2001 1150 gs wont shift up past 1rst gear

[boobox]

hi, i'm in a bit of a tight spot and if anyone can give me some insight into this problem it would be much appreciated.

i recently bought a 2001 1150 gs with 100k miles on the clock and have been running it for about a month now with no issues whatsoever. today when i started up to head out to collage i could get the bike into first gear and neutral no problem at all, but when trying to shift up into 2nd there's just nothing happening, the foot lever just returns to its resting position without 2nd gear being selected. there is a very very slight vibration/grinding feedback if i push the lever hard up and hold for a few seconds but being scared to do damage rather than good iv only tried this a few times. the problem is the same when stationary just holding the clutch in.

is this just me needing to do some adjusting or am i on the short end of the stick in this situation?

any help would be great

 

[ian6760]

The gear linkage bar being full of crap is a common problem on these bikes, so it worth striping and cleaning that up first to see if it helps. There is a small clip either end that unclips, pulls to the side then down. clean both ends and see if that helps.

 

[boobox]

cheers mate, im just got in the house now so ill give that a bash in 10 minits. thanks for the heads up.

 

[Steptoe]

The usual problem isn't the linkage, it's the actual lever pivot mount and bush.

Take the gearlever off the footrest, remove the insert/bush that's in the gear lever and clean and grease the lever hole, helps to run a round file around the hole to clean it out and some wet and dry to clean up the bush.
Re-insert the bush with plenty of grease, and replace the lever onto the footrest hanger.

Chances are you won't even notice the bush as it'll be stuck firmly in the lever, but it's the bush that the bolt secures and clamps down on and the bush is also what the lever moves on. . Hence once the bolt is tightened the lever sticks or is very stiff.

 

[davegs]

Gear leaver

Now you've heard this the prob without a doubt this foot rest bolt is put on with locktight so will require heating up with an hot air gun, and it has to be hot!
Had this problem and this was the answer. This happend on mine after a lot of wet weather riding!.
Dave GS

 

[boobox]

cheers chaps

unfortunately i got in today and comatosed after posting and having a wee tinker, before that i tried to get the nut off that folk have been saying is locktighted on and i'm going to try getting a paint striping heat gun around that tomorrow. is a paint stripping gun ok?
Another development is that i tried to go for a wee blast around the block when i woke up, i could change gear no problem, but it was when i had the clutch lever pulled in to a different amount than, about 1/3 of usual. this goes agents what i know about how clutches work. why would one day it shift gear when the clutch is pulled all the way in but work fine when partially pulled in?

quite befudled :s

ill report back after getting the locktighted nut off and cleaning everything.

thanks for the advice folks, i would be lost without it

 

[boobox]

just read what i posted , pleas forgive my spelling and grammar

 

[Greg Masters]

just read what i posted , pleas forgive my spelling and grammar

The 'Shift' key on your keyboard may also be seized.

 

[Steptoe]

unfortunately i got in today and comatosed after posting and having a wee tinker, before that i tried to get the nut off that folk have been saying is locktighted on and i'm going to try getting a paint striping heat gun around that tomorrow. is a paint stripping gun ok?
Another development is that i tried to go for a wee blast around the block when i woke up, i could change gear no problem, but it was when i had the clutch lever pulled in to a different amount than, about 1/3 of usual. this goes agents what i know about how clutches work. why would one day it shift gear when the clutch is pulled all the way in but work fine when partially pulled in?

quite befudled :s

ill report back after getting the locktighted nut off and cleaning everything.

thanks for the advice folks, i would be lost without it

I'll tell you what - check the gearlever pivot, as suggested previously and see if that cures the problem before starting to diagnose or start to complicate things that may not need complicating.

Otherwise all the doom and gloom merchants (that have no actual experience in real life) will be along posting what they've read somewhere else on the internet and that you need a new gearbox/clutch/slave cylinder etc etc.

 

[Mr Pastry]

i've read somewhere else on the internet and that you need a new gearbox/clutch/slave cylinder

P

 

[davegs]

i've read somewhere else on the internet and that you need a new gearbox/clutch/slave cylinder

P

Just buy a new bike you'll have a warrenty then!

 

[Stuttgartmetal]

If you do go down the gearbox route, give me a shout, Ive got a box split in bits that had 28k on it.
Bent selector fork was the reason it wouldn't engage on mine.

 

[Big Jets]

My 1100 done the same and as Steptoe said was exactly the problem and the fix .

 

[boobox]

fixed!

cheers guys "massive sigh of relief" thought i might to have to dig about in the machines guts for a bit there. always nice when things turn out ok

on another note, does anybody know of any bmw servicing/tech/maintenance courses in or around Edinburgh? would be something i would defiantly consider as a good investment if there is such a thing.

cheers again

 

[hank]

You have already enrolled on such a course with your £12 sub to this forum, lots of good advice and banter on here. I have owned my 1150 for six years and thanks to this forum I have never had to take my bike to the dealer for repairs or servicing.

 

[boobox]

Sorry to bother you again guys, i thought the problem was all but gone, but again when heading down to collage today i couldn't get past 1rst even tho i had it out last night round the block and it seemed to be OK after cleaning the linkage (feel like a bit of a tit).
when i pull up on the gear lever with the clutch in i'm now getting a definite vibrating/grinding feedback but the bugger wont click into 2nd, it just falls back into neutral. could any one give me a few more troubleshooting pointers as to what to look at next? i'm quite willing to go digging inside, just a little trepidatios to go in without knowing what to look for.

again any help/insight would be appreciated.

 

[magicstu]

If it cured the problem for a little while, it's most probably the cause, i would give it another try
I was in the same position as you last year, but after giving the bushes a quick lap on each front face it cured the problem.
I would even try putting new on bushes/bolt etc. I thought my gearbox was totalled last year before i done this a couple of times.

 

[boobox]

just took the linkage off again, its clean and greased up nicely, no obvious defect from what i can see, tried footering about with the nut adjusting the ball joint up and down to see if it made any difference but the problem persists. i can get it up into the higher gears after persisting but 8 times out of 10 it just wont shift up and when it does and iv tried just driving for a short distance in second and it has slipped back into neutral a few times.

 

[Myke Rocks]

Try following Steptoes instructions.

I'll tell you what - check the gearlever pivot, as suggested previously and see if that cures the problem before starting to diagnose or start to complicate things that may not need complicating.

Your post says you looked at the linkage. You do not say of the gearlever pivot is free in it's housing. As the gentleman says, this is normally the cause.
Myke

 

[boobox]

I completely dismantled it and everything moves as it should as far as i can see all the moving parts are in order on the leaver end, sorry, i should have been more specific.