Clunky shifting?

[Dave_in_TX]

I test rode a R1200GS LC yesterday. I was really surprised by how clunky it felt when shifting gears. Is this normal? My current bike, a 2011 R1200RT, shifts very smooth - smoother than any Japanese bike I've owned in the past.

[bobbybob]

The transmission on the LC boxers is completely different from the separate trans in the previous models. A lot of owners have said it was clunky at first but smoothed out as it broke in. That is also my experience. Also--if the bike had the Shift Asst., the force needed to shift when using the clutch is slightly higher than the non-shift asst bikes and this could also contribute to a clunky feel, if you are not forcefully shifting.

[PadG]

I agree with Bob, and the other thing that I (and others) have found is that the oil level (too much oil) in the engine will affect the clunkiness of the low-gears shifts as well. Probability is about 100% that the GS that you rode on had too much oil in the engine! Why? The proper amount of oil that is supposed to be in there is 3.8 liters (1 US gallon). The BMW oil comes in 1 liter bottles, and the techs. are in the habit of dumping in 4 bottles rather than measuring out that last bit!

[AndyS]

I have test ridden a few second hand bikes of varying mileages (up to 9000) and they all seem extremely clunky in 1st, 2nd and 3rd gear.

Great bikes - just crappy that they couldn't sort this out.

Each time it has fundamentlally been the gear shifting that has put me off.

If I find some higher mileage ones, I will give them a spin, but so far I am not seeing any change.

Each individual bike will be different, but every one thus far has been clunky.

When I find a smooth one, I may make the jump.

[Alfred02]

Serious Andy

Then don't buy one.

It took the engineers years of research to built in that particular characteristic into their bikes.

It's what defines the marquee from all the other run of the mill bike makers.

I get on my 1200RT, change gear and ahhhh, there it is. Makes me feel all warm and fuzzy when I hear that familiar sound.

I really dislike my wife's Yamaha Diversion, change gear and all you get is this dull "click"......I mean really, just no character in that bike.

[AndyS]

Haha.

Love it!

[realshelby]

While the neutral to first when stopped "clunk" is something I wish the bike didn't have, I find the 1-2 shift that some talk about is very good under full throttle at high rpm. Which isn't always the case on some bikes that shift well under light load and lower rpm. I'll take that tradeoff. The other gears in my RT work quite smoothly. At 15K now, it began shifting smoother right after I quit using the BMW provided oil. The oil is at the TOP of the sight glass. I still look at the bike sitting in the shop while I am working......and SMILE!

[PadG]

While the neutral to first when stopped "clunk" is something I wish the bike didn't have, I find the 1-2 shift that some talk about is very good under full throttle at high rpm. Which isn't always the case on some bikes that shift well under light load and lower rpm. I'll take that tradeoff. The other gears in my RT work quite smoothly. At 15K now, it began shifting smoother right after I quit using the BMW provided oil. The oil is at the TOP of the sight glass. I still look at the bike sitting in the shop while I am working......and SMILE!

Yeah, I do agree with you about the rpm! I have never had a clunky shifts when I was able to let loose! It's the 1=>2 and 2=>3 while in traffic that occasionally clunks. Downshifts with or without Shift-Assist had never been an issue.

[MotoBones]

Every Honda or Kawasaki I've owned has had a smoother shifting gear box than my '14 RT. I put close to 100k on a Honda ST and still had it for several months after I bought my RT. It shifted more smoothly and precisely than the RT. The Honda V4 is smoother than the BMW boxer, too. I still have a Kawasaki Versys and it feels more precise shifting than the RT. Seriously, all my Japanese bikes shift(ed) more smoothly than my RT, no contest.

 

That said, an RT/LC gearbox is hardly a dealbreaker. Neither is the RT/LC boxer motor that is less-than-Honda-V4-smooth. Every bike has certain characteristics and together they make up a system that either speaks to you or doesn't.

 

 

 

[AlanS.]

MotoBones,

I went from a 2006 Honda ST1300 to the 2014 R1200RT. The transmission on the Honda was just as clunky as the one on the RT. I put 75k miles on the ST. Where the RT is smoother than the ST is shifting under high revs and hard on the throttle.

 

Alan

[Bob H.]

Then why did you bother to buy an RT go back to Honda or Kawasaki and be happy !

[MotoBones]

MotoBones,

I went from a 2006 Honda ST1300 to the 2014 R1200RT. The transmission on the Honda was just as clunky as the one on the RT. I put 75k miles on the ST. Where the RT is smoother than the ST is shifting under high revs and hard on the throttle.

 

Alan

Guess we had a different experience. My 2003 ST1300 had a delightfully smooth gearbox. I rode the ST and RT back to back several times and immediately noticed the notchier feel of the RT whenever I switched over.

