Gear change problems when warm

[hl1]

Hello All!

My 2004 R1200GS is having trouble changing gear sometimes when warm - and is worsening now that the weather is warmer!

Sometimes I pull in the clutch lever, try to change up or down and the gear lever feels a little slack and I get no gear change. It's a pretty horrible experience as you all know.

Sometimes a repeated attempt will work, sometimes changing in the other direction, then back again. Either way it is horrible.

Any ideas?

 

[Deleted account 190920001]

Air in the clutch line? Heat would make that worse. There was a recall on the later bikes to reroute the line to stop this happening.

 

[Deleted account 190920001]

Does it up shift OK without using the clutch or is that duff as well?

 

[hl1]

I didn't think it was the clutch as the drive is disengaged when I pull the lever.
Not sure about clutchless up shifts - they do work, but I don't do that very often so I can't say if they work reliably.

Thanks for the responses.

 

[Deleted account 190920001]

If the clutch is OK other than bad news I would look at the linkage. Waggle it while checking for play on the joints..

 

[autogs]

check the gear lever shaft where is passes through the frame,it can get partially seized

 

[hl1]

I'll check that out.
The problems usually occur in gears 2-4, feeling as if some part of the mechanism hasn't sprung back fully after the last shift.

 

[Bendy toy]

The shift shaft is stainless running in plastic bushes pressed into the frame. Its easy to take apart and clean. If required, new bushes are cheap from BMW.

Check the clutch slave cylinder is not leaking at the banjo. Mine was losing fluid and pulling in air. I ended up with Dowty washers on the banjo bolt to get it sorted.

 

[Mad_Accountant]

Shouldn't this be in the LC section

 

[Bendy toy]

Who is Elsie anyway?

 

[Bem]

Have you considered the benefits of an oil change - an opportunity to see for yourself any unusual parts as the oil comes out.
I regular changed mine every 5k and it worked wonders.
HTH
Brian

 

[hl1]

I'll try a gearbox oil change, although that was done at my last service (by my dealer). I'll let you know if it makes a difference.
This problem has led me to consider changing my bike - testing out a new tiger 800 xr later...feeling disloyal to my old gs.

 

[Bendy toy]

If the gear lever is sticking an oil change will do all of nothing.
It's an easy job to make sure the gear lever is not binding.
The same type of problem afflicts many bikes with remote gear shift.
Checking the clutch actuation is easy enough. It might benefit from oil change.
All this costs a lot less than buying another bike which will have its own set of glitches.

 

[hl1]

Gear lever isn't sticking - there's no resistance, no clunk. If this doesn't help I guess its a full gearbox strip down and overhaul.

 

[Bendy toy]

Gear lever isn't sticking - there's no resistance, no clunk. If this doesn't help I guess its a full gearbox strip down and overhaul.

So that's No1 sorted. No2, bleed the clutch and then its a gearbox job. Does it rattle in neutral but go quiet with clutch lever pulled in?

Talk to Mikeyboy of this parish.

 

[snaponphil]

Gear lever isn't sticking - there's no resistance, no clunk. If this doesn't help I guess its a full gearbox strip down and overhaul.

As others have suggested, same problem as my 1 year old GSA had last year, shaft sticking, thoroughly clean & lubricate it, problem solved till it started sticking again, a regular maintenance item that I would have sworn wasn't the shaft or linkage..
Good luck..

 

[DrFarkoff]

Undo the link and see if the lever falls freely under its own weight

If it doesn;t move REALLY freely then that is your problem!

We've all been around these bikes a long time

and a Lot of us know what the issues are

We have no idea of your mechanical competency?

So If you are a numpty you may have just wiggled the lever and said that's okay

Its a know fact that if they do not click back down they don;t shift right

Also Its not brake and clutch fluid in the clutch system !!!!

Its a Mineral oil and the colour is relevent to which bike and certain years

Also teh ABS IF you have it is not flushed the normal way!

 

[autogs]

blimey you cant help some people can you?,as above have you actually done the very simple linkage check?.

 

[hl1]

My competency is about numpty level. The problem was terrible today - couldn't shift down when I needed to. I'm biting the bullet and getting it checked out by the dealership next week. It's going to hurt the wallet for sure. Thank you all for your advice.

On another note, I test rode the new Triumph Tiger 800XRX today. It was ok, but the biggest smile came when I got back on my GS - until the gear change fail recurred at least.
The only thing it beat the GS on was filtering through traffic.

 

[Bendy toy]

When it's all 100%, the gears slot in MUCH easier if you let the revs blip on downshift.
You may already use the technique but anyway -
Deliberately pull the clutch a fraction before shutting throttle causing revs to blip Immediately knock the gear down.
Slow downshifts or not shifting while revs are up will crash & bang and do no good at all.
A good rider (not me) can downshift all the way to 2nd (but not 1st) without the clutch.