First gear hard to engage

[nevada72]

I've been having a problem getting into 1st gear occassionally. Typically at a stoplight I shift to neutral and wait for the green clutch lever out. More often than not today, I would shift into 1st, let the clutch out, and go nowhere. It stayed in neutral despite making the usual "clunk". I would have to try again, sometimes a few times before finally going into 1st gear. So is this the dreaded clutch spline failure or some other uber $$$ well known problem?

[civicblade]

Hi Nevada72,

I have the same issue with my year 96 R1100R.

Take some trick to engage 1st gear from neutral at times. Don't think it is an issue with spine failures. More like the dogs on the constant mesh gear box not be able to engage, perhaps due some slack at the gear linkages or bent shift detents.

[Ves]

I don't know if this is relevant to the 1100, but with the 1150 it's hit or miss. There's really nothing that guarantees that the gears will be lined up when you're at at stop shifting into first. Here's what works for me:

First, about the clunk. The bike does not have to clunk when you shift into first. All you have to do is wait a second, after you pull in the clutch, before you shift down. I haven't really thought through why that is (something to do with the input shaft speed vs the output shaft), but it's a fact. That's not true with some bikes. With some bikes, no matter how long you hold the clutch in before you click into first, they always clunk.

Why would it clunk and not go into first gear. My guess is that the gears were still spinning and almost engaged but then popped back out.

Method to solve all problems. Pull clutch in wait a second, click into first, if it doesn't engage then let clutch out again, pull it in, wait a second and click into first. It's just a matter of spinning the gears and lining them up so they engage.

This all assume you don't have any major problems like messed up gears or a bent shift fork.

[nevada72]

Thanks guys - your words are encouraging! They also make sense. I'll do the delayed shift after clutching. I was doing some reading on the topic of clutches and transmissions and the Clymer book says that all but one of the gears are straight cut. My car experience is that straight cut gears are a different way of shifting, so I guess it stands to reason that it may be different on a bike too.

[Arbee]

That sounds like a classic clutch cable/slave cylinder issue...
i would start with an investigation.

[sweatmark]

nevada-

The R850/1100R had three versions of the 5-speed transmission, with some potential for shift dog problems in at least one version. I had an R850 that ran flawlessly (though clunk-ily) without transmission difficulty, and we owned an R1100R that exhibited your type of symptoms and likely had transmission problems at the time we bought it (used). The solution is a transmission rebuild or replacement, whichever is cheaper, and "authoritative" shifting technique in the mean time.

[civicblade]

Other than 1st gear engagement from neutral requires some trick, other gear changes are precise enough to make shifting a hassle free experience.

the trick to get the first gear to engage is to throttle a little, bring the engine speed to 1.8-2k rpm, release throttle, clutch in shift while the engine is still slightly above 1.3krpm. It most works most of the time.

50% of time, I can engage straight from neutral at idling to 1st.

[nevada72]

Other than 1st gear engagement from neutral requires some trick, other gear changes are precise enough to make shifting a hassle free experience.

50% of time, I can engage straight from neutral at idling to 1st.

That sounds just like my experience. Also, it seems as if it does better cold. I say "seems" because I live at least 15 miles from my first stop - often farther. The first shift of the day has never been a problem.

I'll try the suggested "tricks" and see how that goes. The bike goes in Thursday for the 36k service. I have no experience with BMW bike mechanicals so I want to start with a good base line before doing too much tinkering of my own. I'll ask them about the shifting issue too.

[Gabe]

Hi Nevada. I have the R1150R and I have the same problem that Ves has. Sometimes it goes ok into 1st gear, other times I have to wait a few seconds for me to be able to put it into 1st. No clunking. If trafic behind me gets impatient i then go into second gear and as soon as the bike's wheels start turning I put it down into 1st and accelerate.

[Ves]

For me, the 1 second wait is just to avoid the clunk. If it's just an issue of not engaging, let the clutch out, pull it in, and on the next click it always goes in...

Have you ever stopped and ended up in like 3rd gear? I do that sometimes if I'm lazy about my downshifting... of you really want to have fun.. stop in fifth gear than then try to shift all the way to 1st. Not going to happen. Only way to do it is let the clutch out just enough to move the bike a bit, pull it in, shift down, let the clutch out just enough to move the bike a bit, pull it in, shift down, etc.. or you can push the bike back and fourth with your feet to move the gears so they engage as you shift... it's the same thing going on when you can't shift into 1st from N; need to spin the gears one way or another... pulling the clutch in and letting it out moves them enough so you can engage.... Again, assuming you have no real mechanical issues...

[nevada72]

Tried the tricks today. I did the early clutch and the shift on RPM drop together. There was definitely an improvement. In fact, I think I popped back into neutral only twice. The side benefit of all that was a silent, clunk free shift into 1st. I found if I was slow and methodical it worked pretty well, but if I rushed, it was a problem. Unfortunately, a new issue cropped up - popping into neutral from 1st on a roll - long after 1st gear had been engaged and used. Today, for the first time, I would roll up to a stop sign, clutch in and in 1st gear, (no shift to neutral necessary as I would proceed immediately after stopping) and when I would release the clutch to proceed, I found it had slipped into neutral a couple of times. Not sure what that's about.

[mrbreeze]

Tried the tricks today. I did the early clutch and the shift on RPM drop together. There was definitely an improvement. In fact, I think I popped back into neutral only twice. The side benefit of all that was a silent, clunk free shift into 1st. I found if I was slow and methodical it worked pretty well, but if I rushed, it was a problem. Unfortunately, a new issue cropped up - popping into neutral from 1st. Today, for the first time, I would roll up to a stop sign, clutch in and in 1st gear, (no shift to neutral necessary as I would proceed immediately after stopping) and when I would release the clutch to proceed, I found it had slipped into neutral a couple of times. Not sure what that's about.

Well, if it's any comfort to you, mine does that too. I am getting into the habit of double checking it before the light turns green.

Frustrating, really. I wish Honda would import the CBF1000 to the States...

[mxstone]

I had a similar issue with my 2001 R1100R and I finally figured out that if you push down into 1st gear when coming off neutral and hold the pressure a half second longer that would be normal on most bikes, it stays in gear every time. I think most people are like me and have developed a habit over the years of 'popping" the shifter down into first when the time comes to get going and the BMW shifter doesn't tolerate that style very well. It is almost like the springyness of the shift asembly kicks it back out of gear if you don't hold it down for an extra half beat and then take your foot off the shifter a little more slowly. YMMV

[roadglide]

Here a trick that that works for me, My R1100 R 9 out 10 times will be reluctant to shift in to first gear. At a stop light I just roll the Bike back about three or four inches and will have no problem shifting in to first. Its done this since the day I bought the Bike.

[philbytx]

All good stuff about preloading/rolling yr bike etc but another thing that helps is changing yr gear oil to 75w140 synthetic. You will definitely notice the difference

I've been having a problem getting into 1st gear occassionally. Typically at a stoplight I shift to neutral and wait for the green clutch lever out. More often than not today, I would shift into 1st, let the clutch out, and go nowhere. It stayed in neutral despite making the usual "clunk". I would have to try again, sometimes a few times before finally going into 1st gear. So is this the dreaded clutch spline failure or some other uber $$$ well known problem?