How do YOU shift the R1150RT?

[Penrod]

I expect to take some heat on this, but it's tweaking me. I've ridden bikes most of my life. I didn't have a problem during the three test rides of R1150RT's. Then, after buying one I read somewhere that these bikes have a "different" clutch and need to be shifted differently (i.e. not like "regular" bikes). Well darn it, since I heard that I have been having trouble shifting smoothly. What is the correct way to shift from stopped to take-off? Ease the clutch out and accelerate or pop it and then accelerate? And when you downshift do you sometimes hear a clunk instead of the normal sound of gears changing? Lastly, is it normal to have some play or slop on these gear drives?? Sometimes while cruising if I decel and then accel, a noticable clunk can be heard, kind of like a loose u-joint on a car. Set me straight please.....

[russell_bynum]

The dry clutch doesn't like to be slipped a bunch, so the best launch is generally done by getting the clutch out as fast as possible with the lowest RPM's possible, then once the clutch is out, go ahead and pour on the coals.

 

And when you downshift do you sometimes hear a clunk instead of the normal sound of gears changing?

 

Yes.

 

Lastly, is it normal to have some play or slop on these gear drives?? Sometimes while cruising if I decel and then accel, a noticable clunk can be heard, kind of like a loose u-joint on a car.

 

Yep, that's pretty normal.

[KDeline]

My shifting technique through the years on all the BMW's I have owned. Pull in clutch lever, pull up shift lever, let out clutch lever, let down shift lever. Down shift hard on the shift lever. Smooth ask silk.

[SWB]

Sent you a couple of references via email. The solution is to preload during shifting.

 

The following link is dated, but you may find the background on the Boxer's transmission informative. In particular, it helps explain BMW's "noisy" or "clunky" transmission. (I had to fish around to find this reference again. Enjoy.)

 

http://www.dorje.com/mailing-lists/co-bmwgs/transinfo.html

[ShovelStrokeEd]

OK, now don't tell anybody else this, it's just between you and me. The real 'secret' to smooth shifting on the BMW lies in your throttle hand, not the clutch. Don't back off the throttle so far between shifts. About 1/2 of what you do now would be about right. Doesn't matter direction, up or down shifts, just don't close the throttle. The reason being this motor has a very light flywheel and if you back the throttle off too far, the revs drop too much while the clutch is disengaged and you have your clunk.

 

As to the take off thing, don't use too much throttle. I use about 1200 RPM or so and then just feed the clutch in smoothly, getting it fully engaged about 5 or 6 feet forward from the start point. Feed in gas as needed to get to the speed at which I will shift.

[Penrod]

Thank you thank you thank you! Especially SWB, the links you sent helped me to understand what's going on. I never doubted the design or function of the bike, I'm convinced it is solid. Now with the help of you fine folks, I will enjoy the experience even more!

[Turbodog]

after buying one I read somewhere that these bikes have a "different" clutch and need to be shifted differently (i.e. not like "regular" bikes).

 

Yeah, I heard that "shift differently" nonsense when I first got a beemer too. Just shift like you do any other bike and you'll be fine. Most folks advise about avoiding excessive slipping of that dry clutch though. Probably good advice. On the flip side of that, I know MSF instructors who use their BMW's for demos when teaching the ERC and you do a lot of clutch slipping work in the course. Their bikes seem none the worse for it.

YMMV

A way to ease the clunk of shifting is to "pre-load" the shift lever by applying some lift pressure under the peg just before you actually shift. That advice was given me as a new R1100RT owner and it works.

[Ken H.]

I'll and another tidbit here that seems to help... When shifting on the fly, think in terms of feathering the clutch lever not using a full pull to the grip/stop. The BMW clutches have a very narrow friction zone, and you only need to transition across it a very small bit. Just the slightest tug / pull / feather of it as you are shifting. In effect finesse it, don't 'pull' it in. Basically what this will do is speed up the whole process such that your other hand won't have this long interval to allow the engine RPMs to fall off as fast / far. Which they do quickly on the boxer due in part to a relatively light flywheel ass'y.

[powerman]

Soon as I start to thinking about shifting I screw it up.

So STOP THINKING ABOUT IT, JUST DO IT. also what ken said, with the hydralic cluch you don't need alot of range of pull on the handle.

