Clutch repair - ouch!!

[hkrockster]

My rock is 4 years old and I have only done 30,000km. I've just had to get my bike towed cos it came to a screemin stop the other day. Accelerated off a round about, changed up 2 gears then this almighty screem and grating sound with smoke coming out the middle of the engine and I stopped going anywhere. BMW came out with the tow truck and took my bike in. They are stripping it down now to check but I have just had a provisional quote from them for replacing the clutch. I almost fell over when I saw it. I have not signed anything yet but want to get an idea what I should be paying....... Total cost of repair: HK$15,000.- that's US$1,923.-. Labour was quoted as almost US$600. I know BMW HK charge like wounded bulls but this sounds quite rediculous.

I also find it hard to believe that the clutch has gone after only 30,000km. If anyone can give me some advice and realistic prices I would be greatful. I have a biek mechanic I could take the bike to if I don't go to BMW.

[sweatmark]

Ouch! Sounds like failed splines in the clutch hub / transmission input shaft.

Good reference information about this problem can be found here on the Roadster board, as well as ADV.

Please get the failed parts from the servicing dealer and show us photos.

[johnnyjs1]

Happened to me with 16k on the odometer.....ended up costing me around $1700. It sucks, but the price is anywhere from $1500-$2400 depending on whats going on, and what needs replacing

[hkrockster]

So got a quote from the dealer on Wed. after having had my bike there for almost 2 weeks. They say the clutch slave cylinder needs replacing. So is that the whole clutch? They quote me US$2,100 which includes a service. Wow!! US$1,100 for labour and I looked at the charged sheet and they are claiming it takes 58 hours to change a clutch plate. Amazing! How would find out out how long it would take to do it all? I will go in and take a look and take some pictures next week.

[riceburner]

58 hours seems a bit steep to me.
How long can it take to strip the rear of the bike off?

[brem]

Maybe he meant 5-8 hours? $1,100 for 58 hours of labor works out to about $19/hour, which doesn't leave a lot of room for the dealership to get by unless they've taken up 19th-century labor practices.

[Boxerpunk]

As far as I know, the time mentioned on your charge sheet aren't hours but (in dutch) PE's or "Prestatie Eenheden", which means something like Labour Units.
One PE is 5 minutes, so the time to repair your clutch would have been 58/12 = 4.83 hours.

[hkrockster]

Well I have just been to BMW this afternoon to see the manager and to discuss the cost of repair of my bike and trim the fat........... when we went to look at my bike to my surprise they showed me the clutch plate, the damaged splines..........then the output shaft splines...........oh dear. So not the slave cylinder after all?! How come they had my bike now 3 weeks and never spotted this when the took it apart? It's in bits. I am lost for words. I described the problem with a mate who is a bike mechanic and he kind of said that what I have now seen was the problem from the start. So what happens now? They are taking pictures and say they are going to contact BMW for advice on repairing under defect warranty. From what I have been reading on the problem I don't hold out any hope off BMW stepping up to the plate and admitting there is a problem and fixing it for free. Some poor bloke has had it happen twice in 2 years I read! I may as well junk the bike if this is gonna be a reoccurring thing. Last Beemer I buy!

[MikeCam]

BMW NA refuses to pay for the work for out of warranty bikes. BMW Asia might well step up. Work the process.

[johnnyjs1]

Good luck...your story sounds eerily familiar. I took my bike in to the dealer, I TOLD them exactly what the problem was (clutch spline), and it took them a full 3 weeks to tell me exactly what the problem was........the clutch splines

[fnfalman]

According to BMW, we are all mistaken. There is no clutch spline issues. Even though mine destroyed itself. But there is no clutch spline issue. ACHTUNG!!!

I am fairly certain that this is my last BMW motorcycle.

[hkrockster]

I'm still waiting to hear back from BMW........... so not holding out much hope. So how does BMW explain it all away? Of course if you don't use your bike then there is no problem!

[fnfalman]

I'm still waiting to hear back from BMW........... so not holding out much hope. So how does BMW explain it all away? Of course if you don't use your bike then there is no problem!

Don't hold out for too much hope.

Even with all the final drive failures on brand new R1200-series, they still don't admit there's a freaking problem. So, this spline issue had been a problem in the real world for the last seven or eight years, it's not a problem with BMW.

My Rockster had this clutch spline issue, ABS pump went out (thankfully just before warranty expired), and doesn't start worth a damn (nobody can find anything wrong with it).

Yeah, this is my last BMW. If a person were to ask me for a motorcycle that is distinctive and Teutonic, I would tell them to go get a KTM. Does KTM have problems? Sure, but they own up a lot quicker than BMW, not to mention a lot more fun to ride and a lot better engineered for the rider (less electronic craps, more rider involvement).