Clutch slipping?

[gbergma1]

Anyone experience their clutch slipping under hard acceleration? I only have about 11,000 miles on the bike, all service intervals have been done, but every now and then the clutch slips. At first it just felt like the throttle wasn't directly influencing the rear wheel, engine would rev up, no issues, but there was no "snap". I then proceeded to give it a ton of throttle and I could smell the clutch. I checked the oil when I go back, all was well. The issue is that it isn't a consistent issue, I ride the bike about 4 times a week and it probably only happens every other week. I am running Rotella T as I always have, never had a problem before. I am very open to suggestions. Thanks for your time. ...gb

 

[HoebSTer]

there are other oil threads, but I have never been a fan of running Rotella Truck oil in a motorcycle. Change oil to a motorcycle with the proper additives like JASO or somethign like that and see what the clutch does.

 

[~TABASCO~]

Its NOT Rotella truck oil that is the issue.. I have used it for many years in many bikes (along with a million other people).. There is no issue there...............


Ive already been back in contact with Barnett clutches. We have worked with these guys for years and they are good people. They make a pressure plate with coil springs that has a much better feel along with stronger clamping force. They thought they had one that would retro fit onto the basket but it ended up not working. Last time we spoke they where going to get on it.. They mentioned it might be done by the end of the year.. If more people are interested call them up and request it. The more interest the more motivation they will have to hop on the project. I will be selling them and I will be installing one as well..

Here is the idea from some Road Star pictures I found.

 

[gbergma1]

Thanks for the feedback. Jaxon, so have you had issues? I assume if everything was working great you never would have reached out to an aftermarket clutch manufacturer? I haven't figured out the series of events/conditions that lead to slippage, but everything is working great today. It must be related to lunar conditions and wind speeds... Yes, I would be interested in an upgrade from Barnett.

 

[~TABASCO~]

I put one on my Road Star years ago and it was awesome. It made a BIG difference.. The stock diaphragm clutch plate 'spring' is great for a stock bike. But I think it was made for that, a stock bike. I have not had issues with my Tenere, but its not stock and I ride it pretty hard. Im going to install one for the way better clutch feel, and extending the life of the clutch plates.... You will feel the difference when you install it.. Riding off road, mud, sand, Etc.. This will just help the lock up quite a bit for long term 'abuse'... Ive used them in the past and im getting one for the Tenere when they are ready.

 

[gbergma1]

Just called, looks they are done.

• 306-90-1073, MSRP $ 193.54, http://www.barnettclutches.com/products/clutch_plates_springs.aspx?type=clutches_other&clutch_make=Yamaha&clutch_cc=1200
  
  511-90-10033, MSRP $ $ 141.63, http://www.barnettclutches.com/products/spring_conversions.aspx?cat_id=6&prod_id=528

If I had to guess, having way to much fun at the Shennadoah 500 is the clutch cooking culprit (and my shoddy piloting).

 

[~TABASCO~]

Just called, looks they are done.

• 306-90-1073, MSRP $ 193.54, http://www.barnettclutches.com/products/clutch_plates_springs.aspx?type=clutches_other&clutch_make=Yamaha&clutch_cc=1200
  
  511-90-10033, MSRP $ $ 141.63, http://www.barnettclutches.com/products/spring_conversions.aspx?cat_id=6&prod_id=528

If I had to guess, having way to much fun at the Shennadoah 500 is the clutch cooking culprit (and my shoddy piloting).

I called back one of the engineers... The spring pressure plate are not done.. This is the metal and fiber clutch pack replacement... And the bottom link is the plate for the FJR... wont work for the Super Tenere... They tried it already... Call and ask for Mike Taylor..

 

[gbergma1]

...so apparantly Mike and the customer service folks on different pages? I'll default to the engineer. Thanks Jaxon.

 

[yz454]

Your issue is not the clutch,It,s the hydraulic part is hanging up. Try bleeding the system.Had that problem on Hondas.

 

[eemsreno]

Its NOT Rotella truck oil that is the issue.. I have used it for many years in many bikes (along with a million other people).. There is no issue there...............


Ive already been back in contact with Barnett clutches. We have worked with these guys for years and they are good people. They make a pressure plate with coil springs that has a much better feel along with stronger clamping force. They thought they had one that would retro fit onto the basket but it ended up not working. Last time we spoke they where going to get on it.. They mentioned it might be done by the end of the year.. If more people are interested call them up and request it. The more interest the more motivation they will have to hop on the project. I will be selling them and I will be installing one as well..

Here is the idea from some Road Star pictures I found.

I ran one of these in my 1986 Venture, It was the only way to fix the weak Venture clutch. Great product, I'll be putting one in my Tenere.

