BMW R1200R R1150R/T F800 K1200R R1100R/T R1250R RnineT Message Board

sometimes the shift is as smooth as butter, a nice snick, let out the clutch and you're on your way. Other times it's a horrendous clunk that sounds like the gears are going to fall out of the case. What's the secret to smooth gear changes?

Practice!

miles

The rider

I get the same thing, not always a smooth shift and I don't know what I'm doing differently. The CLUNK scares me. I must need more practice...but if any of you r1200r gurus have any suggestions for consistent smooth shifting please share your wisdom with us noobs

When I picked up the bike the dealer told me - "it doesn't shift like regular bikes" and went on to say use just a quick flick of the clutch, no need to pull it in all the way (except for first gear) and don't need to use the clutch at all going into 5 and 6 gears. Any truth to this?

I try to think as if I were doing a "clutch-less" shift. So if I'm up-shifting the engine rpm's are falling during a shift and if I'm down-shifting the rpm's are increasing during the shift. In all cases, I "pre-load the shifter" - when you are in a gear with the clutch engaged and push up (for an up-shift) or down (for a down shift) on the shift lever gently - it will move slightly but not shift per se.

If you do both of these things at exactly the same & right time - the transmission will shift with no clutch. As these two things are happening, I grab the clutch level (to disengage the clutch) but I don't pull the clutch level completely but rather just enough to make the shift (I perceive this as about 1/2 way). In actual practice, I preload the shifter first, then work the throttle and the clutch lever at the same time - as the gearing engages my foot completes the shift from preload to full shift.

When I get the timing right - there is a smooth and solid shift with no noise at all. Up-shifting is much easier than down-shifting but either can be done smoothly with enough practice. With practice this combination movement becomes automatic and very smooth.

cheers and good luck,

My 2.2c ....($AUD)

N to 1st: Pull clutch in just before you select 1st. Holding clutch in before selecting 1st often results in 'lock out'.
1st to 2nd: Engage toe with lever and only use half clutch travel. Kicking at the lever will cause in imprecise shift.
4th,5th,6th: Clutch need only be brushed or not used at all.

6th down to 2nd: use a little rear brake when downshifting. This seems to take all the slack out of the driveline and removes the clunk.
2nd to 1st: Make this selection only when virtually stopped.

Tom

...and dropping from 3 to 2 when approaching a freeway onramp at 6k rpms will get the rear wheel to hopping up and down. That dry clutch is sticky...

Big pucker factor on that one. Won't do that again.

Some good thoughts on shifting here, I'll try some of these when I get back to my bike this weekend...thanks

I'm pretty much with Jed above on this one - I'd agree with his points... all I'd add is that....

basically the quicker you shift (even when riding normally) generally the gearchange (up) will be smooth. The fact that the engine speed is rotating at a similar speed to the disengaged gearbox has a lot to do with it.

If you change up slowly and deliberately (i.e. letting the rpms drop down while you disengage the clutch and select the next ratio) then you are far more likely to get the CLUNK - this is the result of the gears selected in the 'box turning at different speeds having to mesh together.

Lots of people think that shifting slowly and deliberately is kinder to a transmission - on a large truck with a slow revving engine, heavy flywheels and beefy manual transmission gears this is true. But, on a motorcycle with their sequential shift gearboxes, in general they respond better the quicker the shift technique (I can't say as I have no experience if this is AS true for Harley's and their like - and HD's engine and transmission characteristics are pretty different to these bikes and Jap 4-cyl stuff).

Downshifts - the above reasons are why so many riders 'blip' the throttle on downshifts (a bit like truckers do when double-declutching on heavy-goods vehicles with manual transmissions) - the short boost in engine rpm's on the 'blip' effect is to 'match' the speeds of the various components so they mesh together as cleanly as possible. Again - if you do the downshift slowly and deliberately, then you're going to get clunks (and rear wheel lock-ups if changing down at high rpm's as one poster mentions above).

