GreenmanS2000

Whilst my bike was in for its change of brake fluid, I asked them to do the clutch fluid at the same time. The service desk was a little perplexed as this isn't listed as a service item. After askingthe service manager there, it seems the clutch system is "sealed for life" and doesn't require a change of fluid. Odd that, I though afaik, it runs the same spec fluid as brakes.

it transpires that The clutch does run a different fluid to the brake system.

"The brakes operate on normal DOT4 'brake' fluid - on a BMW as with all othe it has to cope with heat.

the clutch system, does not have to cope with such extremes of heat, so can get away with using a different fluid - in this case, BMW changed it for a mineral oil called Vitamol V10 when they introduced the new K1200's - this stuff doesn't absorb moisture and therefore doesn't need to be changed at regular intervals like the brake fluid does. It's also very temperature stable (ie doesn't expand too much as it warms up), which is handy in this application.

Since introducing Vitamol as the clutch fluid, BMW have since changed it to something else.

Worth noting that using DOT4 in a system designed for Vitamol is supposed to ruin the seals in the clutch system."