 

My RT has Shift Assist which is a different animal and that makes high rev, hard throttle upshifts very fast and smooth. I've grown to like it, but it doesn't make the RT any smoother going into first....k-THUNK.

[BrianT]

My shift from first to second gear is clunky but all the other gears are smoother than any other BMW I've ridden. Funny thing is it's never a problem going from second to first, just up shifting.

[bendbill]

Does preloading help as it did on 1150s? My 1150 was clunky from mile 1 and stayed that way until I practiced preloading and quick shifting, which helped a lot. It was a technique discussed often on this board. Does it work on the LC?

[Clievma]

For me, pre loading and light lever pressure (don't fully disengage clutch) gives very good results. It just needs practice. But the technique is different than pre-LC 1200s.

Mike

[strataj]

Does preloading help as it did on 1150s? My 1150 was clunky from mile 1 and stayed that way until I practiced preloading and quick shifting, which helped a lot. It was a technique discussed often on this board. Does it work on the LC?

 

Preloading for me doesn't work on the wethead RT like it did on my 02R1150RT (which was a must of in my book). If I try to preload I get an early shift so I no longer attempt.

 

Jay

[PadG]

My shift from first to second gear is clunky but all the other gears are smoother than any other BMW I've ridden. Funny thing is it's never a problem going from second to first, just up shifting.

Downshifts will never be an issue if you rev-match (blipping) on all your downshifts!

[narcosis]

First to second is the only annoyance I have with the bike and often it feels like a crunch rather than a clunk. I was reluctant to try pre-loading for fear of the quick shift initiating but after several days of experimenting it never happened. Pre-loading has produced very smooth 1st to 2nd shifts and I'm really glad it was suggested. I don't have the technique down pat but I'll get there. Pre-loading on the upshift and rev-matching on the downshift makes for smoother gear shifts for me and I appreciate the tips provided here.

 

BTW, the firmware update didn't make any shifting improvement as far as I could tell. The only thing I've noticed is some new icons pop up on the main display.

[Alfred02]

Since the update the clutchless "downshift" has certainly improved over time (is there some kind of learning algorithm in the bike?)and is now very smooth on mine.

 

But the big difference is still that my bike will shift clutchless

far far smoother while the bike is cold and progressively gets worse as the bike warms up.

 

And trying to get the bike to shift smooth from neutral into first (with clutch) while parked at a traffic light or similar after the bike is full warmed up....is simply impossible.

The lurch/clunk and crunch is a given, just the intensity changes depending on whatever the gods have in mind at any particular moment.

The Japs certainly have that far better sorted. Yes, all wet clutch bikes will lurch a little bit when engaging 1st gear at a stop, but nowhere near as bad as my Wethead.

And theirs don't crunch and clunk.

One of the few gripes I have with the bike and that should have been well and truly sorted by now.

 

[NoelCP]

The Japs certainly have that far better sorted. Yes, all wet clutch bikes will lurch a little bit when engaging 1st gear at a stop, but nowhere near as bad as my Wethead.

And theirs don't crunch and clunk.

One of the few gripes I have with the bike and that should have been well and truly sorted by now.

 

My brother rides a '15 FJR and says he gets a pretty good clunk going N to 1st when the bike is stopped. He says he's had good luck with rolling the bike backwards a few inches in N with the clutch pulled in with some preload going and then puts it in 1st and this reduces clunk for him. I don't have wet head for another 5 weeks or so so can't try n see if this helps any.

[NoelCP]

At 15K now, it began shifting smoother right after I quit using the BMW provided oil.

 

Terry, what kind of oil are you using? Sounds like you are thinking the oil brand change improved something. I have been using Silkolene Pro 4T in my F800GT w/ very good results and maybe slightly more slippage when the engine is cold. JASO MA2 certified.

[realshelby]

I use Shell Rotella T6. 5-40, JASO MA2 certified, synthetic, meets or exceeds all the specs BMW has in the owners manual for my RT. Around $20 for an oil change plus filter cost. There is zero doubt that it shifts better than the factory oil or the oil the dealer put in it at first service.

 

As far as results go, shifting would be about the only thing an owner might be able to tell the difference in as far as oil goes. No one will ever wear out one of these engines because they didn't have BMW branded oil in it.

[duckbubbles]

My brother rides a '15 FJR and says he gets a pretty good clunk going N to 1st when the bike is stopped. He says he's had good luck with rolling the bike backwards a few inches in N with the clutch pulled in with some preload going and then puts it in 1st and this reduces clunk for him. I don't have wet head for another 5 weeks or so so can't try n see if this helps any.

Yesterday, a riding friend with a '14 FJR compared our clunks going into first gear, side by side. Pretty much equal. Yes, it is more than the dry clutches would do, but I am already used to it. And mine has BMW's Adventec in it.

 

Frank