95 R1100 RS shifting fork /gear issues

We bought a 95 R1100RSL last year with 1800 original miles on it. My fiancee put about 8,200 miles on it in the last 18 months. It just started slipping in 2nd between 3500 and 4000 RPM, usually turning to the right and accelerating. It may happen as much as 8 - 10 times in a 200-250 mile long day ride. We were told it might be a bent shifting fork and may have gear damage as well. Anyone familiar with this? Any idea of cost to repair?
Many thanks!

kgoodale said:

We bought a 95 R1100RSL last year with 1800 original miles on it. My fiancee put about 8,200 miles on it in the last 18 months. It just started slipping in 2nd between 3500 and 4000 RPM, usually turning to the right and accelerating. It may happen as much as 8 - 10 times in a 200-250 mile long day ride. We were told it might be a bent shifting fork and may have gear damage as well. Anyone familiar with this? Any idea of cost to repair?
Many thanks!

Click to expand...

Slipping? Or clunking/lurching in and out of gear. It makes a huge difference.

If "slipping" it could be the clutch, and if so, it could be a lack of free play in the cable - made worse by turning right.

If actually jumping in and out of gear - that is internal to the transmission.

Best guess if you remove the transmission and put it back in too - $700 to $1,000. Add at least $1,500 to that if a shop takes the bike and does everything.

I thought it was like slipping in and out of gear myself but we just had put barbacks put on it prior to this happening which made the cable tighter. Plus my 20 year old son took it out riding and dropped it on it's right side.
We had the valves adjusted, throttle's synchronized and barbacks installed. Chad (my son dropped it before we had a chance to do much riding. It had never exhibited this problem before.
If the clutch cable is too tight, why would this happen in 2nd only?

Thanks for your input!

Change the transmission oil and see if it comes out mocha coffee like. Maybe with lots of metal shavings. If so your trans is toast and needs rebuilding. Shift fork sounds right but I think also the bearings grenade. Hard to believe it happened to one with that low a mileage though. If it is bad have it fixed because youll only do more dammage and more $$$$ in the end. Good luck and tell us what you find out!

I agree with Paul. I have a 94 R1100RS, had it since 3,000 miles on it back in 94. That tranny is very sensitive to proper clutch setup and good shifting technique. I would make certain the clutch is set exactly to recommened specs, and hopefully the clutch splines are lubed, as that makes a big difference too. These trannys don't "slip" in gear, they are either in gear or out of gear, and there are false neutrals in the lower three gears when the shift forks have not fully engaged the gears between shifts.

Unless someone previously beat on the bike and abused the clutch/tranny I don't buy the bent shift fork idea as much. My 94 now has 143K on it and it shifts pretty good for that vintage. The 94 spec tranny was replaced under warranty at 60k miles with a 96 spec tranny, which now has 83k miles on it. I don't beat on my bike, but I certainly do not baby it.

But, technique also matters. Those older trannys do NOT respond to wimpy shifting, especially in the lower gears. I know because every now and then I do a wimpy shift to third and the bike jumps out of third to a "false neutral" between gears. When shifting, preload the gearshift lever with your boot top, squeeze the clutch maybe 1/3 of its travel, at the same time you barely chop the throttle (if at all) while LIFTING FIRMLY on the gearshift, and ease the clutch out into the throttle roll up, all at once. Don't tap at the gearshift as that will almost certainly create a false shift. NO wimpy shifting action, be FIRM!

Sure, change the tranny fluid, observe any crud on the drain plug, as there will be stuff there. For a bike of that year with that low of mileage it may be a good bet that the tranny fluid was never changed. Dark grey kinda muddy crud on the drain plug is normal. Metal flakes are not. I use only full synthetic 75W90 gear oil (do not use 75W140). If no metal flakes are present I really would not suspect an internal tranny bearing problem. A bent shifter fork is possible, but just not very likely for such low mileage.

Andy, why 75W90? I just bought a quart of 75W140 at the dealer but have not changed the gear oil yet. I hate to admit it, but I am not sure which is the drain and fill plug for this. This is my fiancee's bike and the only thing that I have done before was change the engine oil.
I will take the 75W140 back and swap it for 75W90. (At $24 per quart, I don't want to do this again)

IF, and only if the owner's manual says to use 75W140 should you use it. Some here (and I agree) that the high viscosity rating of the 75W140 gear lube can actually keep the lube from flowing between the sliding metal parts. The clearances inside the tranny components may not flow sufficient gear lube between them with the higher viscosity lube.

Also, and perhaps even more important is the SAE duty rating of the gear lube. Which should also be as per the rating given in your owner's manual on the bike.

I have always used 75W90 synthetic gear lube in my bike, which now has over 143,000 on it. No tranny problems at all.

75w90

Andy,

I put the 75W90 in the bike after draining. The old oil did look like mocha and did a few metal shavings as well as a few larger pieces on the drain plug. I was and still am worried about that but we rode 130 miles the next day and she never had it slip or miscue. I was on my 02' 1150RT and my son was on my '03 K1200RS (we're still working with him to keep him under control and not riding over his head)
Thanks for the input!

Since that 95 only has about 10,000 miles on it I'm assuming the tranny fluid that was in there could have been the original fluid from the factory? That may explain the metal you found on the drain plug if indeed that is so. The metal would likely be shavings from the initial wear-in of the tranny parts.

If it ran fine, and shifts good, and the clutch is properly adjusted, I say run it and watch/listen for anything unusual. On my 94 R1100RS this is my background:
1. Bought the bike in Oct 94 with 3,000 miles on it, from a BMW dealer.
2. Previous owner had the tranny updates done (O-rings installed to limit tranny clacking noise).
3. Did the usual fluid changes with no indication of problems, always used Casstrol 75W90 tranny fluid.
4. At about 50,000 miles the clutch feel/action got weird and variable. Turns out the clutch throwout rod bearing failed and welded itself to the rod. BMW paid 80% for that one.
5. At about 60,000 miles I got loud whining from the tranny on accel and decel. Dealer found out internal bearing failures. BMW gave me a brand new 96 spec tranny, no cost to me.

Since then, NO issues, shifts good (for an older Oilhead), VERY easy to find neutral and 1st gear. I do keep the clutch adjusted exactly per specs, use good shifting techniques, and keep my clutch splines lubed. The only other thing I have done, and this is just MY choice, I use NAPA Limited Slip Differential additive in the tranny fluid. I slightly reduced the tranny fluid level to add the NAPA additive. Have done that now for well over 20,000 miles with no ill effects apparent.

This is worth reading.

Anton Largiader's Oilhead transmission info

Ought to be a sticky...