2011 Busa: Melted oil cap and fried clutch!

nemeanlion

Registered
Long story short ... i bought my second Busa last year and rode it in this years pride parade in Vancouver. The temperature read as fine but if felt rather warm around my knees. Once the bike was turned off at the end of the parade, it wouldn't start again for 2hrs until it fully cooled down. i noted it as odd but didn't see anything unusual or signs for a cause of the issue.

The next day I went for a ride and found oil all over my rear tire, it traced back the oil cap ... the tread was completely melted off! I changed the oil and the filter and put an aluminum cap on and took the melted cap to the dealer and said "what the??" They then tell me that my riding is the cause for the cap melting even though they have never heard of it before. I told them i wanted them to give the bike a full look over as I will be shipping it back to Australia next year and don't want to find any heating issues. They decide to check the clutch and advise me that all is ok.

2 months later, I ride to Lake Louise and Jasper, but I don't make it home, not on the bike anyways. My clutch is fried. I take it back to the dealer after they argue with me over what is wrong with it, talking to me like a dumb woman, where they tell me my riding style fried it. This is my second Busa, my first I rode approx 60000km in 2 years and absolutely no issue, definitely no clutch problems. This bike is only at 7500kms and there was another Busa in the Pride parade that had absolutely no issues with the ride.

Has anyone heard of any faults that would allow the oil to get that hot it would melt the cap off? is there a link between that and the clutch plates burning out? I have a little mechanical knowledge but don't know much about the clutch mechanism.
 
What exactly is it they think your 'riding style' is?
Strange it melted cap? Never heard of that.
 
they just imply, but i sense they feel I'm trick riding, or a poor attempt at it ... the closest I get to trick riding is standing on the pegs :laugh:
 
Me either. That cap is designed to withstand some heat and heat cycles. I would like to say there is something really wrong with your bike if it's generating that much heat to melt it.
 
Well, if you fried your clutch that is obviously what melted your oil cap. For some reason the clutch was heating up. There are only two things I am aware of that will heat a clutch up that much. One is slipping the clutch by the rider for extended periods of time, or drag style slippage for take offs; and two is a defective clutch. If a qualified tech replaced your clutch and it is still doing it then you need to go deeper.
 
Hmmm, never heard of this. The clutch is wet and depends on oil. Best of luck with it. I'd have all the oil channels checked and cleared.
 
What was the condition of the engine oil? It would take a serious heat spike to melt the cap, and I think the engine would suffer before the cap melted.
 
Update: when the bike went into the shop, dead, it was 5days out from warranty so when the issue was raised, it was in warranty. They say my clutch is that toasted the plates are blue and they plan to charge me $704 to replace the clutch. I feel I'm being ripped, they originally quoted me $350 when it should be covered on warranty.

I have lodged it with the Better Business Bureau to push for warranty, am hoping for towing too ...
 
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