BMW R1200RT/R1250RT Forum

I would rely on your handbook more than an aftermarket book.  It's very easy to leave a little bit of silver showing in the window so you know it's not over filled. And on an LC  you probably will never need to add to it between services anyway so it's a non problem.

Re clunky changes from N to 1st. Not just a boxer engine trait, my K13GT was equally clunky, as are the other 4 in-line K engines. Annoying? Yes. Detrimental to gearbox life expectancy? Not that I'm aware of.......Besides, a gearbox  filled with spur gears will never be as silky smooth as a helical gear synchromesh box when it comes to changing gears at standstill.

Interesting side note, it's been reported by 1600 blog and some 1200 blogs, that the new oil recommended by BMW smooths out the clunky tranny we all have, has anyone had experience with this?

Let you know tomorrow when mine goes from Castrol to Shell(BMW)

Well, I have tried the technique of short shifting today and that certainly goes in easily but you really have to do it as soon as the wheels have started turning a few times to make it work.  It will take me some time to get used to doing that.  I have no view on the oil level point that has been raised.  I know the dealers have done two services on it and both times they fill it to the top of the circle.  That's what all the previous BMWs have been like too but never with this much hassle between 1st and 2nd.  Thanks for all your pointers.

I looked at the dash this morning as I changed from 1st to 2nd. Still no idea what the revs were but the speed for near silent changes was 20mph.

Bike just been serviced with the oil going from Castrol last year to Shell now.  Gear changing is unchanged.  As for how much oil should be in there.  After a 5 mile run and the bike in its centre stand a few minutes it looks to me to be just like the pic in the handbook.

Mines coming due for a change
Will try the 3.8 liter trick and report back if any changes are noted

Mine has 4l in it exactly and as you can see is at the correct level.

Recently popped into the BMW dealer in Berlin. BMW are recommending that oil level should be half way up sight glass for optimum gear change experience.

beemerboy9 wrote: Recently popped into the BMW dealer in Berlin. BMW are recommending that oil level should be half way up sight glass for optimum gear change experience.

Next oil change I'm going back up to the MAX fill line and see if I can tell any difference.  When the bike was new 12,700 miles ago, it was filled to top of the circle.  At the 700mile break-in service the dealer changed out oil and filled back up to the top again.  I did not notice anything different about shifting behavior, but then again it was very very new to me, and the bike was new and unbroken in as it were.  I read the article maybe 1K miles later and decided to remove oil back to the middle mark, and rode on.  Didn't really notice much, but again I was still quite new to the bike and would not notice subtle differences quite possibly.  With subsequent changes I've kept it at the middle mark assuming the recommendation in the article was valid.  Next change she's going back to MAX to see, now that I really know this machine, if there is any appreciable difference in shifting.

Pre-loading and short-shifting in gears 1 & 2 work best for me. It's amazing the racket that occurs when you forget to pre-load!


After 3rd gear I'm all about the Gear Pro in both directions. Best for me is upshifting anytime after 3.5k. Downshifting is best down around 2.5k or less. Too much less doing into 2 often leads to a tire chirp. I usually just downshift manually into 2 and 1.

Methos1979 wrote: Pre-loading and short-shifting in gears 1 & 2 work best for me. It's amazing the racket that occurs when you forget to pre-load!


After 3rd gear I'm all about the Gear Pro in both directions. Best for me is upshifting anytime after 3.5k. Downshifting is best down around 2.5k or less. Too much less doing into 2 often leads to a tire chirp. I usually just downshift manually into 2 and 1.

Hang in there I guarantee you it get much much better.  Shifting is 100% a non issue for me now and has been quite awhile.

I have no 1st to 2nd issue.  I just wish they'd bothered to include at least one neutral somewhere in the box...


:nervous:

RTman10 wrote: I looked at the dash this morning as I changed from 1st to 2nd. Still no idea what the revs were but the speed for near silent changes was 20mph.

Thanks. I will see how it goes at 20mph tomorrow.