R1100 Gearbox

[greytfun]

I've read lots about the clunky nature of the 1100GS gearbox and know from experience what a dog it can be, especially from cold. I saw on an American site a recommendation for an oil additive that helps with this problem (but don't remember where or what product).

Has anyone got any advice before I grind second gear away!

Thanks

G

 

[Mick Fagan]

My first bit of advice is to cool your jets!

Theres nothing wrong with the g/box action. At first they are tight but they start to loosen up at about 20,000 Klm's and at 50,000 Klm's they are getting near perfect.

If you speed up the clutch hand lever pulling in action slightly and slow down the foot changing action slightly, you may find that this will allow noisless changes.

Also standing at the lights in neutral pull in the clutch, hold off for about 1/2 a second and then push (not slam) the foot lever through to first. You will then get 19 times out of 20 a noiseless insertion to first gear. If this doesn't work, then roll the bike ever so slightly and it'll slip in like a hot knife through butter!

There are many more little things and it does take practice I grant you, but the box is only as good as the operator.

Start by using lower rev changes from 1st to 2nd and take it from there. I'd suggest changing up at around 2,500 - 3,000 RPM until you get the hang of it.

Mick.

 

[greytfun]

Thanks Mick.

I think I was frustrated yesterday having ground my way towards second again after thinking I had mastered the box. Probably shouldn't have ridden the missus' bike at the weekend.

Another cold morning today and whilst no grinding (and a lot more care) involved still pretty stiff changes. With the cars I have used oil additives to help overcome this cold oil problem a bit. Has anyone tried this on the GS or shall I experiment?

G

 

[Mick Fagan]

What do you call cold? I've had cool mornings of around -2 to -4C and the box is tight for about the first 3 or 4 minutes then it's back onto normal useage.

I have more problems getting the RID above 1 bar sometimes and I've been worried about that more than anything else. Conversely the RID going up to 6 bars in extremely hot conditions or when riding hard in sand is also slightly unnerving, although the 1100 seems to run cooler than the 1150 GS's.

Last weekend I had a full load and two up riding in sandy followed by muddy tracks and some straight slippery tracks followed by some steep climbing in first gear for about 20 minutes and I was on the No. 6 bar. Then we hit a straight track and a headwind and it was down to 3 bars. Meanwhile the gearbox just rolled along with no problems.

The ambient temp by the way was about 15C at the most.

Mick.

PS:- mines got nearly 48,000 Klik's on the clock

 

[greytfun]

I guess the problem for me is that the first five minutes of every journey is away from home and that means loads of stop/start work so more changes and more chances for me to get it completely wrong! This morning was frosty so low positives, I suppose.

The RID is a funny one. Some days it doesn't want to show more than 2 or 3 bars yet the next day it is on 5 or 6. It would be interesting to know what the working temperature is - I don't think the handbook tells you. I think it just says stop the engine if it goes to the top. My view is that it has a very limited operating range so small changes in climate/situation have big changes on RID. I don't woory to much as long as something is showing.

Low readings shouldn't be a problem as you can blank off part of the cooler (Wunderlich do an adjustable cover I think) if you suffer long cold winters. Am I right in thinking the 1150 has a thermostat in the oil lines but the 1100 goes without? Perhaps I made that up but if it is the case you should be able to retrofit on 1100.

Mine's on 20,000 miles (32,000k).

G

 

[Mick Fagan]

I know that the 259 GS bikes don't have a thermostat. All of the other 259 bikes have a thermostat, not sure why but that's it.

Yeah Wunderlich make a neat slatted cover which I'd like to have but it isn't top of the want list yet.

I did get the exact temperatures of the RID bars from a Belgium guy from the Motobins site but I stupidly deleted the email before I'd finished reading it! From memory there was a range of about 40C from the coolest setting to the hottest.

At 32,000 K's your bike should just be starting to feel loose. Mine's just feeling about perfect at the moment. From experience it should stay that way until about 130,000 to 150,000 Klm's, from there it's a gradual downhill slide.

I've personally seen 1 1100GS with 235,000 Klm's on the clock and it was traded in on a new 1150GS and the person who bought the old bike is now on a round Australia trip of about 20,000 Klm's with no problems at all so far.

Mick.

 

[blackduck]

I must be lucky

My 1100 has 39K miles on the clock and the gear box is great. Smooth as you like, I miss a gear occasionally but is usually when I a tired, careless or rushing things. I find that so long as I am composed so is everything else. Oh and the cold weather is never a problem either.

 

[greytfun]

Since Mick's response to my first post on this subject I've been a lot more careful especially when box is cold. Pleased to report no missed gears or grinding since so thanks for the advise.

I hasten to add I have not ridden the missus' ZZR (gear lever like a switch in comparison) which might account for the change in fortune.

Blackduck you're right - it's laziness/tiredness that causes the problem!