Gearbox.................................

[52blackshadow]

I got my bike back from an independant BMW specialist in Northampton last Friday, after paying £ 1000 for him to fit oil seals and a clutch. 100 miles later the clutch had been slipping a bit, then gearchanges got noisy and finally the box stuck in top gear and won't change down.

Does anyone out there know the 1200GS gearbox well enough to suggest what the problem could be?

I guess my only option really is to strip the box out and see what is inside. I don't think I'll be rushing to buy another BMW after this (have run BMWs for over 20 years, I believe the 8 valve twins are the worst, most unreliable bikes I've ever come across!).

Any help or advice will be appreciated - really tempted to just open the fuel cap and throw a match in!

At least my KTM is staying reasonably reliable for the moment!

Cheers,
Keith.

 

[RickG]

The 1200 gearbox seems generally very unproblematic - other than oil seals on some bikes. Given it's gone wrong shortly after the bike has been in for work I start looking for clues there.

If the clutch is now slipping again it's probably oil contamination in which case they've messed up changing the seals.

Is it still stuck in top even if you bung it on the center stand (engine not running!) and try changing gear by hand while rotating the back wheel?

If it's still stuck, check the linkages are free to move. If they are moving OK, check they remembered to put oil back in the box...

If it's changing gear OK on the stand but not on the move it points to it being a clutch related problem and it's not disengaging properly, though it still ought to shift, albeit noisily.

However, why do you think your only option is to fix it yourself? I'd suggest problem is firmly related to whatever the dealer did (or failed to do) and you should get back to them to sort it

 

[st247]

As above - Straight back to the independant.

BTW that sounds expensive.

 

[patzx12]

I blew up a gearbox, on the red line in 5th about 200kph.
The layshaft came out of the casing but the gearbox innards look ok.
I will be keeping the box as spares but i can send you a bunch of close up pictures of the inside of the box if it is any help.
£1000 for pulling out a gearbox is good money. I have taken a gearbox out on 2 occasions the last time it took me less than an hour to have the gearbox out.

 

[cherokee]

Jeez man get on the phone tell the spannerman your bikes bolloxed and its coming back to him so he can put it right................

 

[(RIP) Bin Ridin]

Worth checking two things, you may have done so already:

Is the clutch lever touching the handguard and therefore not getting to release the clutch fully? If it is toruching, move the handguard.
Is the gearchange pedal moving freely, returning to centre and not staying at end of stroke when released ? It could be the linkage ends or bush need lube.

Bin

 

[Pukmeister]

A gearbox strip and rebuild is shown in the official BMW RepROM CD and also in the Haynes manual for the 1200 models.

The fault could be one (or more) of many things.

There are a lot of critical measurements to take during a gearbox strip and rebuild, I would assume he didn't go to the trouble of stripping the shafts down as presumably you only needed the shaft seals doing.

Before rebuild the shaft lengths need to be measured and heat must be applied to the casings during both strip and rebuild to open up casing clearances and prevent bearing damage. If he was heavy handed or less than methodical (and scrupulously clean) you could have future problems. The shift arrangement is a typical selector drum, pawl ratchet mechanism and selector forks.

I'd get the Haynes manual (£20), do your homework, then ask your independent bloke some technical questions about what he did. For a grand I would expect a smooth, quiet and trouble free gearbox.

 

[MattW]

Scriminger's will strip and rebuild an 11xx box (including new bearings and seals throughout and undercutting work on gear dogs) for much less than £500 (assuming a supplied box - removal from the bike is a little extra). Can't see a 1200 being much more.

For £1000 I'd expect an outstanding job...

 

[kiwiAdventure]

I would take the bike back to your independant BMW specialist and advise them to fix the bike at no cost.

 

[Nice 'n' Fat]

That seems reasonable to me although the gearbox issue may be a separate one to the clutch work you have had done. I wonder if there is any oil in the gearbox

 

[theop]

Scriminger's will strip and rebuild an 11xx box (including new bearings and seals throughout and undercutting work on gear dogs) for much less than £500 (assuming a supplied box - removal from the bike is a little extra). Can't see a 1200 being much more.

For £1000 I'd expect an outstanding job...

For £1000 one would expect some girl entertainment while you wait!

 

[Buckingham]

1200 'box

Hi Keith,
I think I can guess where you took it
(It's one of those places where bills are usually more than you expect)

What was the outcome ?

John

 

[Pukmeister]

Out of interest, if the independant 'specialist' wanted £1000, what did the main dealers (Wollaston Motors) ask ??

 

[D6]

Out of interest, if the independant 'specialist' wanted £1000, what did the main dealers (Wollaston Motors) ask ??

the "specialist" must be very "special" at that price

 

[Brian ROSEN]

Specialists ????

"..... take the bike back to your independant BMW specialist and advise them to fix the bike at no cost."
Obviously you had confidence in this "specialist" so what does he say now?