UPSHIFTS. As Jed puts it (TIP - always be accellerating - even if only gently before ANY upshift) - get your foot in position with slight loading pressure on the shift lever in advance, then the upshift should then be a simultaneous 'flick' of the wrist on the throttle (close then open) while the clutch is whipped in (while closing throttle) and out (opening throttle) - you do the two motions together so it is quite natural and easier than it sounds. BTW - don't worry about by how much you pull in the clutch lever - you'll naturally operate the clutch lever enough as the technique doesn't rely on the clutch to do anything other than assist a bit. While the above hand movements are going on, the slight pressure your foot is already applying will see to it that the next ratio slots home nicely.

DOWNSHIFTS. Similar technique to upshifting, except you simultaneously 'blip' the throttle (open then close - from a closed throttle as you are decellerating of course!). The 'blip' is done while whipping the clutch in and out and changing down a gear. Result - smooth clunk-free downshift and no rear wheel lock-ups (which are basically the result of the rear wheel & transmission trying to make the engine turn instantly faster due to the drop in gearing relative to road speed. The 'blip' technique eliminates the 'relative speed mismatch' [unless you do something really dumb like bang it down 2 gears from max rpm's and dump the clutch - in which case you deserve to be sat on your ass in the road anyway!] and gives you smooth controlled decelleration and downchanges.

TIP - the shift between 2nd to 1st is generally a bigger gap than between other gears, and the shift also has to travel through Neutral [reasons why the CLUNK is often greatest and most frequent between the bottom 2 gears]. The good news is that no-one really ever has to bang it down to 1st on the move - 1st is only really needed to pull away, or when trickling at walking pace (generally with clutch control as well to keep the drive smooth and snatch-free). It's far better to gently press the shift down from 2nd and select Neutral as you come to a stop, or change down to 1st just before you come to rest and keep the clutch in rather than use 1st gear to slow and stop the bike.

I hope this helps with clunk-free riding !

G.

My 2010 R12R is pretty new to me, and it is my first BMW. The info in this thread has been really helpful, and upped the fun factor quite a bit for me. Thanks for the great tips!!

One thing that always suprised me on BMW R bikes is the engine drag when you let off the throttle. It's as true on the 1200R as it was on my old RT. It's almost like a trucks jake brake. I bet letting off the accelerator before fully engaging the clutch would sure cause some helmet banging.

This question has brought up a useful thread. I will trying these techniques tomorrow afternoon. Thanks all.

jkhomes wrote:One thing that always suprised me on BMW R bikes is the engine drag when you let off the throttle. It's as true on the 1200R as it was on my old RT. It's almost like a trucks jake brake. I bet letting off the accelerator before fully engaging the clutch would sure cause some helmet banging.

This question has brought up a useful thread. I will trying these techniques tomorrow afternoon. Thanks all.

If I'm correctly understanding what you're saying, this has completely solved that issue for me. I was not unhappy before, but now have really good control over how I want the bike to perform while shifting.

after a few weeks with my bike now, my observations are the bike shifts much happier when shifting in higher rpm
when downshifting i have tried the suggestion on this topic of clutch in rev up a little then down shift and its smooth as butter.

qfman wrote:2nd to 1st: Make this selection only when virtually stopped.

Not necessarily. Back in the day, riding my Oilhead in the Alps, I discovered that hairpins (both going up and going down) were much easier if the bike was under power. Just keep the revs up (I remember 3K to 5K) add some throttle as you downshift, and you'll snick into 1st easy as pie. Dancing back and forth from first to second and down to first and so on was lovely, smooth and satisfying.

Bump for some good techniques I will be working on this weekend . . .

I just did 656 miles in the Adirondacks, worked on shifting. Practice is key, the tips here are good, thanks!

I love this bike

hi all
just read all the posts , i do the same as jed ,on a aprilia i used to own i only ever used the clutch when starting off ,changing down i used the clutch ,however many occasions i used to change down without clutch ,need a good combination with throttle and revs and being quick to get a smooth change , (fear of breaking box comes to mind ).
from start off when cold i always tend to move bike a little forward as i put it into first ,always a smooth action no clunks .
i cringe when i see others stamping on the gear change to get it in gear ,25 years back had to mend a gear box with bent selectors ,it was all that i could afford , then a week later the gear box gave up .being broke i had to mend myself and it was a lot of trouble to do being naive .