Clutch problem?

[carlc]

Over the past weekend, I was riding at about 50 mph and rolled on the trottle hard to pass a car in the safe zone. The bike began to accelerate and then suddenly the engine began to rev without accompanying increase in speed. The road was dry and I know that my bike is not capable of slipping the back tire on dry pavement. I let up on the throttle until the engine slowed to catch up with the bike.

So, was the clutch slipping? If so, is replacement of the clutch something I can do. I have replaced the clutch on a /6.

Incidentally, I have a 99 R1100 GS with almost 50k miles on it. To this point the engine/drive train have worked flawlessly.

Thanks for your help.

carlc

[PacWestGS]

Carl, welcome to the asylum :buds

It's completely possible that you slipped the clutch if you were in to high a gear. The engine [although like you say] won't spin the wheel creates gobs of torque and can over power the single disk dry clutch. They usually recover just fine after glazing a bit.

If everything else is working fine, shifting, holding the clutch with out dragging at a stop, I wouldn't rush to replace anything. I've spun mine pretty hard from a stop and although lots of stink it still works fine 53K miles later. That's the '02 GS I ride.

There is no adjustment, so it takes thinking and the right gear for the intended purpose.

Good luck and have fun. Ride safe and ride long...


Doc

[carlc]

Russ,

Thanks for the reply. I will watch the clutch. Problem is, I intend to go to Alaska next summer and I'd rather replace the clutch in my garage on my time during the winter rather than watch the bike being hauled several hundred miles along the Alcan highway to the nearest dealer next summer.

Incidentally, we met up at Vermont. I am a friend of Bill Eppley's and put my tent just across the road and up the hill from yours. I looked at your thread on your trip to Vermont. Great pictures. Glad to know you got home safely.

carlc

[PacWestGS]

Oooooh, that Carl, :wave :wave

Hi, how are you doing? How's Bill? Don't here from him much here. Hope all is well. :thumb

The clutch vs. Alaska yeah I can see your point. Maybe just an inspection and if "Mic's" out OK for thickness than just a good cleaning, spline lube, and some fresh springs are in order.

When are your plans for going? If you get out Seattle way you have a place to stay.

Russ (FOG and FOB) :wave

[soffiler]

The hexhead GS's have an oddity that creates "apparent" clutch-slip. I honestly don't know if this is even possible on an 11xxGS.

On the hexheads, there were a couple online reports (maybe here, maybe one of the email lists, not sure where) of clutch slippage at very low miles, like between 5,000-20,000 approx. The problem turned out to be the handguards. They can loosen a bit, and tend to rotate downward slightly. The left handguard will interfere with the clutch lever travel, so unbeknowst to the rider, the clutch is always running slightly disengaged. This is a recipe for slippage. The solution of course is to simply return the handguards to their proper position.

After reading about this, I checked mine, and sure enough, the big ol' T55 Torx screws on the handlebar ends were a bit loose and they'd both rotated down a bit, not yet enough to cause the problem above, but I can see that it CAN happen... on hexheads. I cannot say that it is an issue on pre-hexheads aka 1100GS and 1150GS.

[BubbaZanetti]

a possible, although unpleasant thought is a leaking rear main seal or leaking transmission input shaft seal fouling the clutch's friction disc with oil.

check the area where the transmission meets the engine on the right side of the bike. if you can see a good ammount of black "goo" this might be the culprit. the oil mixes with dust from the clutch to crate a sort of black sludge that coats the inside wall of the flywheel housing and eventaully will leak out here. not a super difficult repair, but a very long one. pm me for details if you do notice black sludge on the outside of the engine/transmission case near that seam.

[soffiler]

Hey Bubba - I know you're speaking from experience there. Just wondering... it is common (in automobiles) for a clutch that is just beginning to get oily, at the onset of the problem, to get grabby rather than slippy. Counterintuitive but it happens. Just wondering if you noted any grabbiness that preceded slippage.

[sgborgstrom]

Before getting out the tools, make sure you have the correct amount of freeplay at the lever. A friend with an RT recently commented that he was going to need a new clutch soon as his had been slipping on his last ride. No sign of leaking oils or known abuse (wheelies etc) had me wondering....so I grabbed the lever, no freeplay at all. A quick adjustment and all was well.

Sometimes it IS the simple things.

Steve

[PGlaves]

Over the past weekend, I was riding at about 50 mph and rolled on the trottle hard to pass a car in the safe zone. The bike began to accelerate and then suddenly the engine began to rev without accompanying increase in speed. The road was dry and I know that my bike is not capable of slipping the back tire on dry pavement. I let up on the throttle until the engine slowed to catch up with the bike.

I would carefully examine the weep hole in the bottom of the bellhousing to see if there is evidence of oil seepage. If there is, it may well be oiling the clutch disk. A little bit will burn off, but more will foul the disk and make slippage chronic. If there are signs of wetness, then the installation of a new seal to replace whichever (transmission input shaft or crankshaft main seal) is the offending seal would be a good idea some time soon.