GEARBOX/CLUTCH PROBLEMS ON 2014 MODELS

[Taoedd]

Did the improvement came after releasing clutch fluid ??? Or after releasing brake fluid ??
My LC gear changes went worse after first service ( new brake fluid). Waiting for your answer , thanks Taoedd.

 

[DING-DONG]

Did the improvement came after releasing clutch fluid ??? Or after releasing brake fluid ??
My LC gear changes went worse after first service ( new brake fluid). Waiting for your answer , thanks Taoedd.

My replacement bike is so far a good'un but i noted finding N a little hard and the biting point on the lever was variable, so thought I'd check the clutch res and that's when I found it overfilled, obviously curiosity made me check the front brake res because as per my old bike the back pads were fooked at 2k, aren't the front brakes partial linked with the rear brake on this model ! if so to much fluid in the res will make the pads bind, and it was overfilled so maybe why i noted a lot of brake dust on my rear wheel ! On the brake res there's a round glass window, on level ground you should be able to see an air bubble in the top part of the glass.

So yesterday 320 mile round trip to Aberystwyth and finding N and the clutch lever were perfect not once did i have any issues, the box felt smoother but that could be down to the fact I'm putting some miles on it now.

 

[Paul G (BHT)]

....old den sir, please no more food from your thoughts....

You don't know Den or his background do you.... if you did you'd realise you have just made yourself look a right prat

 

[david a hall]

Hi Paul,
I think this is just the variation in the `running in` oil which is probably a thinner viscosity that the oil put in at first service. Obviously the original `factory oil being thinner does not need as much travel with the lever to break the ` stiction` on the plates. With the heavier 40 weight oil it`s probably stickier and needs greater travel with the lever to separate the plates. Personally if I was re-engineering the problem I`d look at the ratio between master cylinder travel and slave cylinder travel . Certainly with mine there was a noticed difference following the oil change and I addressed it by giving it plenty of clutch slipping in 4th to take the newness off the surface of the plates. I think it would be a good idea to try one of the later 30 weight oils or a different oil manufacturers 40. It would also be a guess that this problem was not mentioned in the early press reports as perhaps all the low mileage press fleet were on running in oil ?
food for thought......Den

I'm convinced this is correct.

 

[biggeorge]

GEAR CHANGE PROBLEMS STILL 2014 MODEL

HI just to update ,bike done 1600 miles now and gear change no better still 1 to 2, 2to 3 worst others no problem, tried every way of changing these gears and only goes in easily when changing into 3rd before you hit 30/35 mph, use the engine revs and always grinds , really dissapointed but don't know were to go with it , tried the triumph explorer xc last week but not a patch on the BM (but a sweet gearbox)

 

[Deleted account 251212001]

Have you tried any other 2014 bikes at the dealers? Mines a 2014 , gearbox seems to be improving with the miles and getting slicker (just hit 1000 miles) ,odd graunch into second though when giving it the beans but seems to be getting less. Id describe it as similar to if youve ever missed first to second gear so are in neutral and rolling, but decide to hook it into second anyway.

I wish they would get the the bottom of this issue , something is foobarred on some bikes, its not the riders, the 62 plate demo i tried with 8k miles was crunching really bad through all the gears, ive tried 3 other wcs since including my own and they have been pretty much ok , though i still have a slight nagging doubt on second gear, but does seem to be happening less.

Youre right about the explorer, the previous gs was also a much better bike than the triumph.

 

[rudiemoto]

You don't know Den or his background do you.
do u know who i am ...................i didnt see his name in mcn, bikeshop god of the month for best service ever......it cost me 3grand for that ad.

 

[Appman]

Originally Posted by pistole
make a video , show us

Why?

People will only criticise the poor guy and how better they ride, than him

I'm sure he knows how to ride a bike perfectly well

Well said Johny, from prior posts it's obviously Pistole's Modus Operandi!

 

[RedRick Esq.]

As I said in my thread I've ridden the normal LC and the Adventure back to back today and the gearbox on the adventure was markedly better although the standard one wasn't too bad but not what I would call lovely and smooth

 

[Cardinal]

I'm new to this so no shouting: I bought a late 13 bike in March of this year with 500 miles on it and was having similar problems. I had the gear lever adjusted 5 degrees upward to allow more room for my clodhopping boot after an upshift and problem solved - 3000 miles later and some track days and all is well (although that's compared to a 1996 Ducati)

 

[pistole]

Part No. 3 is the turnbuckle.

the turnbuckle's lock nut on top is normal thread. The bottom lock nut is reverse thread.

you'll need to hold the turnbuckle's center with an 8 mm open spanner.

the two lock nuts are 10mm

turn the turnbuckle until it can't go anymore and thats the max height for the shift lever (without needing to adjust Part No. 1 to go to the next spline)

try it out, you'll smile for sure. Neutral and shifts are great now

.

