BMW R1200RT/R1250RT Forum

Very annoying to be honest - the first is normal to hear "clank" but second, third, forth is I think a problem? (Especially 2-3-4)
My RT 2014 is having very clanking way of shifting gears... but sometimes is beautiful... smooth and no noise at all???
I have changed the oil to Motul and that improved a bit but not much...Any solution?
BTW Gear-shift assistant works perfectly...

Cheers!

What was the oil prior to the Motul?

Goran wrote: Very annoying to be honest - the first is normal to hear "clank" but second, third, forth is I think a problem? (Especially 2-3-4)
My RT 2014 is having very clanking way of shifting gears... but sometimes is beautiful... smooth and no noise at all???
I have changed the oil to Motul and that improved a bit but not much...Any solution?
BTW Gear-shift assistant works perfectly...

Cheers!

How long have you had the bike? Has it always done it?

My personal opinion is the "clanky" shifts of the R1200 LC tranny is charactoristic of any wet clutch.  I too, have gear shift assist, yet only use it from 4 to 5 and 5 to 6 because I only find those up-shifts acceptably smooth, else I use the clutch.  Depending on your climate, and within specification you can try a thicker oil (e.g., Amsoil Full Sythetic 20W-50), the increase cushion will smooth things out a tad, but I doubt will eliminate what you and every R1200 LC owner experiences.  Other things I do to reduce hard shifting. . .


-When coming to a stop, downshift to 1st as your speed drops below 2-4 mph; no "clunk"
-Rain mode will enable smoother shifting since its purpose is to minimize torque
-When up-shifting, pre-apply slight upward force to your shifter, THEN depress the clutch and shift


I'm sure there is more. . . hope this helps

Kunkies wrote: My personal opinion is the "clanky" shifts of the R1200 LC tranny is charactoristic of any wet clutch. 

Not so. My Wethead (2017 my). Is silky smooth in every gear up or down, shift assist or not. However it is ALWAYS noisy into 1st gear except when stone cold (when it is quiet).


However, from my experience with models from 2014 - 2016 were often noisy going between any gear.

bandytales wrote:
Not so. My Wethead (2017 my). Is silky smooth in every gear up or down, shift assist or not. However it is ALWAYS noisy into 1st gear except when stone cold (when it is quiet).


However, from my experience with models from 2014 - 2016 were often noisy going between any gear.

Same experience with mine

Mine has always done that too. It is just the way that they made the bike and not to worry. Just live with it. If you shift gears 1-4 do it at low rpm's. That will help. I still love the bike and it will outlast me I am sure. The newer ones 17 and up don't do it because they redesigned them.

Obviously, it's difficult to diagnose from a written description! If you are used to super-smooth Suzuki gearbox, then any BMW will seem clunky. Also, I'm not clear whether you have and use gear change assist. In general I have found that the best way to change without gear change assist, is to pull the clutch in only slightly and very quickly change gear and release the clutch. Speed is important. If your change is has three distinct stages (clutch in... change gear... clutch out...) then it will be noisy. Try to treat it as a single action: clutch in/change/clutch out in a microsecond.


Finally, a moderate clunk isn't necessarily a bad thing. You wouldn't complain if a bank vault door closed with a clunk, would you?

Rick B wrote: What was the oil prior to the Motul?

Thanks for your message/question... for last 4 years it was BMW recommended ADVANTEC Ultimate Oil.

siclmn wrote: Mine has always done that too. It is just the way that they made the bike and not to worry. Just live with it. If you shift gears 1-4 do it at low rpm's. That will help. I still love the bike and it will outlast me I am sure. The newer ones 17 and up don't do it because they redesigned them.

Thanks mate... looks like it:) Still the best!

bandytales wrote:
How long have you had the bike? Has it always done it?

I have the bike for just over the last year or so, I am not aware if it was a problem from the very beginning.

Dee Dub wrote: Obviously, it's difficult to diagnose from a written description! If you are used to super-smooth Suzuki gearbox, then any BMW will seem clunky. Also, I'm not clear whether you have and use gear change assist. In general I have found that the best way to change without gear change assist, is to pull the clutch in only slightly and very quickly change gear and release the clutch. Speed is important. If your change is has three distinct stages (clutch in... change gear... clutch out...) then it will be noisy. Try to treat it as a single action: clutch in/change/clutch out in a microsecond.


Finally, a moderate clunk isn't necessarily a bad thing. You wouldn't complain if a bank vault door closed with a clunk, would you?

Cheers mate and thanks for your input:)

Strangely, even after a 30 second warm-up in a temperate climate, I sometimes can't tell if the bike's gone into first gear.  No sound at all, much less the characteristic clunk, and no shift lever feedback.  It seems that it even needs a bit of revving to get it to fall into first.  When fully warmed up, it's the usual BMW clunkiness, especially noticeable going into first, which makes the aforementioned "stealth" shift all the more remarkable.  Still, it's so much smoother and quieter than in the old days.  You might not have been sure when you played "name that exhaust note" of an unseen bike passing your house, but when you heard the "clunk", you nodded and said "Beemer".