Sticky gearshift lever R1150GS

[goanna_38]

Halfway through todays ride I noticed that downshifting was becoming occasionally awkward. About half the time I downshifted it seemed like the shift drum wasn't recycling properly and it would take a second stab at the lever to complete the downshift before I could go down another gear. Visions of ruined gearboxes filled my head but when I got home and investigated I noticed that the actual gear selector lever was stiff. I disconnected the drop link and the lever itself was still stiff so that was obviously the problem.  After trying to remove the lever without disturbing anything else I unbolted and removed the left hand footpeg hanger and pulled the shift lever off. I struggled to removed the sleeve and then struggled again to remove the two nylon bushes, cleaned them all up, applied a small amount of grease and refitted everything. It's still tight but not as notchy as it was. Nothing looks worn but I can't believe it's been this tight from new. I'm seriously considering mounting the internal sleeve in the drill and sanding a few thou off the diameter but thought it wise to ask on here before embarking on that course of action. Is this a common problem or have I bought the only BMW in the world with this issue?

Many thanks for any help I might get.

[dirtrider]

4 hours ago, goanna_38 said:

Halfway through todays ride I noticed that downshifting was becoming occasionally awkward. About half the time I downshifted it seemed like the shift drum wasn't recycling properly and it would take a second stab at the lever to complete the downshift before I could go down another gear. Visions of ruined gearboxes filled my head but when I got home and investigated I noticed that the actual gear selector lever was stiff. I disconnected the drop link and the lever itself was still stiff so that was obviously the problem.  After trying to remove the lever without disturbing anything else I unbolted and removed the left hand footpeg hanger and pulled the shift lever off. I struggled to removed the sleeve and then struggled again to remove the two nylon bushes, cleaned them all up, applied a small amount of grease and refitted everything. It's still tight but not as notchy as it was. Nothing looks worn but I can't believe it's been this tight from new. I'm seriously considering mounting the internal sleeve in the drill and sanding a few thou off the diameter but thought it wise to ask on here before embarking on that course of action. Is this a common problem or have I bought the only BMW in the world with this issue?

Many thanks for any help I might get.

Morning goanna_38

 

First thing is to verify the little stub shaft lever on the transmission itself doesn't have it pinch bolt backing out then rubbing on the transmission housing (I have seen a number of 1150 bikes with this happening over the years) 

 

If the pinch bolt is tight & you still have a tight shifting lever/linkage then your problem probably isn't the foot lever pivot sleeve but more likely the plastic bushings have swelled a little. If the lever was lubricated with a lubricant that attacks the plastic bushings then they could have swelled up enough to drag on the sleeve. 

 

If it still drags then you will either have to replace the plastic bushings or at least thoroughly clean the lube from them,  then place them in the hot sun for a while to see if they then fit on the sleeve a little better.  

 

If they are still tight then you can sand the sleeve, or replace the bushings, or try sanding the inside of the bushings until they loosen up.

Possibly even run a bolt with a nut through the sleeve, then put the sleeve back through the bushings, then spin the sleeve inside the bushing with a drill to burnish the sleeve to the bushings (caution: don't spin for long at any time so you don't overheat the plastic bushings)

[goanna_38]

It's definitely dragging on the shift lever pivot (the sleeve drags in the nylon bushes). The shift lever and footpeg hanger aren't even attached to the bike so it's definitely not the stub on the gearbox itself. 

The nylon bushes aren't draggy if you slip them over the sleeve by themselves, but when you push them into the shift lever (takes a bit of force) and then try to insert the sleeve it takes a surprising amount of force to get it in.

I might ring BMW in the morning and see if there are any bushes in the southern hemisphere. 

I'm less than impressed with BMWs parts availability, going on past experiences, so I'll be surprised if they have any in stock.

Fingers crossed.

[dirtrider]

2 hours ago, goanna_38 said:

It's definitely dragging on the shift lever pivot (the sleeve drags in the nylon bushes). The shift lever and footpeg hanger aren't even attached to the bike so it's definitely not the stub on the gearbox itself. 

The nylon bushes aren't draggy if you slip them over the sleeve by themselves, but when you push them into the shift lever (takes a bit of force) and then try to insert the sleeve it takes a surprising amount of force to get it in.

I might ring BMW in the morning and see if there are any bushes in the southern hemisphere. 

I'm less than impressed with BMWs parts availability, going on past experiences, so I'll be surprised if they have any in stock.

