dry clutch damage and slow ride

[redwing]

What method is best for a parking lot ride???
I have a gravel road with two 90 degree turns to get to the main road from my house and I use a combination I was taught in a mc training course. It is feathering the clutch, some throttle, and controling the speed using the rear brake. I like the method because the bike rides straight up and very slow. I think using this method gives alot of stability to the ride because the motor acts like a gyro.
I worry about damaging the clutch because a dealer warned me against feathering the clutch. The dealer said labor for replacing the clutch was $700.00 plus. Since the 600 mile maint. the bike at idle has a tendency to lug and I think the motor is close to dieing and the bike has plenty of torque at idle. So a little gas and the bike really wants to go. I think the technique of feather, throttle, and brake is normally used with a wet clutch. Also I might use this technique for perhaps 2 minutes on an everyday ride -- very little. The dealer said to ride slow I should pull in the clutch and as the speed falls release the clutch to gain speed then again pull in the clutch to slow down.??? This technique does not seem practical but sometimes I use it.

Police officers who have BMWs must be able to get around in slow traffic. And for long periods of time.

So .... what techniques do ya'll use for a parking lot ride?

[BobbyLeBout]

Redwing,
I am in the process of changing the gearing in my final drive from 2.75 to 3.00.
There are too many miles logged in stop and go condictions.

For very slow turns I put my weight on the opposite footpeg and shift my weight to the outside. It does work.

Did you avitar spend some time with Michael Vick?

[NeilS]

I would add Bobby's counterweighting technique to add stability, but you're not going to hurt the clutch (wet or dry) by keeping it in the friction zone for a few seconds at walking speeds. Your engine is making virtually no power under the conditions you describe, so even though you're dissipating some of that energy in the clutch, there isn't a lot of energy there to begin with, and the clutch is perfectly capable of handling it.

[qfman]

I put 98,000km on my '02 R1150R using slipping clutch through traffic at low speeds etc. I use that engine balance method also. Clutch was a strong as ever when I sold it.

Tom

[redwing]

Thanks for all the information. Moving the center of gravity to the outside of the turn is good advice Bobby. It is a technique I need to explore more and will; but of course I don't want to drop it. I'm very happy with my R.

NeilS ... Using the clutch to move slow seems right and thanks for saying that. I see you have a MSF number. Are you an instructor?

qfman ... Thanks for for adding to the encouragment of NeilS and saying that slipping a BMW's clutch isn't damaging my bike. I just recently rolled the odometer over 2000. That leaves 96,000 to go.

Oh yeah ...`that avitar I downloaded from a pit bull breeders association page. It didn't show what the pit bull was looking at.

[NeilS]

NeilS ... Using the clutch to move slow seems right and thanks for saying that. I see you have a MSF number. Are you an instructor?

Yes.