The case of the disappearing 1st gear

[CuriousBikeRider]

Any ideas here? On my new 2013 Rt, I'll park in lovingly in the garage and sometimes leave it in Neutral (gasp). When I start it up next time, there appears to be no 1st gear available. Stomp down as I may, there is nothing there. No 1 indicated, the N does not go away, nor does the transmission engage when I release the clutch.

 

My only solution is to upshift into 2nd, release the clutch a bit to engage the tranny, then I can go squeeze the clutch again and down into 1 with no problem and off I go.

 

This has happened several times, I just don't think it's normal to not have 1st gear.

 

???

 

Thanks,

 

CBR

[Danny caddyshack Noonan]

Eager to hear what you find out. Mine does that frequently as well. I just don't feel like doing the dealer route. Sometimes I can find 1st with some roll of the bike.

[Boffin]

My 1150 does this from time to time. It is caused by the gear train standing still with the engagement dogs in the wrong position. I normally either ease the clutch out just a fraction hich allows a very clunky engagement, or blip the throttle a time or two to spin up the gears by drag.

 

Andy

[RTJohn]

Hey CBR, my 2010 did something similar when I first got it. I would have to let the clutch out, then pull it in again and then it would go into gear. It doesn't do it all the time now, but occasionally I'll have to let the clutch out to get it into 1st.

Hope this helps.

[Will Stagg]

RTJohn has the correct idea IMHO. Many bikes I've owned over the years were like this. My 2012 RT being no exception. One can either engage/disengage the clutch to find the spot or start the unit in gear with the clutch in. My RT acted this way from day one, as my Airhead does the same thing, I didn't give it a second thought.

Enjoy the bike!

[TestPilot]

It's a typical problem on bikes with dry clutches. With a wet clutch, there is always some slight drag between the engine and transmission, even with the clutch lever pulled in. This keeps the input shaft turning, allowing the dogs to eventually line up properly. With a dry clutch, when the clutch is disengaged, the input shaft stops rotating quickly and you may get the dog alignment problem described earlier.

[BrianM]

My 2011 acted the same. Got much better after the first gear oil change. I use the BMW oil, it now shifts very well.

[Scribner]

Have the same bike and noticed the same situation. I just let the clutch out and then it all works great. The anniversary edition is one beautiful bike!

[Dave_in_TX]

It's a typical problem on bikes with dry clutches. With a wet clutch, there is always some slight drag between the engine and transmission, even with the clutch lever pulled in. This keeps the input shaft turning, allowing the dogs to eventually line up properly. With a dry clutch, when the clutch is disengaged, the input shaft stops rotating quickly and you may get the dog alignment problem described earlier.

 

It's also a common problem with wet clutch bikes when thick cold oil produces too much drag. I learned the technique of partially letting out the clutch long ago on my wet clutch Japanese bikes.

[Gene O]

Same situation on my 2010. I had trouble getting it into first gear when I picked it up at the dealers. Salesman said to just let the clutch out, pull it back in and try again. That procedure has worked like a charm ever since. It usually only happens after it's been sitting for a while but every once in a while it happens on startup. Rarely happens after the first startup.

[6speedTi]

Common and normal for the RT. Just like others have said. Let the clutch out a little bit enough to engage the gear box and pull it back in. What happens is the drive gear is in-between the teeth and it does not engage properly so when you let the clutch out a bit and it rotates the drive gear it allows the clutch to properly engage. Normal not to worry.

[kgerry]

this has happened to me on my Bonneville a few times at stop lights... i dont say it's normal, but it certainly does happen....

[6speedTi]

I remember watching a video on a test ride on a Motto Guzzi Norge in Arizona. The rider made comments along the way and one thing I remember was the transmission not engaging in first gear at a traffic light. Very similar to the RT. He slightly rolled the bike forward to move the drive gear for proper engagement. That allowed the bike to get into first gear. I did the same thing with my RT but found it safer to just let the clutch out a bit and then re-shift. From the comments here it is not just the RT that has this anomaly. No big deal. It is the nature of the beast.

 

Watch the video at 6:30 he talks about the transmission not engaging in first gear.

 

[jeffkyle]

It will get better. I have a 2012 RT. Had this same issue when it was new. Just let the clutch out a little bit... barely starting to engage and it will go into gear...

 

But once the bike gets broken in (about 15k-18k), all of a sudden the gear box just smooths out. With 26K miles on mine now it just falls into the gears...

 

Ride it like you stole it.. it gets better the more you ride it.

[racer7]

Its called learning to understand and ride your bike....

 

As noted by many, this behavior is expected and a natural result of the design of motorcycle clutches (both wet and dry) and transmissions.

 

Its a case of get used to it or plan to keep asking questions- its not gonna disappear from bikes any time soon- its already been around for my whole riding experiences that cover about a half century...

[macx]

Mine frequently refuses to go down into 1st on a cold start. I just let out the clutch briefly then try again and it goes in.

 

I've got 45k on my 2011 1200 and it's done that pretty much since new, with either BMW oil from the dealer or Mob 1 that I use.

 

I did notice it shifted easier / smoother after the last oil change than before the change.

[kgerry]

this happened once a season on my Bonnie, but i also just picked up my 2013 RT this weekend and it does it ALL THE TIME.... literally every time i pull up to a red light or coast to a stop in N it will not go down into 1st... nor many times will it go up into 2nd... this is rediculous on the $25K++ bike... i am afraid to go into N at a stop light for fear i'll have to duck walk the bike thru the intersection until it decides to go into gear....

 

Sunday i was out riding an pulled over for my friend to change his gloves.... we were on the side of the road and i pulled off down onto the shoulder to get out of the line of traffic... when he finished i tried to put the bike in gear to take off and it wouldnt go into 1st... i was pointed nose down on an incline and couldnt backpedal the bike uphill in order for it to "allow" me to shift into 1st... he had to come over and literally pull my bike backwards by the luggage rack until it allowed me to shift into 1st so i could take off....

 

this will be at the top of my first inspection/oil change list... i consider the bike unusable in this condition...

[tallman]

Really?

 

This is a very common occurrence and well known about BMW's.

 

But, that aside, keep bike in gear at lights/stops, until all around are stopped and provide a barrier side/rear.

Or better yet, keep it in gear ready to move on as soon as needed.

 

Not a big deal to me.

I rarely take bike out of gear stopped on roadway.

 

This speech was part of our Delivery Inspection/Going over the Bike Speech/Road Test etc.

Never, ever, had anyone have an issue with this out of hundreds and hundreds of bikes.

 

Too many examples of a mc rider hit while stopped in traffic for me.

[kgerry]

i wouldnt have passed my road test on this bike.... here we are expected to put the bike in N at red lights/stops and the tester will even ask you to hold your hands up to verify its in N at the red light... if it then wouldnt go into gear when the light turned green and i had to "duck walk" it he likely would have failed me for unfamiliarity with shifting or for being on an unsound bike...

[tallman]

Not sure what "skill" that is assessing, N at stop.

 

For most of us it is second nature to combine clutch lever and preload to put in gear.

Otherwise all 250 new BMW owners every year in Canada would fail...

[Paul In Australia]

i wouldnt have passed my road test on this bike.... here we are expected to put the bike in N at red lights/stops and the tester will even ask you to hold your hands up to verify its in N at the red light... if it then wouldnt go into gear when the light turned green and i had to "duck walk" it he likely would have failed me for unfamiliarity with shifting or for being on an unsound bike...

 

Your tester is a clutzz