Fingers crossed.

Morning goanna_38

 

Those bushings are about $15.00 each from BMW so you might want to work with what you have & try to loosen them up a little. 

 

Personally, I would probably wrap a piece of 400 wet & dry sandpaper around a wooden or metal rod then put a bit of water on the paper, then re-work the bushings until they fit the sleeve correctly. 

[goanna_38]

9 hours ago, dirtrider said:

Morning goanna_38

 

Those bushings are about $15.00 each from BMW so you might want to work with what you have & try to loosen them up a little. 

 

Personally, I would probably wrap a piece of 400 wet & dry sandpaper around a wooden or metal rod then put a bit of water on the paper, then re-work the bushings until they fit the sleeve correctly. 

Morning dirtrider

 

Those bushes are indeed about $15 a pop and I suspect it’s because of their rarity. I just rang my local dealer and there don’t appear to be any in Australia. There’s heaps in Germany of course, but none here. The last time I played the “none in Australia” game it took 10 weeks for me to take delivery of the rear fuel tank mounting rubber (another rare part I suspect). BMW ownership has been rapidly losing its gloss for me ever since I tried to buy spare parts. The worst of it is that nobody seems remotely surprised by how crap the spare part service is.

[goanna_38]

It's official, none in Australia. The parts dude at Morgan and Wacker helpfully informed me that there are 390 of them in a warehouse in Germany, so there's that.

Looks like it's homemade honing time.

[Redfoxx]

46 minutes ago, goanna_38 said:

It's official, none in Australia. The parts dude at Morgan and Wacker helpfully informed me that there are 390 of them in a warehouse in Germany, so there's that.

Looks like it's homemade honing time.

 

I needed a couple parts here in the states, parts only available in germany,  but it only took 6 weeks here to get them.  So we are not much different, we are just a bigger island, and closer to germany, by 4 weeks :-)

 

[Lowndes]

I have received parts and aftermarket parts from different suppliers and manufacturers in Germany in less than a week here in the US.  That tells me the delay is in the mother ship, not the freight/postal system.  

 

This and the lack of support for older BMW motorcycles technical information for publishers like Haynes Clymer (BMW lost the lawsuit in the US for the automobile technical information), plus, many "authorized BMW motorcycle dealers" will not repair or service any bike older than 10 years will eventually see many other current and future riders finding that the vaunted brand is "losing its gloss" and resale value. 

 

[Redfoxx]

18 minutes ago, Lowndes said:

I have received parts and aftermarket parts from different suppliers and manufacturers in Germany in less than a week here in the US.  That tells me the delay is in the mother ship, not the freight/postal system.  

 

This and the lack of support for older BMW motorcycles technical information for publishers like Haynes Clymer (BMW lost the lawsuit in the US for the automobile technical information), plus, many "authorized BMW motorcycle dealers" will not repair or service any bike older than 10 years will eventually see many other current and future riders finding that the vaunted brand is "losing its gloss" and resale value. 

 

 

I order parts from Motorworks UK,  and to the states takes to 4-5 days to Wisconsin.  We have a home business and when we order product from one wholesaler in Neveda takes 12 days  to arrive.

 

Shipping is mystery of the world,

[Lowndes]

5 hours ago, Redfoxx said:

 

I order parts from Motorworks UK,  and to the states takes to 4-5 days to Wisconsin.  We have a home business and when we order product from one wholesaler in Neveda takes 12 days  to arrive.

 

Shipping is mystery of the world,

 

Exactly my point.  It's not the "shipping" (or carrier) that's the problem, it's the wholesaler/manufacturer getting the product to the carrier in a timely manner that's the problem.  And then they blame the carrier.

 

BMW's customer service motto seems to be, "You vil like it, or else..."

[goanna_38]

Ok, all taken care of. I cut a short piece of dowel (nearly cutting my finger off with a hacksaw, don’t ask) and used it and some emery cloth, to make a rudimentary hone. I removed enough material from the bushes that It should be back to operating at peak performance. Fingers crossed.

 

[dirtrider]

8 hours ago, goanna_38 said:

Ok, all taken care of. I cut a short piece of dowel (nearly cutting my finger off with a hacksaw, don’t ask) and used it and some emery cloth, to make a rudimentary hone. I removed enough material from the bushes that It should be back to operating at peak performance. Fingers crossed.

 

Morning   goanna_38

 

Great news_

 

Good thing that you weren't using a power saw or you might be typing with your tongue.