2014 R1200RT: clunky going in to 1st gear

When shifting from neutral, mine is very clunky. Is this normal? Is this bad? Intuitively, it seems bad.

DONPRICE said:

When shifting from neutral, mine is very clunky. Is this normal? Is this bad? Intuitively, it seems bad.

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It is normal. It's just a symptom of a wet clutch. As the oil warms up it should get less clunky. I test-rode a new R1200GS and noticed the clunk into first gear.

Harry

How is it if you roll back a little during the shift? Works wonders on my 07RT.

Agree, all my older RT's ('13 and older) shifted better in lower gears than this '14 does. I consider it "normal" for the '14, but not appreciated.

Can't compare the '14 to the '07. A dry single plate clutch vs a wet multi-plate clutch have different operating characteristics. Yes, the wethead clutches can clunk when going into first from neutral. It's loud and annoying to some (doesn't bother me). My '13 is almost as loud as my friends FJR. My dr650 is quieter, but it, too, makes some noise.

FWIW when approaching a stop light, for example, if I shift from 2nd to 1st when the bike is going about 6MPH there is no sound.

marchyman said:

Can't compare the '14 to the '07. A dry single plate clutch vs a wet multi-plate clutch have different operating characteristics.

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Of course they do and I wasn't. I just wanted to know if that trick works or improves the clunk on this model as well.

The roll back trick isn't so much about the clunk, but getting parts in the transmission to rotate such that the shift dogs will slide into their slots. That is not much of an issue on the wetheads. They slide quite nicely, making a loud clunk as they settle into place. At least that is the experience I have with my '13 GS.

AKsuited said:

It is normal. It's just a symptom of a wet clutch. As the oil warms up it should get less clunky. I test-rode a new R1200GS and noticed the clunk into first gear.

Harry

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Symptom of a wet clutch? That's what all the BMW dry clutches have done for years!!!

From neutral to first implies one is stopped. Pull in clutch, hesitate a second or two until things slow down and then put in first gear.

mikegalbicka said:

How is it if you roll back a little during the shift? Works wonders on my 07RT.

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Rolling forward or backward a little on my GS reduces or eliminates the clunk into first.

I experimented with this the last time out. I found that if I shift as soon as the clutch is squeezed there is almost no noise.

Iv'e noticed the clunk. It doesn't bother me. I was around a bunch of different motorcycles this past weekend. All of them clunked, some worse than others.

hogwide@aol.com said:

Iv'e noticed the clunk. It doesn't bother me. I was around a bunch of different motorcycles this past weekend. All of them clunked, some worse than others.

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Our wet clutch K12S's have the hardest clunk of any bikes we have owned. Folks usually look over at us when we pop into first.

sedanman said:

shift as soon as the clutch is squeezed there is almost no noise.

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I tried this tip on my 07RT and it seems to make for smoother and quieter shifting in all gears. The quicker the better. Thanks.

AKsuited said:

It is normal. It's just a symptom of a wet clutch. As the oil warms up it should get less clunky. I test-rode a new R1200GS and noticed the clunk into first gear.

Harry

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My experience is contrary to this. Mine seems to shift into first from neutral quietly when its cold. Once the oil gets hot it cluncks.

I often wonder if those double catalytic converters right below the tranny oil pan don't heat up the oil thinning it out making the shift clunk

Mine clunks as well. However not near as loud as my RoadKing did.
It doesn't really bother me

herr_eugen said:

Symptom of a wet clutch? That's what all the BMW dry clutches have done for years!!!

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Amen - my 05 RT was clunky into first and the 14 RT is no worse.

I don't have a wet head, but I have oil clutch bikes. They all clunk. What can help is pull the clutch in at idle, then goose the throttle with the clutch lever in. Inertia will break the pads loose, and shear the oil a bit, thinning it for just a second. Then when it returns to idle, shift into gear and the clunk is less.

Rod

Sat beside a small jap bike yesterday. It clunked significantly going into first.

All the suggestions in this thread do not work for me on the wet RT

* Shift quick as you press the clutch
* roll the bike back or forth first
* Keep the oil on the mid-mark so the clutch don't slip
* Hold the clutch for a while first

other not mentioned:
* go from neutral to second then to neutral, sit at the light, then to first
* Hold the clutch in while on first gear when you come to a stop for a few seconds before you pop it into neutral and release the clutch. This doesn't work either.
* Holding the clutch for several seconds before going from neutral to first at a stop

Some claim this is not an issue with the wethead, on the contrary, it is a louder clunk than earlier models.

The hotter the bike, the louder the clunk.

The suggestion to hold the clutch, always, until you come back home, is not practical for those who sit at long traffic lights

"All bike don't do that" I have had bike that don't, and some for which some of the techniques mentioned above make it so that it does not clunk going into first from neutral at a stop

The 'it doesn't bother bother me" may be a freeing approach, but it probably bother a lot of riders. I for one, wonder what will be the consequences of that constant banging of those gears over the years/miles. I would much rather it shifted quietly and smoothly into first.

With all the attention to detail that created this engineering masterpiece RT, I am surprise these engineers overlooked this point, and did not make it smooth shifting in the lower gears.

If anyone comes up with a solution, I am all ears. Otherwise, I am living with it.