Lurchy drive

[philippo]

Hello all,

I picked up an r1200gs on the weekend and I'm impressed.
The torque is something else!! Pulls like a train!!

It's a red one, only done a couple of thousand miles, bought from a nice chap called John, Cambridgeshire who owned it for only a month and a single trip to Italy.

Its taking me a while to get used to the shaft drive.
Well, I think it's the shaft drive. Mostly when pulling away or trying to ride slowly/filter between traffic. The drivetrain seems quite lurchy when on and off the throttle (small throttle openings)

I've never owned a shaft drive bike before. Is this normal?
Do you have any thoughts or suggestions?
Is this part of the 'GS character'?
Will is get smoother as the bike runs in?

Thanks folks.

Philippo

 

[Philip]

i raised this at the second service and much better after - very smooth

 

[Kropotkin]

I suspect this is down to a phenomenon called "surging", a quick search will return a plethora of reading matter, as it's something all boxers do. It's cos Mr BMW sets the bikes up to run quite lean, due to the emissions.

It can be cured (or at least improved), with careful setting up, which most dealers don't do.

 

[Stevo]

Yes, it's surging.
I experienced this on my 1150RT , reported it at first service and it was sorted.
I am going through the same with my GS ( 2005 and 2K miles ).
Took it back a couple of weeks ago as new BM software available, had it "re-mapped" or whatever they do, and it is only marginally better.
I can't believe all the comments on this site about how wonderful and smooth the GS is. It's a fun bike, but it's a boxer, it's a bit vibey and it does surge.
I like the bike and hope that at the 6K service it will settle down and the dealer can smooth it off for me. A while to wait for that sadly.
It's a shame BMW don't resolve this at the factory as it can put you off or at least, reduce the enjoyment from an otherwise great bike.
Interestingly, I had a new 1200RT on loan when my bike was at the dealers. It was spot on, smooth and a different proposition to my GS, yet it's the same engine. Different gearing perhaps ?

 

[Pukmeister]

You will feel a lot of 'backlash' in the lower two gears, this is typical and can be ridden around with gentle use of the throttle hand in traffic, the more you ride it the smoother you will become.

If you have surging, ask your dealer to upload the latest fuel map and synchronise the throttle bodies, this should smooth things out. I had mine done about 2k ago and it made a world of difference, especially in 3rd gear which surged and was reluctant to pull before the map update.

Your bike should get a lot smoother as it runs in, mine has just passed 18k now (yesterday) and has stopped using oil, though she badly needs a service after being ridden hard over 2 weeks of touring.

 

[philippo]

Thanks for the feedback guys.
I don't think I explained it very well. There is a little bit of surging but I'm not struggling with that . . .

I've struggled to filter smoothly last day or two as I've become very aware of the clonky neutral/first/second gearshift and the apparant snatch/slop in the drivetrain.

I've found it to be a bit of a pain riding slow through town. Have tried feathering the clutch, blipping the throttle gently on downshift from second to first - trying to minimize 'clonking' and take up the 'slack' in the final drive.

I can't believe this thing - they way it clonks into first, then clonks again when I pull away at walking pace, then clonk as I let off the throttle, then clonks as I change to second?! Can I stuff some cotton wool into that gearbox/shaftdrive to quieten it down a bit ? ;-)

I'm guessing this is some of the old GS 'character' everyone talks about. And they say the previous incarnations were even more agricultural?!

Once I'm out of the stop and start town riding though, this bike is the business!! The torque is out of this world! I'm smiling just thinking about it.

Philippo

 

[Philip]

i dont recognise all this clonking on mine - into first from second yes, but not on the other occasions you mention.