BMW K1600 Forum banner

Clunks into first

1 reading
4.1K views 16 replies 16 participants last post by  Ranger1  
#1 ·
When starting from cold, my 2011 GT goes in to first from standstill, as smooth as silk with no noise. However as soon as it's warm, it makes A **** OF A CLUNK when engaging first when stopped. Exactly the opposite of what one might expect. My K1200LT was as slick as anything and sometimes the only way you know it had gone into first was by the gear indicator. Surely this is a backwards step?
Simon
 
#2 ·
downshift when moving....



mine makes a klunk when stopped, engine running and from nutral to 1st.

I turn off the bike..put it in first, then start it back up (clutch in obviously).

Shift to 1st when decelerating and stopping or put it in first before you crank it over will lessen the noise.
Cheers.
 
#7 ·
Same here. Clunk it right up.....
 
#9 ·
Since nobody touched on the less clunk when cold?

It's b/c your oil is 'thick' when cold and forget all about the mult-viscosity ratings. This cold thick oil gives an insulation type of effect. It also makes your initial shifts quieter as well. On your older '11, it was a known clunker to start with. BMW has since addressed the issue as folks thought a $25K+ bike should shift more quiet, in gear and through the gears.

The cold oil effect has been hacked out in several forums that I'm a member of, it raises eyebrows on some, but drain your oil out with it warm vs. cold and you will see a "flowing" difference. Thicker = more quiet.
 
#10 ·
I can do things to allow the engagement into first without a clunk. For the most part though, every BMW I have owned clunked going into first when stopped. Reassuring that first is engaged.
 
#11 ·
In my experience the engine rpm makes a difference in the "klunk". When cold, my GT idles a little slower than when fully warmed up, and so the klunk is more distinct with a warm engine. Look at the tach and listen to the engine idle to see if it's the idle speed contributing to the loudness of the klunk. I stopped worrying about the klunk after my first BMW because "they all do it to some extent".

Don't worry about the gear "teeth" in the transmission being damaged - they all remain engaged (meshed) at all times and you can't hurt them.
 
#12 ·
I've ridden BMW motorcycles (as well as others) as far back as the 70's (old age maybe). To some extent, all BMWs motorcycles "clunk" in 1st gear at some time or the other. :) Seems to be inherent in the brand and I can live with that.
 
#15 ·
How about a clunk when shifting from 1st to 2nd (while riding, of course)? I seem to hear and feel more then than at any other time. I've learned to be a bit more aggressive with my foot and that helps, but if I ever revert back to a lazy shift, I feel like I'm grinding something. Is that just the result of passing through neutral? I've never accidentally hit neutral, so I must be shifting up with enough force.
 
#17 ·
I hit a 1st-2nd neutral yesterday for the first time in 8000 mi. (I blame it on the downhill grade!). More alarming was the neutral I hit between 4th-5th riding up Independence Pass. That's only happened once though. That one was my left toe's fault.