 

[gbergma1]

YZ454, the confidence in your response is enough for me to have a go at it. I'll pick up some hydraulic fluid and human beer fluid on the way home. I think you may be right. I switched handlebars, I remember I had to loosen the banjo bolt, I probably let some air in. !@#$ That will save me a serious chunk of change. My wife thanks you.

 

[klunsford]

Thanks TABASCO. I also have been running the Blue Bottle Rotella T oil for many, many years with no issues. I like the clutch mod that you are showing. I will be interested when they get it developed and working and I actually need one.

 

[KENAROO]

My clutch is slipping after 3500 miles.. I'm going to pull the cover and take a look..

Looks as though Barnett has the clutch spring conversion specifically for the S-10 now

http://www.barnettclutches.com/new-yamaha-xtz1200-clutch-spring-converison-kit.html

I'm going to order one of these and see if it helps

 

[GSteve]

Is your bike still under warranty? You may want to try your dealer for a remedy first before introducing aftermarket parts into the equation.

My clutch started slipping badly at 12,000 miles and the cause was traced to a faulty master cylinder. The dealership replaced the master cylinder and the complete clutch pack under warranty. I now have over 18,000 miles on the bike and have had no further issues. In fact, the clutch action and shifting are much better than when the bike was new, or during the first 12,000 miles. The service manager at my dealership said that occasionally something will block one of the return passages in the master cylinder and prevent the clutch from fully releasing and result in a slipping clutch.

Might be worth your consideration.

 

[Uncle Dave]

Well I've got 55,000k's on mine with the original clutch. I thought it slipped once but it was wheelspin on wet tar. ::26::

I would expect a clutch to last nearly 100,000k's (60,000 miles) with normal use.

Aren't these Tenere's suppose to be fault free?

P.S. Quote 'gbergma1' "I then proceeded to give it a ton of throttle and I could smell the clutch." I'm not sure you'd smell a wet clutch burning like you would with a dry clutch like older beemers etc?

 

[Mzee]

I have 48,000km and no problem of any kind whatsoever.

 

[Rasher]

I'm a stock kind of guy is 40+ years of trying the "upgrades", the aftermarket. I came to the harsh conclusion that aftermarket is all garbage. I'm sure not *ALL* is garbage, but in 40 years 99% of all aftermarket stuff I used was,

I think your way off at 99%, but agree some 3rd parties come up with (poor) solutions, often for problems that do not really exist.

Stuff such as aftermarket shocks (especially premium ones) tend to be massively better, you do not see to many race bikes running OE shocks - or certainly not at the front of the field, and on the road they outperform and outlast the OE junk by a huge margin.

All bikes are built to a price, and often to meet certain laws, or a one-size-fits-all, as mentioned suspension upgrades tend to work well and I have never heard anyone complain of their Ohlins or Wilburs being worse than the OE shock, ECU-U Flashes that sort out many issues caused by emmisions laws and stupid restrictions that have been worked in to save us from ourselves.

Horns tend to be awful as well as many fasteners that fur up or corrode, and often OE lighting is not great, some bikes have weak regulators etc. etc.

There are some really good aftermarket products out there, just because you bought one rubbish item 4 decades ago does not make 99% of motorcycle accessories rubbish, or the poeple that fit them ignorant / stupid :exclaim:

I bet my Wilburs shock will be going long after what little damping your OE unit had has faded away, and now my engine is not running weaker than American lager I suspect it will last even better than in OE trim as well.

 

[Dallara]

~


I've got 31,000 miles (almost 50,000 km) on mine and the clutch is great... And I'm a big boy. I'm not gentle with the bike or the clutch, either.

Yamalube 20w/50 dino oil for the first 6,000 miles, Mobil 1 20w/50 motorcycle-specific oil since then.

Dallara


~

 

[viewdvb]

Though the discussion about aftermarket clutches is interesting, it would seem that the default condition for a standard clutch is "it works just fine", otherwise there would be a lot more online talk about it. It is unlikely therefore that the clutch is failing, especially at such low miles. Your description as intermittent indicates that it is something in the clutch control mechanism most probably the hydraulics. A slipping clutch would slip every time given the same conditions. A sticking master cylinder or slave cylinder piston would be my best bet. On average, through my experience of other makes and models, the slave cylinder is the more likely. If it is still under warranty, who cares? Back to the dealer!

 

[KENAROO]

I fixed by clutch slip by getting away from the Mobil one silver cap and running Castrol full syn.. oil.. I've run Silver cap Non slip additive M1 in all my other bikes with no problem but it did make my S-10 clutch slip.. must have something to do with the pressure plate instead of the spring set up. I had to clean the plates with cleaner.. but I can say it solved my high reving slippage. I still want to go with the barnett set up though