And, I am confronting it.
The development of failure in my bike is at a very early stage, but the indications are present with 34k mi on the odometer. Therefore, I am preparing myself mentally to engage in some mechanical work that will significantly enhance my expertise. In simpler terms: I am diving into uncharted waters, and I am aware of that.
For a number of weeks now, I have been exploring the forums and YouTube clips, digesting the information in the Clymer manual, and benefiting from the abundance of knowledge, practical knowledge, and benevolence that never ceases to astonish me. I have directly reached out to numerous esteemed members or creators of content. I have compiled lists – spreadsheets of tools, workshop equipment, lubricants, etc. Now I understand what Staburags is… and I have commenced the process of procuring these items. With several multi-day trips still on my agenda for this season, I envision commencing the task around mid-November, concurrently with the 36k mi maintenance that will be due by then.
Meanwhile, I am now zeroing in on making decisions for acquiring the necessary parts. And in this regard, I have two inquiries:
(1) Should I acquire the full assortment of clutch replacement components, encompassing the ‘hard’ parts that may not actually require replacement? Or should I opt for the ‘minimum’ selection of parts that will unquestionably necessitate replacement and wait until I dismantled the bike to assess the situation? The decision becomes intricate due to the limitations of the project timeline. I am quite certain I will end up purchasing from one of two UK-based suppliers – endorsed by a prominent forum member – because the contrast in pricing compared to US-based sources is simply absurd. Even factoring in the international shipping cost, it seems that I will save well over 50% of the $1,332 cost of the parts quoted by my local dealer. (And yes, these suppliers offer genuine OEM BMW clutch parts.) That’s fantastic, but it implies that if I do not go all-in on the initial parts procurement, then disassemble the bike and observe that indeed, the hard parts (e.g., diaphragm spring, pressure plate, housing cover (also known as pressure ring)) ARE in need of replacement… well, in that case, the second round of international ordering will add some weeks to the calamity that my workshop will become.
How have the Senior members here dealt with this dilemma? Play it safe and acquire all the required parts? Or take it step by step and economize wherever possible?
(2) There are alternatives available for the clutch (friction) plate itself. I can opt for the OEM (Sachs) replacement. Alternatively, I could explore higher-end options. Seibenrock (some uncertainty exists, apparently, regarding the availability of these for flying brick engines). Oil resistant? Ceramic, if I want to take a slightly daring approach? One of the two UK suppliers provides an enhanced replacement made by Newfren which claims to be ‘oil proof.’ Newfren does not seem to be a widely acknowledged aftermarket choice for BMW bikes, but their website exhibits a Model F1497 for the K41 variant of the K12GT. It is offered in two variations – distinctly different from the thumbnail images – but lacking any explanation of the distinctions. There’s the ‘K’ iteration and the ‘KW’ iteration, and it appears that the UK supplier offers the latter.
So… viewpoints? Is ‘oil proof’ genuinely a substantial advantage – or, is it even a legitimate concept? Has anyone had any encounters with the Newfren friction plate? Is ceramic just utterly extravagant, and are there even any ceramic alternatives available for the K-brick single-dry-plate clutch? I have perused forum remarks such as, “the OEM Sachs clutch can endure 100k miles, so why bother with anything else?” HOWEVER… well, I must be quite hard on it, or the former owner was (it had 11.6k mi on the odometer when I purchased it in 2019), because 34k mi is relatively young for a clutch to initiate its decline. Is it…??
And a 3rd query: I have been informed that the OEM O-ring is probably the chief cause of the leakage/slipping, and that I should absolutely substitute it. I have also read that the composition of the OEM part is inferior to Viton, and it is recommended to switch to a Viton replacement. Can anyone pinpoint a brand/model and supplier for the Viton variation?
By the way, I am also assuming that I will be exchanging the rear primary seal and plausibly the transmission input and output seals. For these, my choices for procurement seem to be limited, with the finest I have stumbled upon being Max BMW. Does anyone have any other vendor recommendations?
What about the clutch slave cylinder? Numerous individuals propose that this should also be replaced, since you are already deep in the disassembly process and it will inevitably cease functioning. Thoughts….?
Lastly… just for amusement:
— Dealership estimate for the task: $3,423.76. Less than 10 hrs of labor.
— Counsel of the chief workshop technician: “Ride it until it explodes.” Implying, it is not worthwhile to mend it, so enjoy it while it lasts. 
Thank you,
Corey
