Shift assist not working

[Frustrated_Diver]

Have any of you experienced problems with the shift assist feature not always working. Now more frequently than before (as the weather get warmer?), when I attempt to upshift, no amount of gentle pressure will get it to shift. Readjusting the throttle and trying again won't do the trick. The only way to get the bike to shift is to use the clutch. It happen mostly from third to fourth but can happen in any upshift. The problem does not happen when downshifting and the next shift works flawlessly. The bike is a 2015 R1200RT with less than 8,000 miles. Oh, by the way, it is blue if that helps. 

[JustKrusen]

Are you sure that you are fully releasing the shift lever between shifts?

[Skywagon]

I have not had that experience on my 14. I don't use it very often. I used it this weekend and it worked fine. I'm at about 15k... Warranty time.

[dirtrider]

Have any of you experienced problems with the shift assist feature not always working. Now more frequently than before (as the weather get warmer?), when I attempt to upshift, no amount of gentle pressure will get it to shift. Readjusting the throttle and trying again won't do the trick. The only way to get the bike to shift is to use the clutch. It happen mostly from third to fourth but can happen in any upshift. The problem does not happen when downshifting and the next shift works flawlessly. The bike is a 2015 R1200RT with less than 8,000 miles. Oh, by the way, it is blue if that helps. 

 

Morning Rick

 

Talk to your BMW dealer about getting the shift assist update.

 

There was/is a BMW service bulletin on updating the shift assist firmware.

[TEWKS]

when I attempt to upshift, no amount of gentle pressure will get it to shift.

 

From experience with mine, the gentle pressure statement clues me in to the problem. As unnatural as it feels, you need to have a firm and deliberate up shift to make it work as intended. (which I feel is not ready for prime time)

 

As DR said a computer update may help also.

 

Pat

[hopz]

Plus One on the asking the dealer to confirm your bike has had the Shift Assist update. It is a relatively minor process but it made my '14 shift much better.

 

One thing I notice is that the smoothness of a shift varies considerably depending on what is happening load-wise, acceleration or not-wise and other conditions. In plain words it works great under some conditions and not-so-great at other times and learning what those conditions are can make the shift much better or worse- depending.

 

Note: the shift assist does not work well for any 1st to 2nd gear change, A little bit better for the 2-3 shift, and very well for me on 3-4, 4-5, and 5-6...

 

It seems to me that upshifts work better when the bike is smoothly accelerating and I give the throttle the slightest slow-down- roll-off. Down shifts work better with a bit of a throttle blip (higher RPM).

 

Just my personal feeling but I am very comfortable using the clutch lever... just an old fart rider probably but I have not yet discovered what the advantage is....

Edited March 30, 2017 by hopz

[Mike]

 

Note: the shift assist does not work well for any 1st to 2nd gear change, A little bit better for the 2-3 shift, and very well for me on 3-4, 4-5, and 5-6...

 

It seems to me that upshifts work better when the bike is smoothly accelerating and I give the throttle the slightest slow-down- roll-off. Down shifts work better with a bit of a throttle blip (higher RPM).

 

Pretty close to what I experience, except that I find that trying to rev-match on downshifts makes it jerkier. I haven't asked about the update; that may make things a bit better.

 

Overall, I like the technology. For me, it makes riding the twisties--where I'm constantly shifting from 2nd gear and up--lots of fun.

[PadG]

 

Note: the shift assist does not work well for any 1st to 2nd gear change, A little bit better for the 2-3 shift, and very well for me on 3-4, 4-5, and 5-6...

 

It seems to me that upshifts work better when the bike is smoothly accelerating and I give the throttle the slightest slow-down- roll-off. Down shifts work better with a bit of a throttle blip (higher RPM).

 

Pretty close to what I experience, except that I find that trying to rev-match on downshifts makes it jerkier. I haven't asked about the update; that may make things a bit better.

 

Overall, I like the technology. For me, it makes riding the twisties--where I'm constantly shifting from 2nd gear and up--lots of fun.

Rev-match on downshift?? You are supposed to downshift with the throttle fully closed, when using the shift-assist. I can get smooth shift all the way down to first regardless of when I elect to shift down. When the bike was new, I used to complain that for the lower gears, the shift-assist doen't blip the throttle enough, which resulted in rough shifts, but it seem that the system have some learning capabilities, and after a few thousand miles, the down-shifts have been perfect at all rpm.

