Trouble engaging 1st gear

[Wanderer]

When in neutral, I sometimes have difficulty engaging 1st gear. Normally solved by just rolling the bike forwards or backwards slightly.

Anybody else come across this? Does it indicate a particular problem?

(In case relevant, the bike was new in April '05 and has now covered 4,200 miles.)

Cheers, Will

 

[Yellow Peril]

not so much trouble engaging but it does occasionally need a good thump to get it in normally after i have been backwards.

 

[GrinningGSer]

sometimes have difficulty engaging 1st gear

I think that this is a common BMW thing
Mine has been like this since new and usually when just started.

On one very frustrating occasion, when new, bike was rolled backward, against a steep incline and parked against the kerb right outside dealer main window. Couldnt get the 3 day old bike into first cos couldnt rock forward or backwards had to go back into dealers for help
Dealer told me that it was normal and answer is to keep gentle downwards pressure on gear lever, whilst just letting clutch out. You will then feel it drop nicely into 1st. No need to stamp on anything !

Nice and easy when you are used to this

 

[Mikef]

'Dealer told me that it was normal and answer is to keep gentle downwards pressure on gear lever, whilst just letting clutch out. You will then feel it drop nicely into 1st. No need to stamp on anything !'

Spot On ! all the Boxers I have ridden have beem like this - becomes second nature after a while

 

[GSLad]

Will,

Mine did it, wouldn't go in for love or money when stationary with clutch fully in, found dropping it in 1st when clutch nearly at biting point solved it.

Not ideal!

Regards,

James

 

[Pukmeister]

When I first rode mine after buying it 'used', I was terrified I had been sold a 'lemon' as mine had problems selecting first when stopped, and the lower two gears clunk with backlash. I phone a GS riding friend in blind panic. He nearly fell off his chair laughing.

Rest assured that they all do it, its part of the bikes 'character' if you like. As Grinning says in his post above, just hold down the selector pedal and feed out the clutch to find first when at a standstill. As for the clunking, as long as the gears go in when you select them don't worry. Again its all part of the character (ker-lunk )

 

[Rabobi]

No need to rock the bike backwards and forwards.
Simply squeeze and release the clutch lever. Squeeze and release, squeeze and release. Do this about three times as fast or as slow as you like and then engage 1st gear.

It's not a BMW-only problem but a typical phenomenon with many shaft drives of all makes.
I don't know why it happens since I'm no engineer but I suspect it has something to do with either torque building up in the static shaft or the teeth of the final drive misaligning when the bike moves slightly in neutral...

Even cars do it though its less frequent because their gears and clutch plates are oversized and rugged compared to the precise clockwork machinery inside your bike

 

[Piggers]

Mine is an 05 1200 and it also does the same.
I found that both rolling it forward or applying pressure to the gear lever whilst letting out the clutch both work.

Piggers.

 

[Yellow Peril]

maybe "stamp" was the wrong word, more a positive application of the gear lever would be better description.

 

[Wanderer]

Ahhh! Another bit of character

Many thanks for the replies, very grateful

I'll stop worrying now.

 

[ktmmark]

Bikes have a dog gearbox where a car has a syncro gearbox (EXCEPT REVERSE) which is the same as a bike

 

[Davel]

I was going to ask the same problem but, with just over 6k on the clock, it's clearly not just new bikes.

Tried the pressure on the pedal, slowly release clutch thingy and it certainly solves the issue.

Sorted....

 

[birdseye]

All bikes do this to a greater or lesser degree. Bikes have constant mesh gearboxes unlike cars, and drive is engaged when pressure on the gear lever causes dogs (ie roughly rectangular lumps on the side of one gear ) to engage in holes in the side of the next gear thus linking the two together.

If the dogs find just a flat gear face when the lever is pushed, then nothing happens and you need to rotate the 2 gears relative to each other until dogs and holes correspond. You can do that by letting the clutch out a bit, or by moving the bike itself. Try operating the gear lever immediately you pull in the clutch and before the bits of gearbox have stopped rotating. Not much time when the oil is cold.

Some companies like Suzuki are well known for gearbox designs that are light and easy. Partly down to the shape of the dogs. But its also the case that the sturdier and heavier the internals of a gearbox the more balky it will be.

 

[andy1200]

Good advice above.

All Beemers I've owned have suffered from the same problem, mostly when cold.

Don't force it. Just keep gentle pressure on the gear lever while letting out the clutch gently and it will gently plop into first.

No forcing, no stamping.

These bikes have a character, which for me is part of why I like them so much, warts and all.

 

[ktmmark]

You may find this interesting if you are mechanical minded
http://www.roadkill.com/~davet/moto/trans.articles.html

 

[sjwb]

A little clarification if I may?
The majority of cars have constant mesh transmissions.
Synchromesh and dog are not mutually exclusive; or to put it another way all gear engagement is achieved by a 'dog' or one device sliding in or over another. It is simply that a synchro is a braking device.
Some cars DO have synchro on reverse by the way.
To quote from the advised website "However, it happens that the noisy rattling in neutral is also an issue in modern, emissions-optimized automobiles. The manufacturers have resolved the problem with a so-called double-mass flywheel, which dampens the torsional fluctuations before they can reach the transmission input shaft."
The reason for DMF is NOT to subdue idle chatter, but the far more troublesome and damaging effects of loaded gear chatter. Most powerful manual transmission cars for instance will set a resonance with the gear, clutch, flywheel and crankshaft when high load and low engine speed are demanded. 15 mph in 5th gear for instance. The DMF is tuned to cancel the resonances and act as a cushion. The drawbacks are as mentioned increased mass and complexity. Anyone owning a 911 Porsche, from whatever vintage, will understand this immediately!
Idle chatter (if relevant) is generally contained by the specified idle speed.

 

[ktmmark]

To put it another, way it ain't a problem so don't panic

 

[Scoomacher]

Yep - had that trouble too (as well as it slipping out of 6 into 5). There is only one sensible answer and you've already had it. Forget all the 'rock it back and forth' stuff - simply keep the gear change lever depressed whilst letting out the clutch. It will engage like a good'un - nobody will even know!!