Clacks , Crunches, or cant get Neutral

[Wrinkly]

Since my first service at 597mls I've had a trip to France and the total mileage now stands at 2200.

All was fine until after the first service.
Going down into first gear there is a distinctive "clunk" which having owned a lot of boxer twins I can accept.
However,going from 1st to 2nd at anything above 2500rpm is quite frankly bloody awful and 2nd to 3rd not a lot better 3rd through to 6th and all down changes are lovely.

Booked in for the dealer to have a look at on 7th July during which time they will test ride the bike change the oil and report their finding to BWM,which would suggest to me they are very aware.

When I say 1st to 2nd is bloody awful I mean it's something I could not live with,and cringe each time I have to do it.

I do hope they get it sorted because overall it's a fabulous bike,but it makes riding in heavy traffic distinctly unpleasant.

Steve

 

[paul08]

Well, I was unimpressed from new with the quality of the gear change, both the clunk going from neutral into first and the clunk/crunch from 1st to 2nd. However, now that I have some miles under the belt on the bike, i must say that it has improved tremendously.

Yes, it still clonks going into 1st, but the other changes are now usually smooth. I choose those words advisedly though, as I have concluded that the gearbox does not like to be rushed! If I take my time/use some finesse, then the changes are great. But if i am a bit aggressive/quick with my size 12 boot, then it still does crunch.

 

[krytengs]

Because I am waiting to get my first service done, I am unable to ride mine at the moment so cant recheck this. However, after reading this thread, I have been thinking about it and I know that mine has trouble getting into Neutral at stand still.

Slowing down to stop I drop into 1st and then as I stop snick up into Neutral...but...it goes into 2nd. Now I am stopped and have to snick it back down into Neutral. This seems to happen every time I try to get into Neutral in this way when the bike is hot.
I don't remember if this happens when the bike is cold, so I will need to check whether this is happens from cold too, when I take the bike in for its service next week.

*** UPDATE ***

After the 1st service, the gear changes are much improved. It still clonks going into 1st, but I'm not too concerned about that.
Going from 1 -> N is now 90% OK. I think the other 10% is down to lazy changes and not being precise in my gear changes. I am going to keep on eye on it, but I think the 1st service sorted it out.

 

[Wyreflyer]

Guinea Pig

Wyreflyer. The smart ar...ses on here continually tell themselves their judgement is spot on and the rest don't understand. So it takes all types to ride tractors!

Anyway I'm with you on the box. BMW will ignore it until a fault develops then they will take action. I had 10,000 miles of crap gear changes on a K1600 before they changed the box after changing the selector mechanism.

If it is not right you simply have to keep knocking at the dealers door and a ride on their demo bike gives a perspective.

My Wasserboxer drags it's gears going up the box when blatting it but if the leaver is pre-loaded it is OKish. Is the acceptable? For some tractor riders it's OK as they are 'expert' riders for others it is a distraction they do not care for.

Post the outcome.

I was still not happy after new clutch fitted, so I'm to be a Guinea Pig next week. BMW have sent over 2 redesigned "Pushrods" one is going into a bike down south and the other into mine next Thursday. All new production bikes now have this fitted and hopefully it will cure my clutch problem. Meant to get more oil into the clutch??? I don't care about the technical side of it, I'm just glad that a problem has at least been acknowledged and a solution put forward.

 

[roundincircles]

I was still not happy after new clutch fitted, so I'm to be a Guinea Pig next week. BMW have sent over 2 redesigned "Pushrods" one is going into a bike down south and the other into mine next Thursday. All new production bikes now have this fitted and hopefully it will cure my clutch problem. Meant to get more oil into the clutch??? I don't care about the technical side of it, I'm just glad that a problem has at least been acknowledged and a solution put forward.

That's interesting and potentially good news. Keep us posted.

I have just returned from a 2000 mile plus trip and the box drags gears badly when at high revs but is getting smooth on clutchless changes. Also it drags at low revs between 1st and 2nd.

 

[shortywilliam]

I was still not happy after new clutch fitted, so I'm to be a Guinea Pig next week. BMW have sent over 2 redesigned "Pushrods" one is going into a bike down south and the other into mine next Thursday. All new production bikes now have this fitted and hopefully it will cure my clutch problem. Meant to get more oil into the clutch??? I don't care about the technical side of it, I'm just glad that a problem has at least been acknowledged and a solution put forward.

Can you tell us which dealer as I am sure BMW will say that it is just an internet rumour.
My bike was supposed to have the clutch changed yesterday but when I arrived at the dealers I was told that the parts had not arrived so its still a long way from being acceptable.

On a better note I took out a grandtourismo multistrada yesterday and its a very good bike and the gearbox just works, more power, better brakes, better handling, more balanced in traffic(chain drive)a full choice of tyres not just next's of anakys only down side was a slightly choppy ride but I did not know how to reduce the damping from the factory setting in touring mode.
It remains to be seen if I have made the right choice with this GS

 

[alp]

I was still not happy after new clutch fitted, so I'm to be a Guinea Pig next week. BMW have sent over 2 redesigned "Pushrods" one is going into a bike down south and the other into mine next Thursday. All new production bikes now have this fitted and hopefully it will cure my clutch problem. Meant to get more oil into the clutch??? I don't care about the technical side of it, I'm just glad that a problem has at least been acknowledged and a solution put forward.

