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Wethead clutch typical lifespan

2K views 5 replies 6 participants last post by  Brunhilde 
2016 R1200RT, 44K miles, all maintenance done at recommended intervals and with the proper spec oil.

I have noticed lately that when I back my bike out of the garage (engine off) that it takes a bit more inertia to get the bike rolling with the clutch pulled in and the bike still in 1st gear. I am wondering if this is a sign that the clutch is wearing.

When the bike it running and under normal operation it works fine. I don't slip the clutch much and I use the quickshifter most of the time, so I would think that the amount of wear should be lower than normal for a bike with this mileage.

This is my first bike with a wet clutch, so I really don't know what to look for in terms of knowing when the clutch should be replaced. Will it slip under hard throttle like a dry clutch does? What are the signs that its on its way out? Also, what's the typical life span of a wethead clutch mileage wise?
Not sure of the answer to your question. 44K miles isn't a whole lot of miles for a clutch, dry or wet. I replaced one at about 50 K miles on an old RT-P, but that bike had been abused by multiple riders. In fact, it was the tranny that failed first, i.e. those clutch plates had life on 'em, but unfortunately, oil too. 😏

However, clutch plates can stick, usually on bikes that sit for a while, with less frequent use, or in humid weather. That's with a dry clutch, so I'm not certain if the same applies to a wet clutch (probably not humidity, but sitting in a cold garage with heavy oil on 'em might do it). Work the clutch a bit, i.e. start neutral, warm bike up, ride, shutdown, leave in 1st, start in gear with clutch engaged, etc..
 
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