Gearbox problems

[Mouse]

As much as I laud BMW for making a more user friendly gearbox on the 12 I still think that it's a long way from a good Japanese gearbox.

Remembering that the thing has no primary reduction makes it slightly harder to design a good box I suspect.

I think you're wrong there, information I have seen specifies a primary ratio of 1.823:1.

FWIW, I find the gearbox in the 1200 to be at least as good as that in my Fazer 600, in fact better at slow speeds. I have known better gearboxes on Jap bikes (the Kwak GPz500 springs to mind, that's got a silky smooth box, oo er) but I have also known far worse.

No real complaints about the GS's box from me.

 

[Wraithwrider]

Mouse

It's the nature of the beast that the engine feeds directly into the gearbox via the clutch.

i.e. no primary gears or chains before the box.

 

[GSmonkey]

My only true gripe with the box is getting it into first from neutral. 20% of the time it won't go in and I have to release the clutch slightly when pressing down. On previous jap bikes this was probably .05%

On the move, there is no problem, clutchless shifts after second all the way.

 

[Wraithwrider]

Mouse

If I has a japanese bike with a gearbox that shifted like my 12 then I'd reckon it was crap.

I've ridden a lot of older BMs and the 12 has IMO come a long way from that box which shall we say needed a definate knack!

 

[GSmonkey]

I used to have a fazer600 and agree with mouse, its on par with the 12. It was a shite box for a jap bike....not as good as the Suzuki I had before.

 

[Paul Wakefield]

20% of the time it won't go in

Interesting. I used to have that on my 1150 but almost never on the 1200 (just very occasionally on the first start of the day which rolling the bike forward an inch or so solves).

Paul

 

[chippelmike]

Gearbox

I had the box changed on mine last month , the reason was it was VERY noisey in neutral stopping when clutch pulled in! The new box is much better, no noise (yet) and much smoother changes, 5700 mls,
Fingers crossed. Mike.

 

[minkyhead]

took it out again today and made sure i gave it a good old shove with the left boot ..it stayed in forth ..maby it just takes a bit of working when new ..thanks for the help fingers crossed
must say i was worried berfore if id made the right choice ..but it is so much better than the 1150..
i think ime going to love it ..as lomg as it stays in gear

 

[skywalker]

I hope the dealer has got his diagnosis right for the gearboxs he's already changed or its going to be rather an expensive guess when they land back at the dealership and his bank account is redebited.
As a rule most boxes get better the more miles are put on them. Pedal height is also critical due to the design of the many styles of riding boots available.I would suggest that if the problem lies with upshifting rather than downshifting then i would lower the pedal to get a longer throw action for the next gear.

 

[Rich]

I had a jump out of 6th back to 5th (of 5th to 4th, cant remember when accelaerating fairly hard (given Im running in). I find finding neutral much easier than my SV which ahd days when i coudlnt find it at all.
But I did notice, could be coincidence, that despite putting the bike in neutral it found its way into fisrt on trying to start. Did this about three times. I have to start on a steep incline. May never happen again or could be adjustment needed. Unsure.

 

[Jockser]

GS Monkey - having the same problem with my new 12GS (only 500km) but happens more frequently.

I'd say 80 - 90% of the time I have problems engaging first after starting the bike - esp. when cold.

However it also happens (maybe 20 % ) when stopped at lights.

Also sometimes have problem finding neutral after stopping.

Hopefully just needs adjustment (as previously mentioned ) when I go for my first service next Monday.

Thats my only quibble with the bike - otherwise I'm absaf***inglootely DELIGHTED with it.

 

[Wraithwrider]

Jockser

If it won't go into first you can try two things:

1. Release clutch lever and immediately pull it in again and give it a go straightaway.

2. Put gentle pressure on the gear lever and carefully feed out the cluch lever until it goes into gear.

All that is happening is that your gearbox has stopped in a position of complete misalignment. Spinning it will help here.

 

[Jockser]

Wraith - thanks for that.

Releasing the clutch sometimes works but not always.

Will try option 2 later and see how that works.

Dunno why it's 'misaligned' so often though - anything I can/should do to minimise this ?

 

[GSmonkey]

I took not of the number of times it happened today on the way to work. 30miles through london, with god knows how many traffic lights, etc. to stop at. It happened twice. I think I may have overstated with the 20%. There again, I was giving it a deliberabe "stamp" to engage first.

It was a couple of degrees hotter in taaaarn as well, so maybe that has something to do with it??

I'd say overall its an AVERAGE gearbox.