Trouble going into first gear.

[Coop28]

I have just bought a used 2005 r1150r with only 2400 miles and seemingly in showroom condition. It is my first BMW and my first bike in about 15 years so I am "rusty" at best. My problem relates to shifting into 1st gear from neutral at initial startup. The shifter will not go into gear unless I try it several times. This does not seem to happen while riding but I have only ridden it a couple of times. Is this something common to BMW? ....to this model?......my technique?......or is it something that needs to be checked? Thanks for your help.

[bmwmick]

I have just bought a used 2005 r1150r with only 2400 miles and seemingly in showroom condition. It is my first BMW and my first bike in about 15 years so I am "rusty" at best. My problem relates to shifting into 1st gear from neutral at initial startup. The shifter will not go into gear unless I try it several times. This does not seem to happen while riding but I have only ridden it a couple of times. Is this something common to BMW? ....to this model?......my technique?......or is it something that needs to be checked? Thanks for your help.

Technique. These trannies stop almost immediately when you disengage the clutch. Try letting the clutch back out then immediately drop to first gear when you pull it in. Pre-loading the shift lever towards first gear helps too.

[kbasa]

Sometimes, if you rock the bike back and forth a smidge, it'll help.

Mick's techniques work really well too.

[Mika]

Great choice in bikes, you will love it. Mick's suggestion will work 99% of the time when you have the trouble, then use KBasa's if it fails.

[Coop28]

Thanks guys....BTW I already "love" my r1150r

[Xaque]

yeah, I have the exact same problem with my 2004 1150r.

My solution, as stated earlier, is "pre-load" the shift lever and let the clutch out ever so slowly...

tranny slips into 1st every time.

Although, i'm hoping that it will smooth out in this regard after a few more thousand miles..

-Xaque-

[PUDGYPAINTGUY]

Just an opinion although the shifting, even from standing still seems easier and smoother with synthetic oil in the tranny too. The frequency of this happening does not seem to be as often, or I am getting used to it making allowances without knowing it perhaps.

[ultracyclist]

I am encountering the same problem on my '02 R1150R. If I stop, take it out of gear, and then try to get back into first, I have to move the bike forward or back an inch or so.
What is this "pre-loading " the shift lever?

What is the correct procedure for this?

\Thank you

[Xaque]

I am encountering the same problem on my '02 R1150R. If I stop, take it out of gear, and then try to get back into first, I have to move the bike forward or back an inch or so.
What is this "pre-loading " the shift lever?

What is the correct procedure for this?

\Thank you

By "pre-loading" I mean that I press down on the shift lever ever-so-slightly (just the weight of your foot even), than slowly let the clutch out. After a little bit of travel in the clutch lever, the tranny will "drop" right into 1st no prob.

Saves having to rock the bick forward or backward everytime.

-Xaque-

[Coop28]

Yes "rocking" seems to help but how CAN it help to rock the bike when you are in neutral? Nothing moving in the trans, right? Glad to hear that others are experiencing the same problem - that it is not just my bike or me!

[RTRandy]

That's a normal issue and nothing wrong with the bike. Over time you'll know how to compensate and starting out will go smooth each and every time. There's a sweet spot when letting the clutch out just before it grabs and the shifter will drop into 1st gear. From doing this a lot, you'll eventually release the clutch to the needed spot without thinking about it.

Often if you squeeze the clutch all the way in and hold it tight, you can stomp on the lever all day long and it won't go into first. Just let the clutch out and you'll feel it drop.

The moving of the bike can work, but if you're carrying a load and stopped on a grade, that may not be an option.

[cjack]

I have just bought a used 2005 r1150r with only 2400 miles and seemingly in showroom condition. It is my first BMW and my first bike in about 15 years so I am "rusty" at best. My problem relates to shifting into 1st gear from neutral at initial startup. The shifter will not go into gear unless I try it several times. This does not seem to happen while riding but I have only ridden it a couple of times. Is this something common to BMW? ....to this model?......my technique?......or is it something that needs to be checked? Thanks for your help.

BMW transmission gears are all meshed all the time. However, to select a gear, it has to be selected by moving a gear or disk with four or five dogs on it into a gear or disk with four or five holes in it. In order to get the dogs into the holes, the whole thing has to be rotating to get them to line up at some point. When the bike is sitting still, the rear wheel is not rotating the gears and/or the dry clutch being in, the motor is not rotating the gears. So when you try to select a gear, the dogs often find a place between two holes.
As to your question about being in neutral, the rear wheel is always connected to the shafts in the transmission even in neutral and will always rotate the gear sets allowing these dogs to find their mating holes.
What you have to do is roll the bike a bit or slip the clutch a bit. If your bike had a wet clutch, then the wet clutch would be rotating the gears and you would have no problem with the holes slipping around and finding a set of holes. However, the transmission would make a somewhat easy to hear clunk when the dogs went into the holes.
The reason preloading the shift lever works is because the gears are still rotating when you are pushing on the shift lever and pulling in the clutch.
I prefer to do it differently. I just pull in the clutch and push on the shift lever but do not release it until the clutch is all the way out again. I never miss a shift that way and do that with every shift every time. It especially works for when you are going around a corner and shifting from first to second. No false neutrals ever. I notice sometimes a small movement of the shift lever when letting out the clutch indicating that the dogs have just moved a bit more making my gear selection more secure.
BMW's have been this way forever with the dry clutch. You just have to get used to it.