Hello from Lancashire

Ok Peeps, final update on the clunking! My bike has been in the dealers today, they replaced the swing arm due to a paint defect. But I got to speak to the tech who worked on my bike. He told me that the splines were very dry and this was part of my clunking noise! But the second part I did not expect, he said he test drove the bike and found that my engine timing was out as well, he has re done the timing and said that that has cured the fault. I was sceptical that this was the issue but thought I would take the bike away and give it a try...... well the bike is loads better, I can still feel something through my pegs, but it’s not clunking it’s just engine vibration. Whilst cruising if I pull the clutch in and play with the throttle I can feel the same vibration so I am happy it’s not anything more. Interestingly the bike is smoother on pickup and the gear shift pro is also smoother. Thanks to all those who offered help/ advice, and I hope this update helps others with similar issues... Nick

Welcome chaps - I am a new forum joiner too. Also in Lancashire (only just...I can just about throw a stone over the Cumbria border).
K1200RS owner, but with a brand new R1200GS LC on order (collect next week I hope)...

Welcome to the forum Martin, looks like we need to arrange a northwest get together as there seems to be a few of us

I'd be up for that.. A few of us did a run to. Southport on Wednesday.. It was heaving

Sent from my SM-G9550 using Tapatalk

Clunk!

Hi Nick,

Apologies for the late reply to your post from last year.
I've just joined the group and did a quick search which brought me to your post.

I have a 2008 R1200GS with 28k miles. I bought it from a friend, and prior to that it was a BMW offroad skills bike so it's had a pretty hard life.
Anyway my biggest concern is a knocking, or clunking noise just like what you describe, and I wonder if you ever found a resolution to your problem?

The noise I get is a metallic knocking noise and like you I feel it below the bike through my footpegs. It's far worse once the bike is properly warmed up and when I twist the throttle whilst cruising in any gear it clunks then as if it's picking up the slack, but again it does the same thing again when I roll off the throttle. I can just about ride so gently that I can avoid it, but in normal 'every day' use that's virtually impossible.
I've had it checked by an independent BMW mechanic and he says there's nothing he can find wrong with it, but thinks it would go away with a gearbox replacement (Mega ££££££). He puts it down to the bike have had a 'hard life' but I'm not happy with that diagnosis - as there must be some way to pinpoint the problem surely. It would make more sense to me if it were a bearing in the shaft-drive or something similar, but then I'm not a qualified mechanic by any means.

The shaft drive did end up underwater at one point a few years ago, and because there's no drainage hole the water stayed in and caused damage so the whole shaft has since been replaced with a recon one from Motorworks.
I'm afraid there's not much chance of a comparison as I live down in deepest Surrey!

However if you, or anyone else here can help or shed any light it would be hugely appreciated.

Best wishes to all,
Mat.