New 12GS, 300 miles, first gear goes "clonk"?

  • Thread starter Thread starter alecmuffett
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alecmuffett

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I picked up my 12GS from SPC on friday afternoon (here's a tip: pick up new bikes weekdays if at all possible; I was the only one that afternoon, versus the chaos that was apparently due on saturday) - and I have put 320mi on it since then.

I am "being a good boy" and running it in by the book, having talked some things over with Tim at SPC and finding they were suggesting pretty sensible things - so the mileage to-date has 98% been below 4000RPM, never above 4500 except for the occasional throttle blip when changing gear, etc.

Oil checked every major park-up. So far, so boring. First service due in 300ish miles.

The only real worries (I suppose) are the occasional "searing plastic/oil" smell when riding - I have tried checking for oil leaks and found nothing to-date.

One thing I am definitely noticing, though, is a definite "clonk" when clutching-declutching in first, and likewise (obviously) changing to/from second. Also there tends to be a bit of a gentle jolt-forwards when first releasing the clutch after changing into neutral from out of first.

Does this square with people as "normal gear-box running-in", or is it a bit off?
 
clonking

picked mine up last week and done 600 miles now and mines exactly as you described except ive no smell
Lyndon
 
They all do thar Sir!

Alec wrote

a definite "clonk" when clutching-declutching in first, and likewise (obviously) changing to/from second
Click to expand...

Mine is the same when engaging/disengaging the clutch in first in traffic etc. It is also really noisy (clunk, whirr) when engaging 1st from 2nd while moving.

Certainly my 81 R100RS was worse and I think it very much a part of the experience.

I find not rushing the gearchages and matching revs, as opposed to 'blipping' the throttle on downchanges helps a lot.
 
hi alec
as far as im aware this is normal for 1st and 2nd gear as mine does this and from previous threads i have read other peoples bikes do this
and the plasticky smell is probably the brand new bike smell so i would not worry to much
as for oil consumption mine never used any upto the 1st service and now i have 2,300 miles i have only put in 200mls and i ran the bike in much the same as you
what i have noticed is if the oil is down in the glass one day it may be almost to the top the next depending if the engine reaches the correct temperature or not so be careful not to put in more oil than is neccessary

cliff
 
Re: Re: New 12GS, 300 miles, first gear goes "clonk"?

much obliged, guys. it's nice to know i am normal. 8-)
 
Nope Alec no cover on the RHS. But you can buy one from Wunderlich/Touratech!
 
riding at under 4k will glaze the bores and you'll keep using oil.

search for running-in properly
 
motomartin said:
riding at under 4k will glaze the bores and you'll keep using oil.
Click to expand...

Indeed this seems to be the point of contention - thank you for repeating it without presenting any evidence other than word-of-mouth. Very useful.

If it is of interest, I am revving it up and down the (low) range, avoiding motorways, etc... to ride it *constantly* at 4000RPM would certainly glaze the bores, yes.
 
alecmuffett said:
Indeed this seems to be the point of contention - thank you for repeating it without presenting any evidence other than word-of-mouth. Very useful.

If it is of interest, I am revving it up and down the (low) range, avoiding motorways, etc... to ride it *constantly* at 4000RPM would certainly glaze the bores, yes.
Click to expand...

Hmm, what kind of evidence do you need? What can we give you other than word of mouth? What evidence can your dealer bring you showing their procedure is right?

This picture shows two pistons, the left was broken in as you did, the right one according to motomans instruction:

BreakInF3Pistons.jpg


If you actually spend a couple of minutes searching you would have found lot of owners trying this method, including me:

http://www.mototuneusa.com/break_in_secrets.htm

But, it's too late for you now anyway.
 
If you actually spend a couple of minutes searching you would have found lot of owners trying this method, including me:

http://www.mototuneusa.com/break_in_secrets.htm

But, it's too late for you now anyway.
[/B]
Click to expand...

Yeah, I've seen all that. I also receive e-mails on a daily basis that offer to share millions of Nigerian dollars with me, enlarge bits of my anatomy, line me up with hot Russian women, or sell me nonexistent Generic Viagra.

The difference is: I don't take these things at face value, nor am I necessarily going to go against the recommendations of BMW GmbH on the word of a guy with a a plausible technical spiel but with both an agenda and bad taste in web design.

That website makes some sensible suggestions which square with what BMW suggest anyway - first fill of the engine with heavier oil, for instance - and as I state above I *know* it'd be dumb just to cruise at 60 for hour after hour, so I don't. I load and unload the engine, and stick to back roads to aid my doing so - which is exactly as-per the BMW manual. They *both* agree on the need for a thorough warm-up, too, and also agree on several other points.

