Any Experience with Transmission Issues?

[Pictou]

I have been seriously considering making the leap to the next generation RT or GS (with the GS currently in front) but in poking around on the net and in reading magazines I keep seeing disturbing information that the new transmission may not be very good. The latest thing I saw was in the latest BIKE maganzines (a UK publication). Their long term 12RT was on its second transmission (first replaced at 4,000 miles). They report the bike jumping out of gear and spontaneously shifting itself into another gear. They say the second tranny is exhibiting signs of acting the same way. They also report that several people on a UK board have reported similar problems with their RTs. I understand that there is a lot of FUD out ther so I thought I would ask here. Anyone here heard of this or experienced any such problems?

[FIRST_BEEMER]

My 05 R12RT has 20K on the clock and I have had no problems

at all. I ride it hard and use it like a sport bike in the twisties.never had it jump out or shift to another gear.

Sounds like the Lyme might be using the right foot to shift.

[wadham]

My 1200RT had a final drive bearing failure before 600 miles but was fixed without any fuss by dealer. Fine since then @3500 miles.

[Emoto]

28,000+ miles on my GS. No problems.

[MattS]

...BIKE magazine's long term 12RT was on its second transmission (first replaced at 4,000 miles)...jumping out of gear and spontaneously shifting itself into another gear...second tranny is exhibiting signs of acting the same way...several people on a UK board have reported similar problems with their RTs...

If it's the magazine's long-term bike (as opposed to one owned privately), then it sounds like everybody who goes out for a spin is having A LOT of fun with the gearbox. I ran through a 2nd gear on a K1100LT by engaging in the same misbehavior. It would be fine on the straight and level, but fail under hard acceleration and almost any kind of incline.

 

Anything is going to fail given enough abuse. Then the question becomes, "What constitutes abuse?"

[wilsons]

Pictou,

 

I have read several discomforting reports on beemers, one notably in MCN where they reemed the R1150GS adv. w/ tranny problems, engine problems, the list went on and on. I look at it as crap happens, no matter who made the bike. And I let the report go as ok, they had some pretty bad luck, or just didn't know how to maintain the bike, who ever had the bike (not sure if it was MCN or a reader).

[Brimoon]

4,200 miles on new RT and no tranny problems at all. Same with 26,000 miles on R1100R and 16,000 on a K1200LT. No rear drive problems either. Maybe I'm lucky, but my experience with BMWs over the 10 years has been estentially trouble free.

Brian

[Isettanut]

Since the change from 1st to 2nd has to pass thru nuetral it is somewhat a longer throw than 2nd thru 6th, I had a tendency to not make a positive change from 1st to 2nd gear. I would make this same mistake maybe two or three time in a 160 mile loop.I like to video my rides when they are interesting. I place a lapel mike near the muffler tip. As I watched this video I could here what I was doing wrong. I can say it was driver error and I have no issues with the tranny. Forget that B.S. get the GS if you want it and join the fun. Leon 05RT

[Pictou]

This is kind of what I am thinking of. I have put almost 12,000 miles on my 04 RT and the transmission has worked flawlessly for me. I occassionally put it into nuetral on 1 -2 shift but I have done that on pretty much every bike I have ridden including my 02 VFR. As you say its just a longer throw. In fact I was prepared to hate the transmission on my RT after years of riding slick Japanese bikes but in fact I rarely if ever even notice it. I guess I have no more excuses now!

 

Forget that B.S. get the GS if you want it and join the fun. Leon 05RT