I think I've got big problems here. I have a 1990 K100RS. It's been running great and I just finished a long trip. Last week I was driving and all was well, then I stopped, let my passenger off and when I let the clutch out to engage 1st gear the lever went all loose and it just revved like it was in neutral. I'm in Tennessee now, but in July in New York I had the spline lube done (supposedly). I just got off the phone with Crow at Red Barn Beemers (if anyone here is from around the Knoxville area) and he told me to sell it because it will be too costly to fix. I apologize for not remembering exactly what the diagnosis was but he said it should have come up during the spline lube.

Does anyone here have a second opinion perhaps? Anything I might be able to try? I was hoping to learn as I went but I think I've gotten in over my head with this machine. Now I'm stuck.

If not, does anyone have a suggestions on where to figure out what I might be able to get for the bike? At some point in the future I'll probably kick myself, but I just don't have the time or resources to really put into the bike right now.

Thanks so much!

-aaron

Hi Aaron,
Are you sure the clutch cable has not just parted? Either of the little drum shaped bits fastened on the end coming off would prevent the clutch operating. That would just require you to replace the clutch cable.
Regards,
K-BIKE

I was thinking the same but believed it to be too simple. Having said that, I bought my bike super cheap because he thought the clutch had gone out, when in fact it WAS the cable...

Are you saying that there should be two drum bits on the end that engages the clutch?
Could you direct me to an image of a healthy clutch cable? I just took a look under the bike and there's only one on the very end, not two. Wait, is the other drum bit supposed to push that arm back down when you let the handle out? Is that arm the clutch? I'm a newbie.

No such thing as a stupid question...ALL of us have been there!

There's one "nipple holder" up on the end of the cable at the handlebar. If the cable nipple breaks off, the round 10mm diameter nipple holder can simply fall out of the lever, onto the ground and be lost for ever. You can buy this holder by itself (part 32 72 1 233 550) if you need to.

The holder at the clutch arm (the long aluminium arm) is of a smaller diameter and if you see the cable is not connected to this arm, it means the nipple has come of and again, the nipple holder could be lost. But I don't think that's missing by how you've described it.

If your clutch cable is broken, you will have absolutely no tension on the lever; it will be as loose as anything.

If you sell this bike, you WILL kick yourself...or sell it to me for $500.00 and I'll send you a Christmas card every year.

Aaron as I'm here tinkering I made a quick vid of me using the clutch
its not very good quality but you can see the arm operate when I pull the lever
and return as I release it
When you pull the lever you can see the aforementioned nipple which as suggested
may have come away from the cable

The lever should work with moderate pressure and I hope its just the cable
because its an easy fix


If you grab the arm by the silencer and try and lift it
Mine lifts by say 6-10mm at a guess, then you feel the pressure and its hard to lift it
any further by hand as you can feel youre pulling against a hefty spring
HTH

Reg

Okay, first, thanks for all the info and the video. I went out and took some cellphone vids of how my clutch is behaving.



The handle operates with moderate pressure but has a lot of play. It doesn't return to it's starting position.
Can't figure out how to embed more than one vid so I'll post a few more separately.

In this one you can see the arm lifting with the cable from the rear...

This is from the right side of the bike...

And just in case, this is the play I get on the middle of the cable housing when I pull on it with my hand...



It's beginning to look like the arm isn't going back to where it should. What do you guys think?

Let me know if additional angles would be helpful. Thanks again!

That clutch cable appears to be way out of adjustment. Of course it could be something in the clutch mech, but that looks fixable. Have you tried readjusting the cable as per the manual specs? And if you're done with it, I'll pay you $50 more than Blakey

Yep that cables way out of adjustment
why? dunno
just a guess but maybe when it was fitted it caught a lip and never sat down
properly until later when it dropped in to place and now theres too much free play?
OR
the adjuster bolt down underneath has worked its way out?

Hahaha, the birds are circling.

So is it really possible that a misadjusted clutch cable could work absolutely correct for hundreds of miles and tons of around town shifting and then plop out suddenly? Oh man, I hope so.

As for as adjustment goes, I'm in a little over my head on this. It's only my second bike, my last one was a single cylinder Suzuki that seems like legos compared to this. Is this procedure outlined in the Haynes manual? Or is there a download on here somewhere off the top of your head? I'll take a look after work today. Thanks for the leads and the hope guys.

-aaron

What was happening with my bike before I bought it was the strands in the cable were slowly breaking one at a time causing the cable to stretch quickly. I think you've prolly got a failing cable, but you can still readjust it. If it fails completely, well better in your garage than 50 miles from anywhere. The adjustment is very simple and takes less than 10 min. You need to adjust at the pushrod lever first, then at the handle.

Here it is:

CLUTCH ADJUSTMENT

Aaron, don't freak out about the bike..we're here to help.

$600.00 and two Christmas cards a year...

Hi there
Reading your first post you say that the bike revs "as in neutral", I understand that you mean that this happens wen on gear, no matter what you do with the clutch lever.
If that is the case I think that the cable is not the cause, a broken cable means that you can not disengage the engine from the transmission.
My best guess, at this moment, is that your clutch´s diaphragm spring is not working, that explains the loosen lever and the lack of power to the transmission.
The good news is that, being that the case, repair is not a big deal... just a week end project, and you´ll find all the help (except perhaps, spares an labour) on this forum.
Best regards
JAP

Hi JAP,
I wondered the same thing but thought lets just eliminate the easiest and diagnose if the cable is OK first. You are right that with all the bits to hand changing the clutch is an enjoyable weekend project and I am sure those speed merchants who have done it multiple times could whip it out and back in a couple of hours.
Regards,
K-BIKE

Hey everybody. I got a little busy with work but finally got around to adjusting my clutch cable. It seems to have done the trick! Thanks for all the help. My only question now is why did this happen? I haven't been able to find any fraying or damage otherwise to the cable. Will it happen again when I least expect it?

I was kinda looking forward to those Christmas cards.

Thanks again,
Aaron

Other possibility is the bearings in the clutch lever down below are prone to water and rusting and then jamming. There is an extension for the mudguard available for the guard which covers that area and stops the water getting on to it, I fitted one to mine.
Regards,
K-BIKE

Or some way the pushrod got stucked keeping the clutch "open" and so the gears wont engage.
In any case it can happens again if not propperly adressed.
Best regards
JAP

Hey K-BIKE, is this extension something I can get online? Would you mind sending a link?

Thanks,
Aaron

Hi Aaron,
Always give the search a go up the top it's amazing what shows up not least http://k100rt.aforumfree.com/frame-fairing-and-wheels-f9/rear-muguard-extension-t663.htm?highlight=mudguard
Regards,
K-BIKE

Max BMW have changed their indexing in a site update so look under frame fairing cases and scroll down to wheel cover rear.
Regards,
K-BIKE

My clutch cabe broke again, after just 2 months. I wasn't an OEM cable but even so, it should last longer than that! I did a bodge job to get the bike to a safe port of call. Now I just hope the mechanic can get round to it today. Luckily I work not too far from his workshop and he does lend me his K100RT so I can get to work.