[Green RT]

Plus One on the asking the dealer to confirm your bike has had the Shift Assist update. It is a relatively minor process but it made my '14 shift much better.

 

One thing I notice is that the smoothness of a shift varies considerably depending on what is happening load-wise, acceleration or not-wise and other conditions. In plain words it works great under some conditions and not-so-great at other times and learning what those conditions are can make the shift much better or worse- depending.

 

Note: the shift assist does not work well for any 1st to 2nd gear change, A little bit better for the 2-3 shift, and very well for me on 3-4, 4-5, and 5-6...

 

It seems to me that upshifts work better when the bike is smoothly accelerating and I give the throttle the slightest slow-down- roll-off. Down shifts work better with a bit of a throttle blip (higher RPM).

 

Just my personal feeling but I am very comfortable using the clutch lever... just an old fart rider probably but I have not yet discovered what the advantage is....

 

+1

Shift assist smoothness seems to depend on various conditions, speed, acceleration/deceleration rate, etc. I am with you, as long as they continue to include a clutch lever, I am happy to use it. But then I am old enough to have driven with unsynchronized transmissions.

[TEWKS]

Closed throttle on downshifts is how I do it. Anything other than that makes for very expensive noises coming out of the gearbox.

 

Pat

[Mike]

Rev-match on downshift?? You are supposed to downshift with the throttle fully closed, when using the shift-assist.

 

Yep, that's what I do . . . closed throttle. When I was new to the RT I tried to "optimize" it by acting like a rider, only to realize that the bike was smarter than I was.

 

Downshifting works well throughout the gear range.

 

[tallman]

Closed throttle on downshifts is how I do it. Anything other than that makes for very expensive noises coming out of the gearbox.

 

Pat

 

Being out of the game a while, I've not ridden with that/

Sounds like a great addition.

 

However, a nice thing about my old school GT, put it in 2nd gear and

that covered a world of speeds in the twisties from almost stopped to north of comfort in many places.

Somewhere like the Dragon it covered the 15 to 70.

For some reason old school appeals to a Luddite like me...

[marcopolo]

Closed throttle on downshifts is how I do it. Anything other than that makes for very expensive noises coming out of the gearbox.

 

Pat

 

Exactly, Pat, as you and others have pointed out. The manual is quite explicit about downshifts, using shift-assist: the throttle is supposed to be closed. You are not supposed to manually blip the throttle; the shift-assist will do that for you. For upshifts, use steady throttle.

[Frustrated_Diver]

Thanks to all for the suggestions. Saturday i have an appointment with the dealer and i will ask about the software patch.

 

The service manager said there were no pending recalls for my bide so we will see. As suggested, there always is the Luddite method but I've been spoiled so i hope to get it fixed. In this one case, i really don't believe it is an ID-10-T error on my part.

[BigTup]

Just got a 2016, and I like the clutch less feature. In low RPM down shifts I keep the throttle on. If compression braking I close the throttle, but I use the clutch more often than not. Now that the bike has 4k miles the clutch less shifting is getting very smooth.

[hopz]

Yo, Rick... a minor point but ... you mentioned that your dealer said there were no recalls on your bike.

 

I would point out that in BMW-speak "Recalls" are one thing and "Service Bulletins" are another.

 

Let us hear how it goes.

[Frustrated_Diver]

The bike (with me on it) visited the dealer Saturday. After a couple of reloads of the shift assist software and test rides they though it was fixed. NOT. So, i will be leaving the bike with them for a few days of intensive trouble shooting. Withdrawal will be painful -- hope they get it fixed fast.

[Frustrated_Diver]

The dealer is replacing the shift assist unit today. Not sure what a "unit" is since I though this was software in the bike's brain with maybe a simple switch on the shifter. Should know this evening if all is fixed.

[PadG]

The dealer is replacing the shift assist unit today. Not sure what a "unit" is since I though this was software in the bike's brain with maybe a simple switch on the shifter. Should know this evening if all is fixed.

There is a mechanical module that is attached and operated via the shift linkage. Look at the picture below. The module within box #11 is the module:

 

[Frustrated_Diver]

Happy to report the new module seems to be working just fine. Thanks all for the comments and advice.