Well...at 49400miles my 04 Roadster ate it's clutch splines. Tranny input shaft as well, naturally.
I would post pix but why waste the bandwidth...you've seen one POS clutch hub & tranny shaft, & you've seen them all....
FWIW, in the face of the tranny case -to- engine mis-alignment debate, I've decided to do the repair....once. If it craps out again I'll file down the serial #s and strip it clean by the side of the road while waiting for the taxi home.....but that's another story.
Tranny is out for re-build, and I'm doing the clutch side.
I was wondering if anyone here who has done this job has ever used a non-BMW clutch plate... & Why?
there is really only 2 reasons for using an aftermarket clutch plate: durability or price. I feel durability is not necessarily an issue as the stock plate lasts way over 100 000 kms (they usually die earlier because of a default oil seal or because the bike has been ridden the hard way. And the price-tag? Well the aftermarket clutch plates are not necessarily cheaper. Touratech has a clutch plate made of sintered material (made by Sachs) which supposedly lasts way longer than the OEM one (http://www.touratech-usa.com/Store/237/ ... 00GS-180mm).
Then you have the clutch from RB Racing (http://www.rbracing-rsr.com/bmw_clutches.html) which is also way more expensive than the stock. However these are notoriously unavailable and apparently for years these guys are saying they will start delivery "in a few weeks" ... The idea is good though to have the springs softening the friction process. Common thing in clutch plates from other brands.
Clutch splines gone at 50k = durability issue. If your bike doesn't eat splines, then yes the BMW clutch is just fine.
I have not tried any aftermarket clutches. I attempted to have one made but the project stalled after several months and winter turned to spring and I had to put the bike back together. The hard part was finding an existing braoching tool to cut the teeth in the hub. It's possible to make one, but it adds considerably to the cost. Finding a clutch shop to install a new hub on a BMW clutch and replacing the pads was easy.
I think it would be worthwhile to find a better clutch plate. The springs would help, but having a longer hub would improve things dramatically IMO.
AndyRR wrote:Clutch splines gone at 50k = durability issue. If your bike doesn't eat splines, then yes the BMW clutch is just fine. .....
I think it would be worthwhile to find a better clutch plate. The springs would help, but having a longer hub would improve things dramatically IMO.
Thanx Andy....This is what I was kind of thinking.
I can't seem to find any feedback from people using non-OE.
FWIW, I think the RBRacing product is unobtanium....have read more than few posts from people not being successful in procuring the actual product.
omg1010...I've heard about that Touratech ceramic. Way to pricey for me...
j magda
TripleLifer Member 454
04 Black (the Classiest Color) R1150R
Deep in the OH wasteland...
both of them even answered emails. Shipping is the killer there, but was still a little saving. Didn't come
away real clear about any potential customs duties, tho. I ended up buying local (my local small town
dealer was same price as a couple of the discount mail order BMW dealers I see written about time to
time, and I needed it quicker than would go thru all the hassle from Germany or the uK.).
