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Best clutch for gs 850 ??

  • Thread starter Thread starter Anonymous
  • Start date Start date
A

Anonymous

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Come spring I want to replace the clutch discs and springs in my trusty gs850. I'm trying to decide between Vesrah, Barnett, and Vance & Hines. I want a clutch that won't slip, but not one I would have to be a body builder to dis-engage. Any advice appreciated.
 
What's wrong with stock Suzuki clutch? In almost 17 years and 200,000 miles of GS ownership (four 850's and now an 1100GK), I've never had any clutch problems. Not once has a clutch slipped on me. My Hybrid GK is still on its original clutch at 63,000+ miles, of which 38,000 are mine. I have no problem pulling the lever. I keep the cable well lubed all the time.

I have an entire clutch I pulled out of a 1980 GS850G with 12,000 miles. It's in great shape, ready to be installed. If interested, e-mail me at marinick@erols.com
 
I wouldn't say there's anything "wrong" with the stock clutch, but mine has always had a tendency to slip a little bit when the throttle was nailed above 6000 rpm. It doesn't do it every time, just once in a great while. The bike has 25k miles, and I figure it's due a new set of plates, maybe springs too. Basically, I want to try something different than stock. When Cycle World first tested the gs850, they loved the bike, but warned that the clutch was marginal, and prone to slippage. Particularly since Suzuki employed a wave washer to dampen shock to the drivehaft. I have found that to be true, at least in my case.
 
When my clutch was slipping on my 850, I ordered the fiber plates from JC Whitney. I ordered the springs, metal plates, gaskets, and the piano wire clip from a Suzuki dealer.

The fiber plates from JC Whitney are made by Alto. I did quite a bit of research before I bought them. Their website is www.altousa.com.
 
Basically, I want to try something different than stock.

Now we can get to the real reason for your wanting a new clutch. :wink:

Still, I'd like an explanation as to why I've never had to replace clutch plates or springs on any of my GS850's, and why the clutch has never once slipped on any of them in 17 years. I do not baby any motorcycle, never have, never will.

25,000 miles is nothing on a stock clutch. If I were you, I would investigate the causes for such premature slipping.

Nick
 
brs127s said:
When my clutch was slipping on my 850, I ordered the fiber plates from JC Whitney. I ordered the springs, metal plates, gaskets, and the piano wire clip from a Suzuki dealer.

The fiber plates from JC Whitney are made by Alto. I did quite a bit of research before I bought them. Their website is www.altousa.com.
Click to expand...
Piano wire clip?
 
Nick Diaz said:
Basically, I want to try something different than stock.

Now we can get to the real reason for your wanting a new clutch. :wink:

Still, I'd like an explanation as to why I've never had to replace clutch plates or springs on any of my GS850's, and why the clutch has never once slipped on any of them in 17 years. I do not baby any motorcycle, never have, never will.

25,000 miles is nothing on a stock clutch. If I were you, I would investigate the causes for such premature slipping.

Nick
Click to expand...
If I knew what caused the slipping, I would have taken steps to prevent it in the first place. :) But I've never gotten more than 25,000 "good" miles on any stock clutch, and that's having owned 33 different makes and models. You certainly have better luck with them than I do.
 
You certainly have better luck with them than I do.


Allow me to disagree. Luck has little to do with this sort of thing. There has to be a scientific reason for this discrepancy. The only clutch I've ever replaced in 33 years and 350,000 miles of riding was the one on my MotoGuzzi, which has a dry clutch. The only reason for its failure was that the transmission seal allowed transmission gear lube to coat the clutch plates. When you have a dry clutch, the clutch should stay dry.

This is obviously not the case with UJM's like ours. I wish someone would join this discussion as to why my stock Suzuki clutches (and Honda, and Yamaha) have worked perfectly over the years, while Gary's has not.

Nick
 
When I turned 16, my dad wondered out loud why clutch's and tires suddenly wore out at an alarming rate on his Mustang. Gary, what's up?

Actually, my original 1100 clutch didn't last much longer than Gary's, but the next one, a Barnett, got ~50k miles of mostly local stop-and-go riding before it too started slipping. Again, Gary, what kind of riding do you do?
 
If the clutch cable isn't properly adjusted wouldn't it cause premature wear.
 
I have understood that the 'slips-at-hard-acceleration' problem is a result of weak springs, not actual clutch disc problems. As to why they get weak, is beyond me, maybe an improperly adjusted clutch or weakend from only occasional use and age. But I have heard this problem alot on tehse Suzi's...
 
