About 200 miles into a 300 mile loop. Clutch took a crap (again). I’ve spent way too much money and time on this problem. More later… I’m in a tow truck. AAA saved the day again.
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My clutch woes - 2008 Model A
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What happened?!?!?! How did it take a crap? That sucks, sorry to hear that.
I pulled to a stop, went to take off & stalled. Clutch engagement point was nil. Bike rolls with the clutch pulled in. Have to brake to stop it rolling. I’ll post up all of the stuff done to this clutch tomorrow. Having some bourbon & watching Mecum car auction.
BTW, AAA paid off again. Tow home was nearly 100 miles.
BTW, AAA paid off again. Tow home was nearly 100 miles.
Pleeeeeease don’t tell me doing holeshots is a bad thing.Agree with Oldjeep can't remember hearing of a clutch failure on an fjr. Even with owners out there with mega miles on their ride. Do you use Moto specific oil or car stuff? Wheelies, Hole Shots? Curious.
Just highlighting possible cause and effect. If you want to play, you gotta pay. 😁
... I had another clutch problem yesterday which left me stranded... that's another story.
Here's some history:
Bike is an ’08 1300A. I’m the fourth owner. I have the service records going back to March 2011 at which time the 12K service was performed. The previous owner never stated / documented a clutch issue.
I bought the bike June 2015 with 50K miles on it.
Fast forward to October 2017. The clutch engagement point started to vary from right up next to the grip to almost all the way out. I took the bike to an authorized Yamaha dealer. Luckily their mechanic was a guy that I was familiar with from my BMW days when he worked for a BMW dealer. What they did:
10/12/2017 Clutch Plate Kit at 57,768
The clutch was never perfect and the engagement point was not consistent.
The problem started happening again two years later. The engagement point started was right up next to the grip. The bike would roll with the clutch lever fully pulled in.
Another trip to the dealer. What they did::
10/1/2019 Clutch plate replacement at 59,933
Next clutch maintenance wass
2/27/2020 clutch fluid flush at 60,439
Due to various reasons (shoulder replacement…) the bike only got 4,000 miles until…
5/4/2022 clutch fluid flush at 64,026 (two weeks ago)
After this flush the clutch felt great!
Yesterday at 64,300 miles I stopped and felt little resistance at the clutch lever. Just as a side note… I was stopped in a left turn lane on Highway 101 on the Oregon coast. Really not the best place to have an issue. Anyway…
When I let the clutch out the bike lurched and died. I put it in neutral, pumped the lever a few times and was able to get off the highway.
After a long tow truck ride, the bike is back in my garage.
I’ve read dozens of threads about similar clutch issues with FJR’s. I’m starting with the basics… looking for leaks. Seems to me that air is getting in somewhere.
Keep in mind that I’m a fluids and filters mechanic. I felt proud just to be able to pull the brake pedal grease the spline.
On another side note, I drove by a shop that has some used bikes. There is a 2017 Kawasaki Versys 1000 sitting there. It’s got 27K miles on it. They want $9K but they will give me something for my “bad clutch FJR”. Not quite that desperate yet but I do have a 4K+ trip planned for June.
![Tire Wheel Land vehicle Fuel tank Vehicle]()
Here's some history:
Bike is an ’08 1300A. I’m the fourth owner. I have the service records going back to March 2011 at which time the 12K service was performed. The previous owner never stated / documented a clutch issue.
I bought the bike June 2015 with 50K miles on it.
Fast forward to October 2017. The clutch engagement point started to vary from right up next to the grip to almost all the way out. I took the bike to an authorized Yamaha dealer. Luckily their mechanic was a guy that I was familiar with from my BMW days when he worked for a BMW dealer. What they did:
10/12/2017 Clutch Plate Kit at 57,768
The clutch was never perfect and the engagement point was not consistent.
The problem started happening again two years later. The engagement point started was right up next to the grip. The bike would roll with the clutch lever fully pulled in.
Another trip to the dealer. What they did::
10/1/2019 Clutch plate replacement at 59,933
Next clutch maintenance wass
2/27/2020 clutch fluid flush at 60,439
Due to various reasons (shoulder replacement…) the bike only got 4,000 miles until…
5/4/2022 clutch fluid flush at 64,026 (two weeks ago)
After this flush the clutch felt great!
Yesterday at 64,300 miles I stopped and felt little resistance at the clutch lever. Just as a side note… I was stopped in a left turn lane on Highway 101 on the Oregon coast. Really not the best place to have an issue. Anyway…
When I let the clutch out the bike lurched and died. I put it in neutral, pumped the lever a few times and was able to get off the highway.
After a long tow truck ride, the bike is back in my garage.
I’ve read dozens of threads about similar clutch issues with FJR’s. I’m starting with the basics… looking for leaks. Seems to me that air is getting in somewhere.
Keep in mind that I’m a fluids and filters mechanic. I felt proud just to be able to pull the brake pedal grease the spline.
On another side note, I drove by a shop that has some used bikes. There is a 2017 Kawasaki Versys 1000 sitting there. It’s got 27K miles on it. They want $9K but they will give me something for my “bad clutch FJR”. Not quite that desperate yet but I do have a 4K+ trip planned for June.
No burn up... see the new thread (link below).
Castrol Actevo 10W-40 Part Synthetic 4T Motorcycle Oil.Agree with Oldjeep can't remember hearing of a clutch failure on an fjr. Even with owners out there with mega miles on their ride. Do you use Moto specific oil or car stuff? Wheelies, Hole Shots? Curious.
K&N Filter KN-148
Lucas Synthetic Brake Fluid Dot4
If it were me, I would take 30 minutes and pull the clutch out - take a look at the plates and steels. I'd also remove the slave and check to see if the rod is binding. It is crazy that they replaced the friction plates twice already.
I started my clutch saga in another thread.
How do you know? Actually taken it aparts?
Bu but but... I never said "burned up" or "clutch failure".
...I’m a fluids and filters mechanic...
If I take to a shop I'll talk to them about this. Thanks.
Any FJR owners / handy men in the Eugene / Springfield Or. area? I'll take help.
I'll be honest, it is really tough to figure out what your symptoms even are from your description. But it sounds like the clutch is smoked to me. Based on this thread and the one where you said the clutch had been replaced twice. If I had to guess, I would say that either something else in the system partially failed before the first replacement - monkey who "fixed it" didn't look for or find the cause, do it happened again, and then again. Or - original owner smoked the original clutch doing dumb stuff, and person who did the repairs screwed up the repair (lost the ball bearing maybe) and then repared it again not realizing original screw up.
I'm a database architect. Anyone can work on this
. If your plan is to pay people to work on a 14 year old bike - sell it now and buy a new one. You will be out the same money over time.
Really??? WTF?
Here: clutch engagement seardh
I don't want to be argumentative but dang dude. That's harsh.
Good thing I've got thick skin.
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