BMW R 1200RT 2nd to 3rd shift issue

the Ferret

the Ferret

Daily rider since May 1965
Joined
Feb 5, 2008
Messages
1,969
Age
75
Location
So-Oh
Bike
21 NC750 14 CB1100
2025 Miles
005566
A buddy of mine from Denver bought a used BMW R1200RT (2015) with 10,000 miles on it. Beautiful bike. However he is having an issue where every 10 th series of shifts (approx, not by number count), it gets stuck in second and won't make the 2nd to 3rd gear shift, especially when at normal operating temperature. He lifts up on the lever and there is no resistance. He called the dealer and dealer says either oil or possibly software glitch.

He is a very experienced rider (multiple Iron Butt rides for the last 20 years) and has 2 other BMW's (R100RS he has put 134,000 miles on and an F800GT) plus a CB 11100 in his garage. I can tell you for sure it is not operator error.

Any ideas from you BMW pilots?
 
I'm curious to hear how s/w would get involved when shifting gears.
 
Sounds like the dealer has heard about this before.
I don't ever want a bike that needs, or is dependent on SOFTWARE to shift gears.
Good luck troubleshooting this 1.
 
He needs to get his BMW back to the dealer Quickly. Since its got a 36 month/ 36,000 mile warranty time is of the essense.
 
BMW tranny's are clunky, but that behavior is odd.

I wonder if the culprit is the shift-assist-pro mechanism. The mechanism is a plastic housing built into the shifter linkages, and contains a spring assembly and electronics switches that feedback to ignition. The mechanism is flaky IMO as it makes the shifting vague and squishy feeling. If the mechanism is failing, perhaps the gear lever movement simply is stopped in that mechanism and isn't getting into the transmission.

+1 to get it to the dealer.
 
In Oct 2018 there's a good chance his 36 months are already up on a 2015 model unless it was purchased very late in the year, or in 2016 as a leftover model. Kinda ironic that a shift-assist mechanism makes the shifting vague, squishy, or possibly even non-existent. But I'm sure it will be a very cheap fix if its not under warranty. :rofl1:
 
I have a 2016 BMW R1200RS. I find the shift assist pro to be very smooth.
I have not heard of this problem. And I hope I don't ever have it. I have a little over 4 years of warranty to go. I hope if it happens it happens under warranty.
 
Ferret. I think your friend is going to be a little less well off as this is likely to be a dealer fix. Whether it's mechanical or S/W unless your friend is either a skilled motorcycle technician or a programmer for NASA then I can't see a way out. Could be he'll get help from a BMW specific forum, but whenever I've checked in it seems full of guys telling anyone with an issue it's just "CHARACTER". Whatever that is?
I think Keith has got the best idea, long warranty is what's needed on just about any modern vehicle but that probably won't help your mate out.
FWIW.
Upt'North.
 
Yea to those who inquired about warranty, he bought the bike used with a couple months of warranty left which of course expired before issue surfaced.

Thanks for your input guys.
 
Daboo said:
I wish your friend luck. It's an example of why BMW stands for Bring More Wallet.

Chris
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What do you suppose a diagnosis and repair, for a similar problem on and ST, would cost at a Honda dealer?

I know, I know......such a problem would never crop up on an ST;), but just wondering. Might be better to compare it to a problem with the DCT gearbox though.
 
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drrod said:
What do you suppose a diagnosis and repair, for a similar problem on and ST, would cost at a Honda dealer?
Click to expand...

zero, because Honda didn't put a plastic box interface in the shifter linkage to begin with, so if its not there it can't fail. Shifting issues are pretty rare with just about any bike, so why BMW thought there was a problem that needed solving is beyond me. Its the main reason I ride an older bike, the engineers have gone too far with add-on systems that provide very little true benefit, yet create many new failure (read service dept. $$$) opportunities.
 
drrod said:
What do you suppose a diagnosis and repair, for a similar problem on and ST, would cost at a Honda dealer?

I know, I know......such a problem would never crop up on an ST;), but just wondering.
Click to expand...
It's a moot point. It wouldn't come up.