 

[andylel]

Part No. 3 is the turnbuckle.

the turnbuckle's lock nut on top is normal thread. The bottom lock nut is reverse thread.

you'll need to hold the turnbuckle's center with an 8 mm open spanner.

the two lock nuts are 10mm

turn the turnbuckle until it can't go anymore and thats the max height for the shift lever (without needing to adjust Part No. 1 to go to the next spline)

try it out, you'll smile for sure. Neutral and shifts are great now

.

I suspect this has exactly the same effect as preloading the lever which has been talked about many times on the forum.

 

[Nutty]

Here's an idea. As there's so many different settings for the gear lever, and some people claim to have the best gear changes after adjusting the lever, why don't people measure the distance from the floor to the centre of the gear lever pad (where your foot makes contact with the lever), state if they have good or bad changes, and we can see if there's anything that stands out.

 

[suzuki01]

Hi Cardinal

Many thanks. I am am lucky and have been riding and testing out your gear lever idea ( temp 27 degs. ) and it has worked for my bike. I have tried different distances from the the floor to the gear lever as Nutty has suggested. It only takes a few seconds to change the setting.
We don't have the ability to record on T.V. and I want to watch the world supper bikes. So if any-one is interested in my results I will gladly do a full write up to-morrow, just shout up and let me know.

Cardinal, if ever you come down to the Costa Blanca, let me know and we will buy you a good drink Many thanks.

Greg

 

[Engineer]

Here's an idea. As there's so many different settings for the gear lever, and some people claim to have the best gear changes after adjusting the lever, why don't people measure the distance from the floor to the centre of the gear lever pad (where your foot makes contact with the lever), state if they have good or bad changes, and we can see if there's anything that stands out.

Because the distance will depend upon suspension settings (pre-load)

 

[pistole]

guys , moving the shift lever up is a 10 minutes job with a pair of 10 and 8 mm open spanners. Please have a go and do report back.

 

[karlp]

Here's an idea. As there's so many different settings for the gear lever, and some people claim to have the best gear changes after adjusting the lever, why don't people measure the distance from the floor to the centre of the gear lever pad (where your foot makes contact with the lever), state if they have good or bad changes, and we can see if there's anything that stands out.

I cannot believe I am reading all this crap on this thread.

It is adjustable so why do people think it has this facility - TO MAKE IT SUIT EACH INDIVIDUAL RIDER.

On launch day back in 2013 I put adjustable foot rests on my bike to suit ME.

Consequently the gear lever was in the wrong position for ME to make flawless gear changes.

So guess what I ADJUSTED the gear lever to Suit ME.

and Hay HO I got smooth gear changes and neutral without any issues.


I had a chat with a copper and he told me the gear change was either smooth on one day or crap on the next and this was dependent upon which boots he was wearing at the time.

 

[pistole]

some on the ADV forum have actually trimmed the ends (5 mm from both ends) of that turnbuckle so that they can raise the shift lever even more.

and yes, there is a turnbuckle there so that you can adjust it to suit you.

carry on.

.

 

[theEnglishman]

I swear these threads come up with every version. I remember back in 2007 when I bought my GS people didn't like the 'agriculturalness' of the gearbox. And mine clunked into first and second until I'd gone through 20 odd thousand miles. By 50 thousand it was smooth as silk.

I remember riding an R65 at the Hog Roast which had gone around the clock a few times. I couldn't believe how smooth that gearbox was.

 

[suzuki01]

On my bike, it's a 2014 GS LC. It is not so much the gearbox ( it's just about the same as all the BM's I've owned since 1979 ) The problem with my bike, is the clutch does not disengage fully. Very simple check ( but do take care ) put your bike on the centre stand, pull the clutch in and put it into 1st, the wheel just goes round as if the clutch isn't working, then shift into 2nd as you would normally and you will find it is the same, clutch not working correctly.
If this happens to your bike take it to your dealer. The more of us with the problem that do this, hopefully the sooner BMW come up with a fix.

Greg