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Hi all.
After posting an issue with vibration in my newbie post, I seem to have made progress with that after following some guides on throttle bodies etc.
On my test ride, it was smoother, but still not great towards the top end. Top gear, 'making progress'... open the throttle, and the clutch slips...
It's only got 24k on it, and given it has a hydraulic clutch, I'm guessing it's not adjustable?
Any thoughts?

bilbob wrote:Hi all.
open the throttle, and the clutch slips...
It's only got 24k on it, and given it has a hydraulic clutch, I'm guessing it's not adjustable?
Any thoughts?

NO adjustment other than for lever span at the bars. Assuming the clutch wasn't abused by a previous owner (my bike has 115k miles on the original ) you probably have engine or gear oil leaking onto the clutch or if you're lucky the slave cylinder may be sticking , rear wheel off , support the swing arm and remove the shock absorber to make access handy. If it's the former I believe it's a time consuming if not too difficult job to undertake....( which makes it expensive if paying a professional to do the job) although this view may change if/ when I ever have to attempt the job myself .
I guess first off have a look for any signs of oil around the bellhousing/ flywheel and inspect the slave cylinder closely.

When this happened to me it was the input shaft seal leaking. It filled up the pushrod cavity and travelled along the rod into the clutch. Ruined the driven plate, I spent a day changing it out and giving the bike a good clean up. While I was at it I drilled a drain hole in the pushrod cavity and fitted a little drain tube so if it happened again the oil would not get to a high enough level to do it again.

nab 301 wrote:

bilbob wrote:Hi all.
open the throttle, and the clutch slips...
It's only got 24k on it, and given it has a hydraulic clutch, I'm guessing it's not adjustable?
Any thoughts?

NO adjustment other than for lever span at the bars. Assuming the clutch wasn't abused by a previous owner (my bike has 115k miles on the original ) you probably have engine or gear oil leaking onto the clutch or if you're lucky the slave cylinder may be sticking , rear wheel off , support the swing arm and remove the shock absorber to make access handy. If it's the former I believe it's a time consuming if not too difficult job to undertake....( which makes it expensive if paying a professional to do the job) although this view may change if/ when I ever have to attempt the job myself .
I guess first off have a look for any signs of oil around the bellhousing/ flywheel and inspect the slave cylinder closely.

Now, y'see, you say that like I know what you're talking about
engine or gear oil leaking onto the clutch ... Is this where I take off the starter motor to check it?
slave cylinder sticking... So I remove all that gubbins to access it? And if it is? Is it repairable or a replace job?
Now, if engine oil is leakin onto it, then I've watched a video... this is half the bike apart isn't it?

Yup... That'll be a shop job...!
Anyone recommend a BM specialist in North Yorks?!!

On a side note...Went to check the oil whilst I was in it's guts, and couldn't actually make it out in the oil window... Do they get that mucky on the inside that you can't see through? Or is it too full? Or can it be that low that is isn't showing? Obviously I don't want to put too much in either...

Thanks for the words of wisdom so far

Pete. wrote:When this happened to me it was the input shaft seal leaking. It filled up the pushrod cavity and travelled along the rod into the clutch. Ruined the driven plate, I spent a day changing it out and giving the bike a good clean up. While I was at it I drilled a drain hole in the pushrod cavity and fitted a little drain tube so if it happened again the oil would not get to a high enough level to do it again.

How 'accomplished' are you? I'm a moderate home mechanic, but watching the vid, it's quite some undertaking....

Chap in Sunderland found a slight weep coming from back end of engine on my BCR - He stripped it and fitted the 3 oil seals for about £250. Obviously if the clutch plate is contaminated it will be more. His name is Mick Kendrick and he seems to know his stuff. PM me if you can't find any details for him

bilbob wrote:Hi all.
Top gear, 'making progress'... open the throttle, and the clutch slips...
It's only got 24k on it, Any thoughts?

Aye, I was thinking what`s the problem when you have two more ratios to use before it becomes a real pain in the ass. If you do decide to have a go at diy, dinnae feck about.. replace the whole clutch assembly.

boxerscott wrote:

bilbob wrote:Hi all.
Top gear, 'making progress'... open the throttle, and the clutch slips...
It's only got 24k on it, Any thoughts?