There are several things that factor into how long a clutch will last.
I had to change my clutch due to using a oil that was not compatible with wet type clutches, I chose to go with a aftermarket performance clutch and springs, and have regretted it.
The so-called 20% stronger springs take 200% more efort on the lever to pull it in, it also does not reliese fully, I even took it all back apart to try and find out why but every thing was in correctly and no amount of fiddling with the adjustments helps.
I cunsulted with a reliable mechanic and he told me that it is a common problem with the type of clutch I got, ( kevlar) and that changing back to stock springs may help, but for a relativly stock engine, that the stock plates are more than good enough for normal non- abusive use. the weak spot on these bikes is the stock springs. they loose their strength farely easy due to the fact that they were made from a low grade metal that does not hold up to the heat that they are exposed to.
If the bike runs in a enviroment where the engine will get hot like here in texas, durring stop and go traffic, they will soften and the clutch will nolonger beable to hold.
he told me to put stock plates back in and alternate, new stock, and the performance springs (three stock, three performance)
 
Nick Diaz said:
You certainly have better luck with them than I do.


Allow me to disagree. Luck has little to do with this sort of thing. There has to be a scientific reason for this discrepancy. The only clutch I've ever replaced in 33 years and 350,000 miles of riding was the one on my MotoGuzzi, which has a dry clutch. The only reason for its failure was that the transmission seal allowed transmission gear lube to coat the clutch plates. When you have a dry clutch, the clutch should stay dry.

This is obviously not the case with UJM's like ours. I wish someone would join this discussion as to why my stock Suzuki clutches (and Honda, and Yamaha) have worked perfectly over the years, while Gary's has not.

Nick
Click to expand...
Well Nick, I would be willing to bet, that my experience with clutch life is a lot more common than yours. I don't abuse the clutch, but I don't baby it either. It is always adjusted within specs. The kind of milage you seem to be getting is unheard of. Ask any dealer, or for that matter, even any manufacturer, and few will claim a clutch life expectancy like you seem to be getting. An average wet clutch, with "normal" use is not even expected to last much more than 25-35k...tops. So, the real question is..what's your secret? And to the poster that mentioned spring fatigue..that does make sense. Maybe I'll just try heavy duty springs first. It's not like my clutch slips all the time.
 
I have used two sets of clutch plates (fibre ones) in 145,000 km. The first set stock, the second barnett, now I have stock ones again. The clutch has heavier springs, may be too heavy for some but I find it ok. The clutch itself is a reinforced standard one with stronger springs and rivets. This loosed off once, but has worked ok since being fixed.

The bike is warmed up (big bore kit, cams, porting) so the clutch gets a reasonable workout, although I rarely have to use it hard. Oh yes, I also have an oil cooler fitted.....
 
Gary McLellan said:
Nick Diaz said:
Basically, I want to try something different than stock.

Now we can get to the real reason for your wanting a new clutch. :wink:

Still, I'd like an explanation as to why I've never had to replace clutch plates or springs on any of my GS850's, and why the clutch has never once slipped on any of them in 17 years. I do not baby any motorcycle, never have, never will.

25,000 miles is nothing on a stock clutch. If I were you, I would investigate the causes for such premature slipping.

Nick
Click to expand...
If I knew what caused the slipping, I would have taken steps to prevent it in the first place. :) But I've never gotten more than 25,000 "good" miles on any stock clutch, and that's having owned 33 different makes and models. You certainly have better luck with them than I do.
Click to expand...

Everyone rides different. I would say you guys are at the opposite ends of the clutch wear spectrum.
 
In "80" I baught a GS 1100 E, I abused the clutch for 26,000 mi before I blew a clutch basket. At that time the clutch had never slipped. Before installing the new basket, I welded the rivets in the backing plate on the new basket, installed 3 stock springs & 3 heavy duty springs, and a new set of stock plates. I sold the bike at just past 50,000 mi and the clutch had never slipped. I always used Castrol 20w50, and then, I only weighed 160 lb. I've owned several GS's, right now I have 3. The only clutch slipping problem I've ever had is on one of my present GS 1150's. It has Barnett plates in it, they were in it when I got it. With the cable adjusted properly, It's very hard to shift into neutral, the clutch drags when the lever is in. If I tighten the cable so it won't drag, the clutch turns loose at about 6000rpm. go figure
 
Rphillips, I have found on my 1150 that when nuetral becomes difficult to engage that chain tension plays a big part in it. I nfact I now use that as gauge for time to adjust my chain.
Dink
 
dink
does it get hard to find neutral when your chain is loose or too tight ? I have a barnett with heavy duty springs and the trouble i have is with the clutch in if i bring up the rpms quick it will start to pull the bike forward. this can be no fun at the dragstip (1,2,3 redlight) I found with synthetic oil it does not do it as much. Some body told me that barnett clutches like to creep. Any body else have this trouble?
 
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