[Pictou]

I am no mechanic but I don't think that a dry clutch is any more fragile than a wet one. All the cars that I have owned have had dry clutches and they have all lasted for a long, long time despite being abused. The car my daughter learned to drive standard on (a 93 Maxima) went 200,000kms before needing a clutch. If you smelled that thing after a practice session you would have wondered how it could have lived out the day. But that clutch lasted another 12 years and 170,000kms. On the flip side I have friends with sport bikes who don't get more than 30,000kms out of their wet clutches. Admittedly they are often doing hard launches and have a lot of horsepower. From my admittedly unscientific observation wet and dry clutches are different but one is not better than the other. I also think excessive slipping of either one will shorten its life.

 

bike and you'll be fine. Most folks advise about avoiding excessive slipping of that dry clutch though. Probably good advice. On the flip side of that, I know MSF instructors who use their BMW's for demos when teaching the ERC and you do a lot of clutch slipping work in the course. Their bikes seem none the worse for it.

YMMV

A way to ease the clunk of shifting is to "pre-load" the shift lever by applying some lift pressure under the peg just before you actually shift. That advice was given me as a new R1100RT owner and it works.

[SnowDog]

Ed is spot on here.

 

Preloading is easy and improves upshifting to a point.

 

Matching revs gets you the rest of the way to seemless shifts and works for downshifts as well. This takes much more practice to get right.

[AnRSguy]

I have ridden a number of different models and makes for more than 30 years and all I can say is don't try to baby it. Pull in the clutch lever and shift it. Wet clutch or dry the only difference that I have seen is putting one in 1st gear at a stop. Wet clutches tend to go right in and dry clutches require either preloading the shifter or double clutching.

 

As someone else said, don't think about it, just do it.

 

Somehow it seems a lot of riders want to try and slip the tranny into the next gear and I have found that it just doesn't bode well to do it that way. If the clutch lever is in pull up or push down on the shifter.

 

Happy shifting.

 

Bryant

[Frank Cloud]

Ed is spot on here.

 

Preloading is easy and improves upshifting to a point.

 

Matching revs gets you the rest of the way to seemless shifts and works for downshifts as well. This takes much more practice to get right.

 

I'm sure there's no ill effects from pre-loading, but I don't like the idea.

 

I've had no problems shifting mine at all and I'm easy on dry clutches. (Got 220k plus on the original clutch of my Toyota truck)

[ShovelStrokeEd]

Interesting thing about the preload is not so much the need for force but rather the quickness it brings to the shift. Both my S and my Blackbird are a bit clunky on the 1-2 shift and for similar reasons. Light or no flywheel and a wide spread between first and second. If I am a bit lazy about my shifts, the rev matching thing gets away from me and CLUNK. The best technique is for me to just preload the shifter slightly and then maintain throttle position till the bike runs out of revs, the shift happens by itself with no input from me whatever. Ditto 2-3 and 3-4. This is sometimes refered to as clutchless shifting.

 

The point is, there will be a time when throttle applied will match revs in that gear and, at that momemnt, there will be no load on the transmission gears. As soon as there is no load on the gears and a SLIGHT pressure on the shifter forks, the transmission will shift.

 

Now, most of us don't ride that way all the time, neither do I. We tend to use more throttle than necessary in the lower gears to accelerate up to the desired speed, shifting as we go. We are really short shifting in this case and therein lies the rub with throttle control as we have to back off between gears and usually go too far.

 

Try it yourself sometime. Use the higher gears, 2-3 or 3-4 first to get a feel for what is happening. Moderate throttle, less than you would normally use and just a light preload on the shifter. When engine revs match throttle position, VOILA! a shift. This has been known to surprise me as I am so habituated to preloading the shifter that I'll be riding along in second and just about the time I think it's time to shift, the dang bike does it.

[russell_bynum]

Try it yourself sometime. Use the higher gears, 2-3 or 3-4 first to get a feel for what is happening. Moderate throttle, less than you would normally use and just a light preload on the shifter. When engine revs match throttle position, VOILA! a shift.

 

2-3 is somewhat ugly on our R1100 5-spds, but your method works fine for 4-5 and 4-5.

 

At the track, the only time I use the clutch, is for downshifts and starts. Everything else is clutchless like you said.