Aye, I was thinking what`s the problem when you have two more ratios to use before it becomes a real pain in the ass. If you do decide to have a go at diy, dinnae feck about.. replace the whole clutch assembly.

Any reason for doing the lot? Whats the cost difference?

bilbob wrote:

Pete. wrote:When this happened to me it was the input shaft seal leaking. It filled up the pushrod cavity and travelled along the rod into the clutch. Ruined the driven plate, I spent a day changing it out and giving the bike a good clean up. While I was at it I drilled a drain hole in the pushrod cavity and fitted a little drain tube so if it happened again the oil would not get to a high enough level to do it again.

How 'accomplished' are you? I'm a moderate home mechanic, but watching the vid, it's quite some undertaking....

Better than average. I built this:

http://www.turbobusa.org

Pete. wrote:

bilbob wrote:

Pete. wrote:When this happened to me it was the input shaft seal leaking. It filled up the pushrod cavity and travelled along the rod into the clutch. Ruined the driven plate, I spent a day changing it out and giving the bike a good clean up. While I was at it I drilled a drain hole in the pushrod cavity and fitted a little drain tube so if it happened again the oil would not get to a high enough level to do it again.

How 'accomplished' are you? I'm a moderate home mechanic, but watching the vid, it's quite some undertaking....

Better than average. I built this:

http://www.turbobusa.org

This does *not* encourage me...

Ah, you shouldn't be too worried. Take a load of photos and keep related parts together in boxes. Start with a clean floor too so you spot anything that falls on the flor when you're working. It is a fair bit of work but it's not as bad as it looks.

The hardest part is knowing whether to buy a whole clutch or just a driven plate. If you buy just the plate but the covers are worn you might need to strip it again rather sooner than you'd hoped.

The thing with the R1100S is that BMW seems to have gone out of it's way to make disassembly complicated,starting with fiddly hidden screws in the fairing to everything being in the way of everything else making the job a test to anyone's patience. It's not difficult however, just do it slowly and methodically.There are a number of seals that may weep and cause the clutch to slip. On a friend's bike all the gearbox's seals plus the crankshaft seal went at the same time. That was a fun job! The bike had stood idle for a few years which may have caused the problem.

The only advice I can add is the Haynes manual covers this well and as said, it's a long careful job. I would suggest whether you need a new slave cylinder or not empty the crap out that gathers between the clutch cable and it's outer sleeve. Coat the connecter at the slave end with a gasket sealant that doesn't go off and cable tie the other end tight to the clutch cable in the nose fairing to stop it refilling and corroding the connector. Replace all seals in the gearbox too as you don't want to go back there too often..
nice going whoever got 115k out of the clutch, I only got to 87k before the splines on the clutch plate were non existent.

Seriously, if mechanically minded strip it to get the gearbox etc out but without the right presses and some high end skills don't touch the imput shaft. What costs the real money is the strip and rebuild not the job. Strip and rebuild took me 18 hours as I did a job or to while I was in there. I seem to remember BMW want 9 hours labour for the strip but check that.

bilbob wrote:

boxerscott wrote:

bilbob wrote:Hi all.
Top gear, 'making progress'... open the throttle, and the clutch slips...
It's only got 24k on it, Any thoughts?

Aye, I was thinking what`s the problem when you have two more ratios to use before it becomes a real pain in the ass. If you do decide to have a go at diy, dinnae feck about.. replace the whole clutch assembly.

Any reason for doing the lot? Whats the cost difference?

For a diy project you have no labour costs therefore enabling more resources to replace the whole assembly.. just in case you are not that confident on assessing what you have taken out. A pro will be able to determine what components are re usable. As I say for a diy project you could do worse by not replacing the whole lot. BTW I have done one, piecemeal, over weeks when I could afford some time on it. Cost implications for diy are available at any BMW spare parts retailer. You may wish to purchase some specialist tools also which are detailed in Haynes or Clymer or BMW workshop software.

Thanks for the advice all.
If I had more time then I possibly would attempt to do it myself, however, I don't want the bike off the road for any real amount of time, so I'm looking at getting it done professionally.
I've got a local bike guy who I trust looking into the work (he's not done a flat twin bm before), so I'll hear from him, but I think I'll also give the guy in Sunderland a call too. If it's going to run in the 300-350 region, I guess I can stomach that if it means I get a fully working bike back, far more quickly than I could do it!

BTW, it's a hydraulic clutch