2015 GSA - noisy gearchange.

[TomP]

I’m loving the near-mint 2015/16 GS Adventure (TE spec) I bought late last year. Thought for a while I was never going to get out on it, what with appalling winter weather, then lockdown. I have a question about gear changes on the thing. Bike has done 11,000 miles.

The quickchanger works going up through the gears just fine. Little bit more hesitant changing down, but I gather that’s in the nature of these things. However, clutch assisted changes, particularly into 1st, and to a lesser extent, into 2nd remind me of an old British bike I had, years ago, when its chain needed adjustment. The change slots in ok, but with quite a “bang“, and a jolt. There’s no clutch drag. The change is not noticeably more noisy when the engine is hot or when cold.

Any idea whether this is The sign of a problem? I guess more experienced users will tell me “they all do that, sir”, but I thought that BMW were supposed to have significantly improved the gearbox on the liquid cooled models?

All comments gratefully received.

Tom

 

[Loiq]

“they all do that, sir”

until they settle down or go wrong....

 

[autogs]

Normal on the older bikes, sounds bloody awful don't it

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[CPJS]

If it feels like someone jammed a scaffold pole into the gearbox and the bike does a tiny jump, that's normal, it doesn't seem to do it any harm even though it feels like it's self detonating.

 

[DR268]

I’m loving the near-mint 2015/16 GS Adventure (TE spec) I bought late last year. Thought for a while I was never going to get out on it, what with appalling winter weather, then lockdown. I have a question about gear changes on the thing. Bike has done 11,000 miles.

The quickchanger works going up through the gears just fine. Little bit more hesitant changing down, but I gather that’s in the nature of these things. However, clutch assisted changes, particularly into 1st, and to a lesser extent, into 2nd remind me of an old British bike I had, years ago, when its chain needed adjustment. The change slots in ok, but with quite a “bang“, and a jolt. There’s no clutch drag. The change is not noticeably more noisy when the engine is hot or when cold.

Any idea whether this is The sign of a problem? I guess more experienced users will tell me “they all do that, sir”, but I thought that BMW were supposed to have significantly improved the gearbox on the liquid cooled models?

All comments gratefully received.

Tom

Normal, sounds like the chain is hanging off it, if it had one.

Bet it snicks in lovely when started first thing.
Bmw gearboxes are like something out of a 1953 massey ferguson

 

[malcopopolo]

Plus 1 , the gearboxes i believe got better 2016 and onwards but only slightly.

 

[autogs]

Yep my 68 plate will clunk in to first when hot, embarrassing at times but overall its much better esp quickshifter from 2and gear on with throttle wide open

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[Neil W]

My 2015 model gsa had an utterly sh*te gearbox, (much worse than my previous 2011 GSA), its replacement a 2018 model gsa has an absolutely sublime gearchange .

Sorry but it is a case of having to live with it , mind you my 2105 models gearchange was actually slightly less bad (not better) before the GSAP was fitted

 

[Rockred]

My 2015 GS is no better than my 2012 GS, but I believe every year model improved on the previous year ones on the wet heads.

 

[the woodster]

The gearboxes have improved, particularly from 2017 onwards, but they are never going to be the same as a Japanese bike.

 

[kwallace21]

Gearbox

My 2018 1200 makes a big clunk and lurches when popped into first. Doesn't creep but its a bit shit.

 

[MartinK]

My 2018 1200 makes a big clunk and lurches when popped into first. Doesn't creep but its a bit shit.

Same here, not that smooth into 1st, but after that all great. Mines one of the very last 1200's (the 1250 was in the shops when I bought mine).
Almost never use the quickshifter. I have 4 bikes right now, and the GS is the only one with the shifter so I use the clutch 95% of the time just based on muscle memory

 

[Victor c]

My 2018 1200 makes a big clunk and lurches when popped into first. Doesn't creep but its a bit shit.

Interestingly, when I have the hill assist brake applied on mine, It snicks into 1st gear really smoothly.

 

[TomP]

Thank you

Many thanks to all of you who took the time to respond to my question about my GSA’s noisy gearchange, particularly into 1st when stationary. It seems, as I thought might be the case, that indeed “they all do that, sir”. I am suitably relieved.

Tom

 

[emasen]

Followed this post tread with interest as my 2013 LC is getting progressively worse going into first gear recently....this on top of a vanishing bite point on the clutch from cold to hot... and that after a recent main dealer service (not that they were much help).
Its reassuring to hear I am not alone in being nervous about the gearbox.
Thanks all!