It's just that I don't just believe everything that I read on the web, I don't believe there is some conspiracy on the part of BMW to sell more oil, and I am unwilling to thrash an engine on the advice of someone who has an agenda, goes by their nickname and whom I've never met - as opposed to the advice of a company with whom I most definitely have a multi-year warranty.

Moreover I strongly suspect that even with between 1% and 5% less peak power by not using Motoman's breakin method, I still suspect that in that state the bike exceeds the capabilities of 90%+ of its riders, most definitely including me.

Feel free to shake your head and tut. Other people's credulity and blithe trust are not my problem.

incidentally: re: the motoman method: as a final point, for me it smacks too much of quick fix, atkins diet, easy-to-use, fast food, instant results, instant gratification, no effort required...

That automatically makes me feel suspicious.
 
without presenting any evidence other than word-of-mouth. Very useful.

worked in a very large m/c establishment very close to where you live - my mrs probably did your poll tax in fact :) - and helped break-in bikes , albeit japanese mainly - using the guidelines as stated. Never a problem - ever.
How's that - matter-of-fact - not word of mouth.

How about racing engines ? How much running -in do you think they get ?

OOh - 'scuse me - please pass - can't go over 18k till next race......:rolleyes: :D

Do what you like - its your bike - everyones got an opinion.
 
Each to his own I think. I have not followed the BMW manual for running in, both on the indications of my dealer and my own evaluation of all the "stuff" thats out there.

My GS is going in (slightly late, as advised by the dealer) for its 600 miler and I can honestly say that other than taking it slightly easy for the firest 50 or so miles Ive ridden the bike how I would normally ride it, quite hard.

Weve occasionally seen 6500 revs on the clock and been up to 120 mph. I did the NEC as its longest single journey where motorway speeds were between 50 and 90.

The bike feels good to me and gets better and better the more I ride it. I have never run a vehicle in by the book, my current car being case in point. Even the dealers are amazed at how much livlier the engine is and how much power its apears to be making.

As for smells from the GS, got a nice stink going from the clutch the other day on a vv steep hill start with two up - or could that have been me?
 
Oddball - Re clutch smell. I have a 1200GS with 1000 miles on the clock and the clutch has always smelled like it was going to burn out even in normal use on normal starts without any excessive slipping. To me its a PITA and I wish BMW would stop trying to save the world with new friction materilas and give me a clutch that works without smelling like it's about to give up the ghost!!!!
Paul Mac Yorks
 
I would just like to applaud Alec's reply. It was well considered and written. I agree with much of what he said but not all.

I ran my bike in using I hybrid method that felt right with me. I would add that I'm a qualified motor tech who graduated - pun intended - to mechanical, electrical and nuclear engineering at a Chartered level, and yes I'm an ex copper too!

For the 1st 50 miles (one ride) I made sure the bike was warm and loaded it hard between 4000 and 5,500 revs both on acceleration and the overrun. I kept an eye on the temperature which never rose above normal.

I then did an oil change.

Since then it's been used very normally i.e. overtakes, steady riding and blitzing acceleration for the fun of it when I feel like it. Almost all these miles have been on undulating and twisty A and B roads. I haven't had the revs above 6,000 very often and not below 3,000 either.

The bike is running very well and appears to use very little oil having never been topped up.

Why should a bike be different to a car? My ladies MX-5 was driven 'normally' from new and it's first oil change was at 9,000 miles!

I don't believe there's a need to 'thrash the hell' out of a new engine and it's definately no help to slog it to death either. I suppose I've used the mid ground with a concerted bit of 'piston/bore' work early on.
 
Going back to the original subject :) the clonk - I think this is the free play in the drive shaft or final drive being taken up when you engage or disengage the clutch.

One of my few complaints about the 1200 is that there's no "damping" in the final drive (like the cush rubbers on a chain drive bike) which makes it easy to do a cack handed jerky gear change. But you get used to it.
 
I think that you'l find the final drive has a spring loaded 'rotary knuckle' that allows for sudden loading by displacing and springing back. Think that this was introduced into the BM final drives in 81. Can anyone confirm it's still there.

Going to check the MCN article (C for Consumer not Comic)
 
Oh right, I hadn't actually looked inside it or at any diagrams :D I should have said "it FEELS like there's no damping!"

Or maybe I'm just cack handed with the clutch :D
 
First of all when cold, my bike won't go into first. I've got to apply downward pressure on the shift, then ease the clutch out. When I've finally got first engaged, there is a definate 'clonk' when clutching / declutching, particularly noticed when doing low speed manouvres.

The bike will go into first fine when warm, but the 'clonking' doesn't go away. Rather annoying.
 
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