BMW R1200RT/R1250RT Forum

Hi All,
I have a 2012 R1200RT and am extremely satisfied with the bike in all, especially cruising comforts.
Unfortunately I am experiencing a clunking sound, coming from the gearbox area, when selecting and changing gears. When pulling away from start the clunking, or maybe a thumping sound can be heard. This sound can also be heard when downshifting gears, which is quite annoying. When the clutch has been fully released and cruising along no sound can be heard.
I am told it is excessive play in the input shaft due to the spring tension being not enough to keep the knuckle under sufficient pressure to prevent freeplay.
Has anybody experienced something similar and, if so, what was the solution, if any?
Would appreciate any comment/s, suggestion/s and/or solution information.
I am from South Africa in the Eastern Cape province in Port Elizabeth, or as is known now as Gqeberha.
Thanks in anticipation.

I think you’ll find that that’s one of the quirks of the RT. The gearbox can be described as ‘agricultural’, mine sounds the same as do most of them.

What you’re describing sounds like the common clunking from excessive play in the gearbox input shaft, often due to insufficient spring tension on the shift mechanism. Many R1200RT owners have fixed it by checking clutch adjustment, inspecting the shift knuckle and spring, and replacing worn components if needed. Proper lubrication also helps. It’s usually a minor fix rather than a full gearbox rebuild. Having a BMW-certified mechanic inspect it is the safest approach.

I went through exactly the same experience when I got my RT, until one day in traffic I approached a stranger who was also riding an RT from the same generation. He immediately told me that it was perfectly normal and showed me that his bike made the same noises too. The fact is, many tens of kilometers have gone by since then without any problems.