Got my E4 Triple Black

lock it up in london FFS enjoy the black beauty
 
Just picked my new GSA 2016/2016 thursday, August the 25th. This is my 7th GS. They were GS 2005, GS 2006, GS 2011, GSW 2013,GSW 2014 and GSW 2015 and now a GSWA 2016. From these the '14, 15 and 16 all had quite reasonable gear boxes, particularly after changing and properly adjusting the gear levers, on the last 3 the gear levers were made by Gilles which rather than bushes employs roller bearings.

On all these bikes (LCs), at the very beggining, say the first 50 to 100 miles the clunk when engaging first gear was "normal" for a wet clutch bike. Not completely silent but acceptable. On all LCs, as the mileage increased, they became progressively clunkier, even the 2016 GSWA which, as of now, has only 200 miles on the odo.

The GS's gear box is THE ONLY criticism I have about BMW's GSs; I love the bike and have ridden them, collectively some 200 K miles so far.

I really hope that on the 2017 they fixed the gear box and, finally, got rid of the 1st gear clunk and Zoltan's experience holds true after the first few hundred miles or so.

If they really proove to be silent as described, soon I will be trading my 2016 for a new 2017. Here in Brazil were they are manufactured/assembled they should be available from January 2017.

For now, I keep following all reports on its performance.

Thanks to Zoldan for reporting !

Andre
 
I've never ridden a bike that didn't clunk into first gear. Even the Africa Twin I rode yesterday clunked into first. I don't see what the problem is?:nenau
 
I've never ridden a bike that didn't clunk into first gear. Even the Africa Twin I rode yesterday clunked into first. I don't see what the problem is?:nenau

There are clunks.....then there are clunks which send a shudder through the whole bike and launch it forward....the AT I test rode was miles better in this regard than my '14 GSA which was frankly appalling.
 
I've never ridden a bike that didn't clunk into first gear. Even the Africa Twin I rode yesterday clunked into first. I don't see what the problem is?:nenau

Yep, same for me...all 'clunk click on every trip'. From super sports to sports tourers to the GS. I think the only one that didn't was the XR, but that was just a test ride.
 
I've never ridden a bike that didn't clunk into first gear.

It should't going clunk in second and third...just saying . Maybe somebody can explain in plain English why they changed the selector drum actuator if the gearbox is so good:augie

From BMW press:

"Like the R 1200 GS Adventure, all liquid-cooled boxer models will now be fitted with a judder damper on the transmission output shaft. New features also include a revised selector drum actuator, transmission shafts and transmission shaft bearing."

https://www.press.bmwgroup.com/afri...unch-of-the-bmw-r-ninet-scrambler?language=en
 
zoltan;

If, indeed, the 2017 GS prooves overtime to have a "normal" clunk when shifting into first gear and I mean normal as similar to various other available bikes, it will be due not only to the new selector but I believe mostly to the judder damper and the new transmission shaft which as I understand have impact absorving functions.
 
Perhaps you mean bikes with wet clutches...

You most certainly have ridden if not own oil cooled GSs with their dry clutch. On these bikes if you held the cluch lever for 2 or 3 seconds and then engaged 1st gear it would go in competely silent with no clunks whatsoever.

Still, among the many wet clutch bikes I know of not one that is is as clunky as the GS...
 
I've never ridden a bike that didn't clunk into first gear....
Sounds like you have never ridden an Oilhead then, selecting 1st it totally silent.... the only way you know it's in gear is the neutral light goes out ;)

Edit, we posted together there ATG
 
Sounds like you have never ridden an Oilhead then, selecting 1st it totally silent.... the only way you know it's in gear is the neutral light goes out ;)

Edit, we posted together there ATG

I've owned a few twin cams, but that was a while ago. I seem to remember them all clunking into first when cold.
 
Hi, I've just got back from a 3 day ride around the Yorkshire Dales which was perfect terrain for running in my new GS T/Blk 2017 E4, and in answer to someones question re the box, well covering 350 miles just north and south of Hawes means a lot of gear changes and every single one of them was absolutely perfect.

In my opinion the latest bike has a perfect gear change and a lovely clutch, and although my bike has Q/S the majority of my changes were made using the clutch, also I would agree with Zoltan in that it seems to have lost it's well known clunk when engaging 1st, in fact sometimes it's virtually silent...weird but good!

Having said...This is my 5th Liquid-Cooled Boxer and I have never had an issues with either the box or the clutch on any of my previous bikes...this one is very good though, I'd say perfect, but that doesn't mean that others won't find a fault!

It gets it's 600 mile service tomorrow...nice!
 
Thanks for sharing Batman, that's good news on the gearbox. I wonder if parts can be retrofitted to the pre 17 models?
My 16 only clunks into first, all other changes are silent and positive luckily:-)
 
I wonder if parts can be retrofitted to the pre 17 models?

Good question...Unless is a major surgery. If you look at what was changed, I would say is more than just a new gear box:nenau. But worth exploring.
 
It gets it's 600 mile service tomorrow...nice!

Well done Dude, can you find out if they changed the oil grade or the brand? Ask them to change the final drive oil its only a few shekels:D
 
Good question...Unless is a major surgery. If you look at what was changed, I would say is more than just a new gear box:nenau. But worth exploring.

It should be fairly easy to try. A few unlocked 2017 models in London should see a plentiful supply of gearboxes and clutches appear on eBay with Eastern European sellers.;):augie
 


Back
Top Bottom