Play in clutch cable

[bmweerman]

Just getting ready to head out on an Iron Butt run.

 

Bike serviced to the hilt. Went riding to LA yesterday and noticed about an 1/8 to 1/4 inch play in the clutch before it engages. I'm not sure if it's always been that way and I'm just hypersensitive right now or if it is something new.

 

Question is...is that the way it should be?

 

OH BTW it's a '99 1100RT

 

Thanks in advance for your input!!

 

Cameron

[hootowl]

there should be 7MM of free play between the lever and the bracket when the lever is released.

7MM is a bit more than 1/4 inch

[bmweerman]

Thank you...exactly what I needed to know

 

This board is fantastic!!!!!

[Stan Walker]

1/8 to 1/4 inch play in the clutch

 

Could you be a bit more specific, like are you talking inches, mm's? And where are you measuring this?

 

There is a specific BMW spec for the amount of free play in the clutch as follows:

There should be 7.0 mm measured at the gap that opens up at the fulcrum end of the lever when pulled just hard enough to take up the slack in the cable. There should also be 12 mm of adjustment threads visible between the two parts of the clutch adjuster at the handlebar end of the cable. All of this is adjusted down by the tranny during scheduled servicing. In between services you adjust, if needed, at the handlebar end of the cable.

 

Clear as mud, huh? <sigh> we need a picture...... I'm guessing you don't have a BMW shop manual? Haynes? Clymer?

 

Stan

[bmweerman]

No I don't have a manual...note to self, get service manual. Thanks for your response...I think that answers the question.

 

BTW which manual do you think is the best?

[Stan Walker]

see attached picture

[bmweerman]

Beautiful!!!! Thanks!

[Stan Walker]

which manual do you think is the best?

 

It depends on how comfortable you are with working on motorcycles (or cars).

 

The BMW shop manual assumes you know how to do things and doesn't provide much help. It's pretty much error free and the bible on torque values, etc. Wiring diagrams are a separate manual, accurate, but hard to use.

 

Both the Haynes and the Clymer are filled with help and lots of pictures. The Clymer has crappy pictures you can hardly see and many more errors than the Haynes. The Haynes has the best electrical diagrams but a few errors there too.

 

I usually look first in the BMW stuff. If I need more support (or electrical wiring) I turn to Haynes. If I open the Clymer I'm either desperate or helping someone else.

 

Stan