1st Gear

[Big_G]

Hello all. This is Big G.
I am a new convert to boxers.
Jap no more - Honda VFR traded in and now the proud owner of an R1100S. I've had it for a few months.

Only 1 question - 1st Gear.
Is it normally that sticky to get it in when the bike is cold?
Its fine when its warmed up.

[Gromit]

Welcome BG - good to see you've come back into the warm from having a V*R (yes...I've been there)

As to 1st gear - yes, they can be a bit sticky especially if low mileage. Tip: Hold foot down on gear lever after putting into 1st then whilst doing so gently release clutch to biting point. The gear'll pop in easy (in fact you'll feel it). You do get used to it.

[winger]

Just change the gearbox oil to fully syn,it'll solve the problem straight away,Mobil 1 is what you want,but there are plenty of other brands that will do the job just as well.

Chris

[andrew s]

Another tip I found, was when I stop at lights or something else I always roll back a couple of inches, this helps getting back into first very easily after neutral.

By the way, if you fancy a ride out or meet up there are a few of us over in the Kingdom.

Andrew

[Big_G]

Thanks for the tips - I have been using the one about rolling the bike backwards. Am also changing the oil this week anyway.

A run sounds good. I am originally from Dunfermline and I will be up there this summer on the bike.

Big G

[mdouglas]

I also hail from Dunfermline. (Born '66 and went to Queen Anne so no idea if we know of each other or not). I live in London now. Still got family living near Knockhill, but I've never had the bike up there.

One other thing with first gear. It will not go in if you have been sitting with the clutch lever pulled in. None of the Beemer bikes I've had will. You need to be ready to engage 1st within a second or two of pulling in the clutch. Then I find it snicks in every time.

[carlk]

When commuting I leave mine in 1st with the clutch pulled in, not cos of the gearbox tho' I just cant be ar5ed with the hendon shuffle.
I have noticed the 1st time I engage 1st gear it's not keen until you drag the clutch but subsequent engine restarts with the bike warm are ok
4 years of Buell ownership have made me indifferent to quirks like this

[andrew s]

Went over Knockhill on Sunday, still had loads of snow about.

We have some excellent roads up here I can take you on. I am a Welsh man myself so please don't think I am a native, just live and work here.

Carlk,

What do you mean by the Hendon Shuffle, they don't teach to put the left leg down do they, only on hill starts. Hope I got the right meaning when you mentioned that, sorry if I didn't.

Andrew

[bmwonder]

I think that BMW get their gearboxes made by John Deer for that authentic agricultural feel. It 's what the magazines call "character"

[bernsmartco]

Big G.
There was a post over on Pelican about just this the other day.

I find that if I release the clutch just slightly with weight on the gear lever it drops in very sweetly.

This would seem to underwrite the technical explanation from the usa.

[minivin]

yup, slightest drag on the clutch and 1st drops in beautifully, in fact I'm smitten with the g'box now as it's the best I've ever had on a bike, clutchless changing of gears up and down the box for 15 miles including going through salisbury (all the traffic lights were in my favour) proved to me that they aint agricultural after 24k miles

[carlk]

Carlk,

What do you mean by the Hendon Shuffle, they don't teach to put the left leg down do they, only on hill starts. Hope I got the right meaning when you mentioned that, sorry if I didn't.

Andrew

Yup cover the back brake whilst stopped. the front brake being far too much of a liability at very low speeds (ie coming to a stop and pulling away.