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  #1  
Old 25 Jun 2009
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Bmw 1200 Gsa
Hi guys,
My bike is up to 48,000 and I think my clutch is going, it seems to be OK one min and the next its spluttering. It also wants to drive off when its in gear even though the clutch leaver is pulled in. Also the temperature gauge has started flashing. I here Its a big job to get a clutch replaced on these bikes am I'm just wondering if it could be any other problem. My mechanic isn't too sure what's wrong and he doesn't want to strip the whole bike down until he's sure what the problem is.
Has anyone else experienced a clutch going like this, I dont want to keep riding it and break down in the middle of knowwhere.
Thanks alot
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Old 25 Jun 2009
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fluid level
of course either you or your mech has checked (and bled if necessary) the fluid?

48000 isn't many for a clutch to go i don't reckon, of course depends totally how it's ridden. for comparison, my r11gs did about 170kkm on its first clutch, and it was still about half good when taken out.

cheers,
andy.
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Old 25 Jun 2009
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I had the exact problem with the clutch, and it was a bad clutch slave cylinder. Bleeding the clutch was a temporary fix, maybe it is all you need, although if the clutch fluid is gunky, it is probably the slave cylinder. BE SURE TO USE THE CORRECT FLUID (MINERAL OIL RATHER THAN BRAKE FLUID) IF YOU REFILL THE CLUTCH RESERVOIR. Replacing the slave cylinder is a pretty easy fix if you have the part (and the mineral oil). The mineral oil is apparently same as used on some bikes, called "Magura" or something.

I found that the clutch worked almost normally when the bike was cold, and got worse as it heated up. Also, pumping the clutch repeatedly before shifting seemed to help. Finally, I think it also helped if I turned the handlebars all the way to the right and pulled the clutch handle a little bit several times (helps remove air from line?).

Didn't have the symptom with the flashing temp guage--which temp guage are you talking about?
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Old 25 Jun 2009
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Hey,

It definitely gets worse the warmer it gets and it seems to run OK from time to time as well , maybe it's just an air lock ( hopefully ) I've never burnt out a clutch before either on a bike or in a car so I don't think it's the way I'm riding. That's why I'm wondering if it's something else. The fluids are all full to the correct level. The gauge that's flashing is the temperature gauge on the display screen, First it went down to minus 7 and now it keeps flashing on and off, all this only happened today, it all seems dam strange to me.
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Old 25 Jun 2009
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Burning out a clutch and having a slave cylinder fail are two different things--I have bought two used BMWs, the slave cylinders on both failed within a few thousand miles of when I bought them. I have never had to change a clutch though.

On the UKGSer site there are posts about a similar problem, with speculation that if the fluid is contaminated with water or air, the water or air will expand as the bike heats up, leading to worsening of the condition. Sounds plausible, but dunno. First step is probably to bleed the mineral oil.

Temp gauge issue sounds seperate? (I understand this is the air temp gauge, not the engine temp warning?)
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Old 25 Jun 2009
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Yea it's the Air temp gauge, I'll have to take it to Bmw I guess.

thank's for your help bud
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