ceramic clutch!", people still asked me to fit them and 6 or 10 weeks later they came back and said get that to fuck out! some had 6 or 700 miles one guy had gone to yugoslavia and had 4500 or 5500 miles on his

So the ball is back in your court now? Why??
 


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