Upt' North said:
Ferret. I think your friend is going to be a little less well off as this is likely to be a dealer fix. Whether it's mechanical or S/W unless your friend is either a skilled motorcycle technician or a programmer for NASA then I can't see a way out. Could be he'll get help from a BMW specific forum, but whenever I've checked in it seems full of guys telling anyone with an issue it's just "CHARACTER". Whatever that is?
I think Keith has got the best idea, long warranty is what's needed on just about any modern vehicle but that probably won't help your mate out.
FWIW.
Upt'North.
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I dropped my membership in the BMW MOA. Owning a BMW, has opened my eyes to what the "BMW experience" is like. The Honda shaft-driven bikes don't fail. They're about as bullet-proof as you'll find. But the BMW final drive isn't. When some members expressed their feelings about the final drive failing, one guy replied back saying we should be happy and proud that we have such great machines that only highly trained BMW technicians work on them. And if you can't afford it...you don't deserve to own a BMW.

I think I'm a Honda man. I certainly didn't drink the Kool-aid.
 
Daboo said:
one guy replied back saying we should be happy and proud that we have such great machines that only highly trained BMW technicians work on them. And if you can't afford it...you don't deserve to own a BMW.
Click to expand...

given the size of the Internet, there's going to be a few people who are that stupid.
 
Daboo,
I use a well respected independent to do those things on the 11 I really can't be bothered with, like changing my own tyres. This man is Honda trained and has been self employed and independent for around 20 years.
I always ask him to check mine over and he kindly obliges, usually costs me a packet of chocolate digestives.
I know from conversations we have had that many of his regulars have been lured by the BMW brand image and purchased mainly GS and RT B'mers. They get quite upset when he tells them to go to the main dealer for anything other than routine service work, even more upset when they know it's £70.00 an hour labour!
But you are so spot on, there is a mentality amongst some BMW owners that if you can't afford it don't buy one. What do you expect, they go wrong and we have to pay to fix them.
From a personal viewpoint I wonder what bikes we will buy used in 10 or 20 years time, I can't see me wanting a bike with cornering ABS, anti wheelie control, anti stoppie control etc.
But then again, we will have more to worry about with anti pollution legislation which will no doubt render our ST11's unrideable anyway. This is already happening in the EU, I tried to obtain a Crit Air certificate for France this year so I could ride through some French cities en-route to Italy, your bike is too old Monsieur.
Rode through them anyway, sun still came up.
Upt'North.
 
I'll bet in 10-20 years, you won't be buying BMW. (I'll probably be riding my wheel chair in 20 years! ;) )

Here's a quote from the owner of Bob's BMW, one of the largest BMW motorcycle dealerships in the country. He also owns a BMW motorcycle museum. What he says, is not conducive to selling BMW motorcycles.

From BMW Owners News, May 2018, pg 37-38

While there, I had a conversation with Bob on the preservation of motorcycles. His opinion is that the modern bikes, with their plastic parts and electronic controls and mechanisms, will start to break down around the ten-year mark, whether the bike is ridden extensively or stored in a climate-controlled museum. The older bikes, almost entirely made of metal, tend to hold up much longer. Any airhead owner will agree.
Click to expand...

Chris
 
Daboo said:
But the BMW final drive isn't.
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I think there was a time that the final drives where a problem but they seem to have it under control for at least 10 years. My 2012 R1200RT has 116,000 km now and have basically only done normal maintenance and the recall for the handle bar switch gear. The labour cost at the dealer is the same as the cost of the independent car mechanic I take my car to. Tires cost the same for BMW as any other bike, the brake flush costs about 50% more but my ST did not have ABS, oil filter is about same. The dealer experience was much better, at the Honda dealer I was basically anonymous where at this dealer the owner, service writer and a couple of mechanics know and greet me by name. I would not hesitate to buy another RT.

Gerhard
 
I think if you take any brand bike to the dealer every 6,000 miles the staff gets to know you.
 
Gerhard said:
...at the Honda dealer I was basically anonymous where at this dealer the owner, service writer and a couple of mechanics know and greet me by name. I would not hesitate to buy another RT.

Gerhard
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First, I'm glad you like your RT. I just wonder what was changed to the final drive, and when I asked what the root cause of the final drive failures was on the MOA forum, no one could give me an answer. Neither could they say what changed. And some of those members there are really expert on everything to do with the bikes. I hope BMW has fixed it.

Subaru has had a long history of head gasket failures on its 4-cylinder engines. With each new generation, everyone on the forum keeps hoping the headgasket issue has been fixed. As of 2012, it hadn't. Maybe it has on the latest ones. I hope BMW is better about this.

:) In fun only...I thought of a response to that line of yours that I quoted. Perhaps the reason you were anonymous at the Honda dealer, is you didn't bring your Honda in often enough for them to know you? :) But when the mechanics know you by name...that's a relationship you really need to question. :)

Chris
 
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