Has anyone else found it difficult to select first gear when the engine is cold? I have a 2011 with about 3500 miles on the clock and have found it nearly impossable to engage first gear when cold. This has only been the case for the last 1000 miles and even rocking the bike back and forth does not seem to help.
Only occasionally. It helps me to keep pressure on the shifter (foot down) and slowly release the clutch to the point where the gear slips in. The latter happens way before the clutch engages, i.e. the bike will not start moving or anything.
Has anyone else found it difficult to select first gear when the engine is cold? I have a 2011 with about 3500 miles on the clock and have found it nearly impossable to engage first gear when cold. This has only been the case for the last 1000 miles and even rocking the bike back and forth does not seem to help.
Shift promptly into first as you pull in the clutch. If you miss the opportunity, release the clutch and try again. Three out four tries it "snicks" quietly into gear. Otherwise there is a more pronounced clunk. Haven't yet figured out how to control for the snick.
Bruce
Last edited by AncientMariner on Fri Oct 07, 2011 8:06 pm, edited 1 time in total.
'13 R12R Montego Blue
'10 R12R's Black Biarritz Blue RIP '95 Mystic Red K75
'94 Black HD FXDS
Also have noted the 'problem', but also have found a 'double clutch' or slow release solves the 'problem'. Minor annoyance for an otherwise superior bike.
CEW
2011 R1200R
IMHO..... I'm probably the least experienced rider in this forum but the technique I use is exactly like everyone else's except before I slowly let the clutch out I rev the motor before I try to shift... maybe 300 rpms above idle. Then shift before the motor completely revs down to idle. The explanation I heard / read was the trans had misaligned and revving the motor let the trans align itself.
I have used this technique when I have had to stop quickly and had not time to down shift and sometimes the trans gets caught between gears. It's a great bike ...good luck.
09 R1200R.....my bike shifts smooth as silk under all circumstances. A little nosiy cluncking sometimes...but always smooth and easy. Sitting in neutral and going into first nakes no noise at all and barely takes any pressure.
My '08 R1200R shifts better than any other BMW MC I've ever owned. BMW MCs historically have not been known for having butter smooth transmissions. You think the R1200R gearshift is clunky? Try shifting an old airhead. On an airhead, you pretty much have to shift into first from neutral by pulling in the clutch and then immediately shift into first; the transmission has to be spinning in other words. And I used to fairly regularly hit "false neutrals" between 2nd and 3rd on my airheads if I wasn't quite positive enough about my shifting technique.
Generally on my R1200R, it will go into first from neutral even if the transmission isn't spinning. But once in a while I find I have to do the same thing to get it into first gear - pull clutch, and immediately shift into first while the gears are still turning.
If it's in neutral, just let out the clutch, blip the gas ever so slightly, pull the clutch back in and press lightly on the gear pedal. It will go into first every time. At a red light changing to green, I always do it that way.