So, my dealer was correct, they are working on the problem. Halleluya!
BUT, how come all new production bikes now have this fitted but we haven't had a recall to update our 'old' bikes? Maybe it's a step in the right direction but not the complete answer?

 

[Nutty]

So, my dealer was correct, they are working on the problem. Halleluya!
BUT, how come all new production bikes now have this fitted but we haven't had a recall to update our 'old' bikes? Maybe it's a step in the right direction but not the complete answer?

BMW will notify owners if a recall is issued.

 

[Giles]

I picked up my bike middle of June and the gearbox is absolutely fine. I'm guessing any modifications to the clutch / oil supply have been done ..

 

[Jazbee]

I picked up my bike middle of June and the gearbox is absolutely fine. I'm guessing any modifications to the clutch / oil supply have been done ..

Excellent, I pick up mine in around 2 weeks

 

[GC6269]

Picked mine up early June and the gearbox feels fine. Plus I'm more observant of its performance since reading these threads!

So I guess all good there!

What has suprised me however is the level of what I believe is transmission vibration that comes through the seat. It seems to happen on the overrun at around 3.5-5k.

I'm wondering if anyone has the same experience as it's due for it's 1st service on Tuesday and would like to know if it's a 'feature' of the bike or something a bit more sinister.

I should point out that this is the first shaft drive bike I've owned.

 

[Bionicmunky]

I've been getting similar issues going up the box clattering & crunching into 2nd & 3rd which seems to getting worse - slight smell of clutch burn on Tuesday night too :-(

I'm also getting bounce back into neutral going into second occasionally. But the clattering grind happens rather a lot and is rather embarrassing on my daily commute into the smoke.

Clutchless into third is fine.

I have 20 years on mostly Jap bikes and ride about 12k-14k miles a year so I don't think it's user error.

I've contacted Bahnstormer Maidenhead who haven't come across this issue yet but are happy to investigate and open up comm's with BMW after I explained this appears to be a known issue.

Will keep this thread updated.

JT

 

[roundincircles]

Picked mine up early June and the gearbox feels fine. Plus I'm more observant of its performance since reading these threads!

So I guess all good there!

What has suprised me however is the level of what I believe is transmission vibration that comes through the seat. It seems to happen on the overrun at around 3.5-5k.

I'm wondering if anyone has the same experience as it's due for it's 1st service on Tuesday and would like to know if it's a 'feature' of the bike or something a bit more sinister.

I should point out that this is the first shaft drive bike I've owned.

My bike gets vibration on the overrun but assumed it was caused by the valve train. I NOW IGNORE IT AS i am institutionalised to it.

The reason I assume it is the valve train is because a BMW subcontract engine designer mentioned that higher frequency vibration had been tracked down to the valve train and was notoriously difficult to eliminate........but who knows?

There is a great video on youtube of the S10000000000RR engine at 15000 rpm or so. Amazing to see, noise, speed of motion.....wonder how the punishment can be managed but it is!

 

[Engineer]

Picked mine up early June and the gearbox feels fine. Plus I'm more observant of its performance since reading these threads!

So I guess all good there!

What has suprised me however is the level of what I believe is transmission vibration that comes through the seat. It seems to happen on the overrun at around 3.5-5k.

I'm wondering if anyone has the same experience as it's due for it's 1st service on Tuesday and would like to know if it's a 'feature' of the bike or something a bit more sinister.

I should point out that this is the first shaft drive bike I've owned.

Never noticed any transmission vibration through the seat on my LC or my previous 1200s.

 

[Wyreflyer]

Can you tell us which dealer as I am sure BMW will say that it is just an internet rumour.

Southport

 

[jonnyp]

I picked up my bike middle of June and the gearbox is absolutely fine. I'm guessing any modifications to the clutch / oil supply have been done ..

Got mine on the 2nd of March and I have no problems with clutch or gearbox......

Now clutching a piece of Norwegian spruce!!

 

[shortywilliam]

Southport

Thanks
good info

 

[Wrinkly]

Had mine back to the dealer today due to poor 1-2.... 2-3 gear change.

Service manager said mine was the only one they'd had back with this problem.
Technician said it wasn't the worst one he'd come across.

Anyhow the service manager advised me that they had spoken to BMW technical support who are aware of this problem and currently working on a fix.
A report will be sent to BMW regarding my bike and I will be contacted when a fix is sorted.

Steve

 

[Wrinkly]

I was still not happy after new clutch fitted, so I'm to be a Guinea Pig next week. BMW have sent over 2 redesigned "Pushrods" one is going into a bike down south and the other into mine next Thursday. All new production bikes now have this fitted and hopefully it will cure my clutch problem. Meant to get more oil into the clutch??? I don't care about the technical side of it, I'm just glad that a problem has at least been acknowledged and a solution put forward.

Lets hope this is the fix I've been told they're working on.

Fantastic bike spoiled by the erratic quality of the gear change.

Steve

 

[SMB]

Mine is the other bike down south. The bike will have the new push rod fitted this Thursday. I was told that they had success in Germany with the new push rod. Well we will see.
SMB