Clacks , Crunches, or cant get Neutral

needlongerlegs

needlongerlegs

Registered user
Joined
Apr 25, 2002
Messages
927
Reaction score
8
Location
Felixstowe, Suffolk, UK
OK since my first service I've found it hard if not impossible to get neutral or make a sweet gear changes when the bikes hot.

Bike has been back to Cannons of Essex twice and going back again tomorrow this time to strip the clutch to see what's going on!

So being horrified at the thought of someone pulling my brand new bike apart, I was on a mission and I (after a struggle) got to speak to someone @ BMW I posed the question of the wrong oil.....The BM guy thought that putting 10:50 oil as the older GS's uses, in to a LC could cause these issues.

Just told Cannons of my Conversation with BM's hummm

The Bike has all the symptoms of a dragging clutch, Cannons have just said the same for second time.

To spell it out - It’s hard to change gear between second and first gears, and practically impossible to select neutral from first or second gear when stationary with engine running, It just clonks down in to gear missing out neutral (this could be dangerous).

I’m not a Motorcycle novice I do know what I’m talking about, having owned over 60 yes Sixty Bikes, 9 of which were recent at the time or new BMW’s.

Having ridden motorcycles for over forty years, a member of the IAM and having built and raced motorcycles for more years than I care to remember I do know a little about bike engines.

So please no twaty posts, I'm desperate to get this sorted going to Spain in as tour leader Two Weeks.

Watch this space.
 
OK ! Longlegs, you hit the nail on the head with your first sentence,

Quote! since my first service, Soooo was it ok before this service, If it was, it has to be a cock up at the first service, IMHO.

It sure looks like someone put the wrong oil in :blast

They aren't going to admit it, are they? Perhaps they'll just take the front cover off , put it back on,fill with the correct oil, and tell you they've fixed it, :blast

Sorry i'm not much help, hope its sorted soon
 
Elvisto said:
OK ! Longlegs, you hit the nail on the head with your first sentence,

Quote! since my first service, Soooo was it ok before this service, If it was, it has to be a cock up at the first service, IMHO.

It sure looks like someone put the wrong oil in :blast

They aren't going to admit it, are they? Perhaps they'll just take the front cover off , put it back on,fill with the correct oil, and tell you they've fixed it, :blast

Sorry i'm not much help, hope its sorted soon
Click to expand...

It does sound like that's the case:thumb OP, let us know the outcome.
 
At the first service what oil did they put into the bike?
If they used the recommended oil then the problem is elsewhere, if they didn't then they should investigate, fix it and then use the correct oil.

Regardless of what some of the old farts on here say BMW state in the manual SAE 5W40, API SL /JASO MA2, Castrol Power 1 Racing meets this spec and this is the recommended oil.

If the oil didn't meet this spec then the dealer was in error - simples.
 
My bike will not find neutral from Ist and takes some persuading from second but is yet to have the first service.

So please reveal what the cause and solution is when known.

On my last GS I put the correct grade of oil in but it used it very fast. Then the dealer said I must use a particular Brand........bull I thought.......but was wrong as it stopped oil consumption with the recommended oil.........so there can be an issue with oil.
 
Engineer said:
If they used the recommended oil then the problem is elsewhere, if they didn't then they should investigate, fix it and then use the correct oil.

If the oil didn't meet this spec then the dealer was in error - simples.
Click to expand...
It does seem odd that all was fine until the first service.

I believe I am right in thinking the new LC should be running on fully synthetic? Mixing mineral and synthetic oils was always a big nono in the past, not sure if this is still the case.

If the above is correct and it turns out Cannons have put mineral oil in, then if I was Graham I would be seriously considering rejecting the bike as there is no way of knowing what long term effect this could have had on the motors future longevity.
 
Am I missing something? Has the new bike got a wet clutch? Why are we talking about engine oil? Are we talking about gearbox oil? ...confused...
 
Paul G (BHT) said:
It does seem odd that all was fine until the first service.

I believe I am right in thinking the new LC should be running on fully synthetic? Mixing mineral and synthetic oils was always a big nono in the past, not sure if this is still the case.

If the above is correct and it turns out Cannons have put mineral oil in, then if I was Graham I would be seriously considering rejecting the bike as there is no way of knowing what long term effect this could have had on the motors future longevity.
Click to expand...

As long as it meets the spec that is quoted in the handbook then it can be made out off any old stuff. The BMW recommended oil of the moment just happens to be fully synthetic.
 
I seem to remember that the car type oil used in the oilheads is not suitable for bikes with clutch/gearbox sharing the engine oil and will cause clutch problems although I heard it was supposed to cause slipping not failure to disengage.
 
needlongerlegs said:
OK since my first service I've found it hard if not impossible to get neutral or make a sweet gear changes when the bikes hot.
Click to expand...

How easy is it to change gear WITHOUT using the clutch??

needlongerlegs said:
To spell it out - It’s hard to change gear between second and first gears, and practically impossible to select neutral from first or second gear when stationary with engine running, It just clonks down in to gear missing out neutral (this could be dangerous).
Click to expand...

How about selecting neutral before you stop?

needlongerlegs said:
I’m not a Motorcycle novice I do know what I’m talking about, having owned over 60 yes Sixty Bikes, 9 of which were recent at the time or new BMW’s.

Having ridden motorcycles for over forty years, a member of the IAM and having built and raced motorcycles for more years than I care to remember I do know a little about bike engines.

So please no twaty posts, I'm desperate to get this sorted going to Spain in as tour leader Two Weeks.

Watch this space.
Click to expand...

Obviously you'll have thought of and tried these different techniques then??
 
Miff said:
How easy is it to change gear WITHOUT using the clutch??



How about selecting neutral before you stop?



Obviously you'll have thought of and tried these different techniques then??
Click to expand...

Yup,

Changes gear fine clutch or no clutch.

Select neutral fine while rolling to a holt.

Stationary clutch in its a bugger,

Stationary engine off its fine.

Grumpy I am, missing my bike I am.

Cannons have lent me a brand new R1200RT a fine bike with a clutch that words :-)
 
I mostly roll to a stop in neutral. If I'm selecting neutral from stationary, I (almost out of habit) give the revs a little blip as I do it ...
 
Probably no help but I have exactly the same issues you describe. I have reported it to the dealer who confirms the oil is the correct grade and has filed a 'technical report' with BMW. For what it's worth the dealer said that there had been several with the same reported symptoms, it's not normal and some are worse than others but a majority don't suffer the problem. I am interested to know the outcome for you though.
 
Neutral was a bit of a fiddle to find from 1st when I first got the bike - it's not a problem at all now I have got used to it, goes from 1st or 2nd to neutral with little bother.

I still hate the 'clack' going into 1st from neutral though - very occasionally it goes in totally silently but 95% of the time I get the 'clack', I just wish that there was a guaranteed silent technique because the 'orrible' noise offends my mechanical sympathy.
 
needlongerlegs said:
Yup,

Changes gear fine clutch or no clutch.

Select neutral fine while rolling to a holt.

Stationary clutch in its a bugger,

Stationary engine off its fine.

Grumpy I am, missing my bike I am.

Cannons have lent me a brand new R1200RT a fine bike with a clutch that words :-)
Click to expand...

Whenever I've had problems like you describe, it was due to warped clutch plates. I suppose they were causing clutch drag.
 
Canons strike again :blast

if they have used the wrong oil its a fair bet the clutch plates will have to be replaced as they will be contaminated.
 
Nippy Normans supply Touratech, Wunderlich, Desert Fox and many other makes of accessories.
You must log in or register to reply here.


Back
Top Bottom