jge@unc.UUCP (John Eyles) (02/19/86)
I posted news a while back complaining about a sticking clutch on my new R65. The clutch just didn't seem to let go when I grabbed the lever, making shifting impossible; it was necessary to goose the throttle to make the clutch break loose before shifting. An identical symptom in my R75/5 turned out to be due to a wet clutch disk from a leaking transmission input shaft seal (you'd think that would make it slip). Well, the local joke of a BMW dealer gave no satisfaction. They adjusted the shifter linkage an inserted sythetic oil (the synthetic oil does make the shifting a LOT smoother, provided the clutch is disengaged). So I pulled the transmission myself, and guess what ... the clutch splines were bone dry. Everything around the clutch and flywheel was dry and a little rusty. Inspection of the date of manufacture revealed that I was disassembling the beast approximately 2 years and 2 months after it was assembled. I feel quite confident that the clutch splines were NEVER greased in the first place. I have taken apart very old vehicles and the clutch splines always are at least a little oily. So, I heard that the things weren't being put together by real live Germans anymore, and maybe this is an indication :-) Is there anything I can do to get some retribution for this outrage ? Can anyone describe the most EFFECTIVE procedure for complaining about this to BMW ? Thanks in advance for any help.
mazlack@ernie.berkeley.edu.BERKELEY.EDU (Lawrence J. &) (02/24/86)
>the clutch splines were bone dry. Everything around the clutch and flywheel >was dry and a little rusty. Inspection of the date of manufacture revealed >that I was disassembling the beast approximately 2 years and 2 months after >it was assembled. I feel quite confident that the clutch splines were NEVER >greased in the first place. I have taken apart very old vehicles and the clutch >splines always are at least a little oily. > >So, I heard that the things weren't being put together by real live Germans >anymore, and maybe this is an indication :-) I had the same problem in the fall of 1982 after having ridden 3 months on my new BMW100CS. It was fixed under warrantee by my capable dealer (The BMW Store, Cincinnati). The mechanic told me that it was a common failing. I have owned 4 BMWs. The last two were poorly put togeather and badly finished. I picked up all of them at the factory in Munich - they didn't give a damn. So, I had to do the normal yelling to get bubbles out of the paint, non-corroded parts put on, etc. Just like dealing with your friendly Chevy dealer. Of course, maybe they don't care because they are really built by Turks in Berlin (True!!). I am not sure that I would buy another. They used to be robust, well put togeather machines. They have become technically complex, fragile, ill manufactured, overly expensive machines. (Well, they always were expensive. But, they were tough and well made - truely the Rolls Royce of motorcycles. Now, I would call them the "Renaults of motorcycles") ...Larry Mazlack mazlack@ernie.edu