Clucking Futch

Neil W

Neil W

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Anyone had this one before and what did it turn out to be, away at the moment. Bike is a 2017, 22 month old 1200gsa .
Yesterday on the Autobahn was in slow , moving traffic and stopped for About 20 seconds with the bike in first gear. Went to pull away and the clutch lever did not engage drive ie once lever was fully out nothing happened as if in neutral, pulled in clutch again and went to release and when I let it out even at full extent no drive then it lurched forward and attempted to pull a wheelie kangaroing forward.
Dipped clutch again and the next time I released it the drive was there and it was fine.
Bike does not have gsap or hill start assist fitted,anyone had similar ?
 
I had something similar with another bike once and I think the problem there was related to the slave cylinder. Have you checked your fluid levels for the clutch...no signs of any leaks? In my case the hydraulic system wasn't able to put sufficient pressure on the pressure plate to engage and disengage properly.
 
Fluid level fine and no visible leaks ,it is in for a service and general check before end of warranty so I intend raising an issue.
It initially felt like the bike was in neutral which it wasn't
 
Had similar although not that bad on another bike not bmw. It was too much fluid in the res after dealer flushed system. As the fluid heated and expanded it engaged the clutch so it slipped badly in traffic.

Also had the lever go floppy and not disengage on my Ducati from the clutch rod sticking in the slave.
 
spoonz said:
Had similar although not that bad on another bike not bmw. It was too much fluid in the res after dealer flushed system. As the fluid heated and expanded it engaged the clutch so it slipped badly in traffic.

Also had the lever go floppy and not disengage on my Ducati from the clutch rod sticking in the slave.
Click to expand...

aye it's a bugger when your lever goes floppy and your rod sticks in the slave. :D
 
Neil W said:
Anyone had this one before and what did it turn out to be, away at the moment. Bike is a 2017, 22 month old 1200gsa .
Yesterday on the Autobahn was in slow , moving traffic and stopped for About 20 seconds with the bike in first gear. Went to pull away and the clutch lever did not engage drive ie once lever was fully out nothing happened as if in neutral, pulled in clutch again and went to release and when I let it out even at full extent no drive then it lurched forward and attempted to pull a wheelie kangaroing forward.
Dipped clutch again and the next time I released it the drive was there and it was fine.
Bike does not have gsap or hill start assist fitted,anyone had similar ?
Click to expand...

I can’t help much other than to say my 2014 R1200 GS used to do the same thing now & again, it was most prevalent when trying to pull away at roundabout after a longish motorway stint. I never found the cause as the problem disappeared when the engine was replaced owing to paint defect.
 
N111BJG said:
I can’t help much other than to say my 2014 R1200 GS used to do the same thing now & again, it was most prevalent when trying to pull away at roundabout after a longish motorway stint. I never found the cause as the problem disappeared when the engine was replaced owing to paint defect.
Click to expand...

So you say I need a new motor
 
Morety said:
I had something similar with another bike once and I think the problem there was related to the slave cylinder. Have you checked your fluid levels for the clutch...no signs of any leaks? In my case the hydraulic system wasn't able to put sufficient pressure on the pressure plate to engage and disengage properly.
Click to expand...

I'm pretty sure the hydraulics disengage the clutch only. I've never come across a clutch that has any engagement mechanism beyond the clutch spring. I'd be thinking not in gear properly, then dogs meshing and off you go.:moped:
 
On the 1200 the fluid level rises as it wears. If the fluid has been overfull to start with this can leave to too much clutch fluid in the reservoir. As clutch fluid doesn't compress very well this means the clutch is ever so slightly not engaged.

Check the fluid is below the max line and not above it.

Sent from my ONEPLUS A6013 using Tapatalk
 
The bike was definitely firmly in first gear as it had been moving in slow traffic, when it did eventually start to take up drive the revs also increased without me winding on the throttle.
Got back home today so will stick it on the gs911 to see if it shows any faults , if not will ring up the dealer as it is in for service in a few weeks whilst still in manufacturers warranty
 
Sounds like a problem with something sticking while the clutch was being held in for 20 seconds - either the slave cylinder or the actuating rod it operates on, or possibly overheated clutch plates binding and failing to immediately re-engage when the clutch operating pressure is released. Any of these could explain why the clutch, under pressure from its springs, eventually overcame the sticking and released itself, and if you happened to have a few revs on at that moment trying to get a response, that would explain the wheelie. Sounds like something which is likely to happen again so needs looking at before the warranty expires.

https://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/partgrp?id=0J51-EUR-02-2019-K51-BMW-R_1250_GS_Adv_0J51,_0J53_&mg=21
 
Neil W said:
The bike was definitely firmly in first gear as it had been moving in slow traffic, when it did eventually start to take up drive the revs also increased without me winding on the throttle.
Got back home today so will stick it on the gs911 to see if it shows any faults , if not will ring up the dealer as it is in for service in a few weeks whilst still in manufacturers warranty
Click to expand...

Could be this read below.

http://sgbikerboy.com/2019/02/14/bmw-r1200gs-lc-clutch-switch-failure/
 
Interesting link , have done a scan and no recorded faults and the cluch microswitches are showing as working correctly.

Looks like it is something mechanical or hydraulic related
 
I have had a similar fault on my last two RS's and my GS, when cold the bike engages when the clutch is 1/3 out, once engine reaches operating temperature the engage point is 2/3 out, when in traffic in city the clutch goes out to 3/4 out, its annoying because i come flying out of garage forgetting the take up point cold and delay at junctions inching out to find bite point.

Only fault i can find on the engine = RS/GS

Ged
 
It doesn't sound out of the ordinary. Almost all Trumpet Tiger/Explorer 1200 clutches don't bite until the last 10 to 15% of travel for example. It seems to be a "thing" with some hydraulic clutch designs.
 
Boxter said:
I have had a similar fault on my last two RS's and my GS, when cold the bike engages when the clutch is 1/3 out, once engine reaches operating temperature the engage point is 2/3 out, when in traffic in city the clutch goes out to 3/4 out, its annoying because i come flying out of garage forgetting the take up point cold and delay at junctions inching out to find bite point.

Only fault i can find on the engine = RS/GS

Ged
Click to expand...

Probably something to do with the extraordinarily long clutch activating rod which goes through the engine from the back where the slave cylinder fits, to the front where the clutch is. Lots of scope I should imagine for thermal expansion causing changes in the clutch biting point.
 
Went up to the dealers today and the bike will be looked at when it goes in for service and warranty check prior to it being 2 years old ............ concensus of opinion is a possible issue with the clutch assembly.
It is going to be pulled along with the drive shaft and clutch pushrod assembly to check all of them for wear.
BMW have been made aware of the issue so lets see what happens.
Since the incident the bike has covered over 600 miles with thankfully no further apparent problems .
More than happy with the dealers response and to be honest now I am home most of the time I will be using the Versys ,been told if there are any further incidents with the BMW just to get it recovered .

As an aside a gearbox assembly is £1700 and a clutch assembly is apparently over £700 so I think the extended warranty may be taken out come the back end of September
 
Nippy Normans supply Touratech, Wunderlich, Desert Fox and many other makes of accessories.
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