Replace Suzuki GS1100 Clutch Plates

Reader Contribution by The Motorcycle Classics Staff
Published on August 13, 2015
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The clutch: Always used, often abused, it doesn’t get the respect it deserves. That’s somewhat ironic, given the clutch’s role in ensuring you get from A to B. Yet it’s somewhat understandable, as clutches are typically undercover and out of sight — and out of mind.

The typical motorcycle multi-plate wet clutch is made up of two sets of alternating discs; a fiber-faced set driven by an outer clutch drum and a set of metal discs keyed to an inner clutch hub. A spring-loaded pressure plate bolted to the inner clutch hub clamps the discs together, coupling the clutch drum and clutch hub together to transfer power from the engine to the transmission, and then the rear wheel. When you pull on the clutch lever, linkage pulls or pushes the pressure plate, overcoming spring pressure and uncoupling the clutches so you can shift gears.

This constant coupling and uncoupling causes wear. If you’re nice to your clutch, bringing engine speed up lightly for launch and letting the clutch engage quickly and cleanly, the plates can last indefinitely. Stoplight drag races, on the other hand, are clutch killers. The high revs induced for a high-speed launch translate to longer and harder engagement. The clutch plates slip and heat up, resulting in wear of the fiber plates and overheating and warping of the metal plates.

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