Clutch Lever

[Drews323i]

I have a 2001 R11S with 18K miles. I have noticed the clutch engaging further out lately. So i flushed out the old fluid with new fluid. Bleed it a couple times. And still have the same thing. Clutch is fully disengaged 1/4 to 1/2 way back on lever pull. Adjusting the lever knob doesn't really change where it grabs. Which makes pulling away from a stop interesting. "Is it going to grab now?... How about now?.." Is there an adjustment I'm missing? Clutch worn, master cyl, slave cyl.. The only thing i could find was this thread.

How to adjust the Clutch

[R111S]

Have you been abusing the clutch? If not it's strange to think the clutch is worn out after 18k miles. I replaced the original Clutch on my '99 R1100S after 70k miles.

Do you still have the old original clutch hose too? Probably a good time to upgrade to Braided Steel.

[Drews323i]

I got the bike with 16K last year. I'm easy on cycles so I haven't been slamming the clutch. It looks like the brake and clutch hoses are original. I should of added - no fluid loss when checking the resivoir.

[bikerfish1100]

it would not be "slamming" the clutch that wears out the disc surface, it would be living in the friction zone too frequently.
what about an apparent fluid gain in the reservoir?

[Guest24]

I'd pull the clutch slave and check it for leaks. It's about a two wrench level job. Your's is over 10 years on the job. Since there is no weep hole to give you warning of a leak, you might check it out.

[BumbleBeemer36]

That's how mine has been for a long time. I have close to 50k. If I just barely pull in the clutch it is disengaged. However, since it has never slipped - I stopped worrying about it.

I definately have a leaky rear main too which isn't helping matters. But again, it doesn't slip so :shrug

[Drews323i]

Nope no fluid gain in the reservoir. My plan is to tear the bike down this winter to lube/check splines. I guess i'll pull the slave cylinder and take a look this month. Better safe then replacing the clutch.

[KeithD]

Where is the clutch lever supposed to disengage / engage on these?
I only have one bike to compare it, (mine disengages at roughly a 1/4 pull back) and so OP's the description doesn't' sound problematic to me.

Can someone tell me how is should work?

[Drews323i]

Originally Posted by KeithD

Where is the clutch lever supposed to disengage / engage on these?
I only have one bike to compare it, (mine disengages at roughly a 1/4 pull back) and so OP's the description doesn't' sound problematic to me.

Can someone tell me how is should work?

Well Keith i was wondering the same thing. This is my first BMW cycle, coming from a long list of Japanese bikes. But i can say when i got the bike 2K miles ago the clutch was engaging closer to the bars. But that was before i changed the fluid and bleed it 3 times.

[Guest24]

The clutch slave will start to move as soon as it has sufficient pressure to offset the pressure plate. The most important factor is to NOT use the lever adjusters to a point where the clutch lever cannot travel far enough to completely disengage the the clutch. This will result in excessive wear. Do not use the closest two adjustments for the clutch lever.

[KeithD]

@Nail
Appreciate your helpfulness. But you don't' know how basic you have to be with me!

Originally Posted by Nail24

The most important factor is to NOT use the lever adjusters to a point where the clutch lever cannot travel far enough to completely disengage the the clutch.
Do not use the closest two adjustments for the clutch lever.

1. How do you know if the lever can't travel far enough to disengage?
2. Is "1" the closest? Or is "4" the closest?

Regards,
K

[Drews323i]

OK the clutch side lever only has 3 settings. 1,2,3. Where would one normally set it? Should it be on a certain # to bleed it? I think i'm a 2 right now.

[PFFOG]

Originally Posted by KeithD

Where is the clutch lever supposed to disengage / engage on these?
I only have one bike to compare it, (mine disengages at roughly a 1/4 pull back) and so OP's the description doesn't' sound problematic to me.

Can someone tell me how is should work?

In my 45 years of driving/riding there is no such thing as normal, the same make, model, year, mileage, use and every clutch will act slightly different, engage in a different place and range.

Been a few months since I have ridden, but if I do use the clutch, it is just a flick, not full pull to disengage it.

[Noblehops]

Originally Posted by Drews323i

OK the clutch side lever only has 3 settings. 1,2,3. Where would one normally set it? Should it be on a certain # to bleed it? I think i'm a 2 right now.

Drew, that's simply a 'comfort' adjustment. That allows you to position the lever closer or further away from the grip to suit your hands and preference.

N.

[Drews323i]

Originally Posted by Noblehops

Drew, that's simply a 'comfort' adjustment. That allows you to position the lever closer or further away from the grip to suit your hands and preference.

N.

Gotcha, An old ZX6 of mine had them but couldn't remember if it changed the amount of pull or where the lever was in relation to the grip. Thanks!

[KeithD]

@BBeemer36
@PFFOG
That's just how mine works. I hope that it's ok, because I like it that way. And that's how the PO had it and he rode it that way for something like 16,000 miles.
Thanks all.

[Guest24]

Richard, EZRider and I have talked about the clutch lever adjustment. If you adjust it to the closest setting to the grips, you do limit the amout of hydraulic fluid that you can displace in the clutch master cylinder because you hit the grip before the piston travels all the way. Yes, I know that you preload the foot shifter and flick the clutch; but, then you don't really need to use the clutch to upshift as some previous threads have already discussed. You do need it for the downshift. Then we can get into rpm matching for the downshift gear selected in the absence of a slipper clutch. Keith, if you doa search function on gear shifting, I'm sure there will be plenty of posts to fill your day on the use of the clutch on the R11S. Pre-loading the shifter is the key to avoiding false neutrals. The absence of a weep hole on the clutch slave is why most don't realize that it's leaking until the clutch friction plate is toast. When I did my recent clutch replacement, I drilled a small weep hole that would be in the 6 o'clock position when the bike was resting on the side stand. It has already alerted me to a leaking tranny oil seal that was allowing tranny fluid to leak into the clutch slave area.

[JimMoore]

Hey Drew, how did the fluid look when you bled the clutch? Nasty-looking fluid is a definite sign of slave cylinder failure.

[Drews323i]

Jim, it looked clean. Almost too clean, like the PO changed it before I got the bike. The brake fluid on the other hand looked like it had never been changed.

[PFFOG]

Bubba, Actually I seldom use the clutch for upshifts, and even downshift frequently clutchless, careful throttle coordination make it almost seamless as well.