RT - Twin Cam or LC?

Martyn H said:
For the once the "They all do that sir" bit is pretty accurate. I don't like it, & if waiting at a pelican crossing say, where you know you won't be stationary for too long, I do hold the clutch in, whereas previously I'd happily have selected neutral. It's how they are, as were the K1200/1300 range.
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I do something similar. I actually come to a stop in 1st gear. Pull the clutch in. Hit the kill switch. release clutch. When the lights go amber, clutch in (still in 1st), hit the start button and ease out the clutch. My manual Stop / Start system works well.
 
bandytales said:
I do something similar. I actually come to a stop in 1st gear. Pull the clutch in. Hit the kill switch. release clutch. When the lights go amber, clutch in (still in 1st), hit the start button and ease out the clutch. My manual Stop / Start system works well.
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I would never switch off my engine at traffic lights, just in case something happens behind, I want to be able to get out of the way before someone hits me up the chuff. Its only a clunk, not the end of the world, Harleys and Brit bikes have been clunking for ever.
 
casbar said:
I would never switch off my engine at traffic lights, just in case something happens behind, I want to be able to get out of the way before someone hits me up the chuff. Its only a clunk, not the end of the world, Harleys and Brit bikes have been clunking for ever.
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You really think you would be aware of something happening behind? This my friend is an urban myth. Maybe, just maybe you might be able to do something about it, but the truth is, it just happens too quickly. I know several (car) owners (who have better rear vision) who have been tail ended and they were powerless to respond quick enough.
 
bandytales said:
You really think you would be aware of something happening behind? This my friend is an urban myth. Maybe, just maybe you might be able to do something about it, but the truth is, it just happens too quickly. I know several (car) owners (who have better rear vision) who have been tail ended and they were powerless to respond quick enough.
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Its not an urban myth, if it was an urban myth, why would all advanced motorcycle training including the Police advise to sit a bit further back and pick an escape route. I always look in my mirrors for approaching vehicles and if they look like they are coming too fast, I move. Switching off the engine at every light is just stupid, but my friend, if that is what you want to do, carry on. I will put up with the clunk. A car has nowhere to go, a bike can move to a gap easier.
 
casbar said:
Its only a clunk, not the end of the world, Harleys and Brit bikes have been clunking for ever.
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Its far more than just a clunk. As I mentioned had lots of various boxers 1100/1150 through 1200 and had the old flying brick 4s and new generation 4s and a couple of F750 as well and they all "clunk" to a degree some worse than others. This was a real bike shuddering clang, I really thought I had not pulled the clutch in. Wonder how many of us would put up with a car that made the same noise when going into gear. I suspect the clutch is not releasing cleanly and is dragging to some extent. Got another road test coming up with older bike see if thats any better.
 
Ted said:
Its far more than just a clunk. As I mentioned had lots of various boxers 1100/1150 through 1200 and had the old flying brick 4s and new generation 4s and a couple of F750 as well and they all "clunk" to a degree some worse than others. This was a real bike shuddering clang, I really thought I had not pulled the clutch in. Wonder how many of us would put up with a car that made the same noise when going into gear. I suspect the clutch is not releasing cleanly and is dragging to some extent. Got another road test coming up with older bike see if thats any better.
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I know the clunk very well, I also have had R80s, I ride RTPs of various ages and my 2014 LC also has the shuddering clunk, so much so, when I bought it, I took it back and asked if all was ok. That was 16k miles ago and its still the same. 2017 on bikes have a quieter gearbox, so BMW fixed it on later bikes. If you don't want the clunk, buy a newer bike
 
Ted said:
Its far more than just a clunk. As I mentioned had lots of various boxers 1100/1150 through 1200 and had the old flying brick 4s and new generation 4s and a couple of F750 as well and they all "clunk" to a degree some worse than others. This was a real bike shuddering clang, I really thought I had not pulled the clutch in. Wonder how many of us would put up with a car that made the same noise when going into gear. I suspect the clutch is not releasing cleanly and is dragging to some extent. Got another road test coming up with older bike see if thats any better.
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It'll almost certainly have to be a newer bike to be better.
 
Was on a 2018 dealer demo bike. As new as you can get without buying one. So looks like still a problem
 
Ted said:
Was on a 2018 dealer demo bike. As new as you can get without buying one. So looks like still a problem
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Thats interesting, I haven't ridden a new bike, but was lead to believe they had addressed the clunk, perhaps not as much as I expected. I was on an 07 RTP early hours of this morning, no clunk at all :) Progress isn't everything I guess. But as an overall package I do prefer the LC even with the clunk.
 
My 2017 (2018MY) RT doesn't clunk any more than my Triumph 1050 Sprint and several other bikes I've owned. I tend to think this problem is exacerbated by the relatively high idle speed that motorcycles are programmed with and is general across all makes and models.
My technique is to make sure I haven't applied any extra revs and tap it into 1st with a quick positive action.
 
On the other hand, I have always blipped my throttle to raise my revs for clunk free gear changes! May be worth a try...
 
GORILA said:
On the other hand, I have always blipped my throttle to raise my revs for clunk free gear changes! May be worth a try...
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I'm talking about neutral into 1st from a standstill and I'm fairly sure nobody blips the throttle prior to that.
 
Had another road test this weekend. Bike was same spec, age even colour and very close milage. Got the usual gear change clunk I'm used to on my last 12 BMs (added them up last night:thumb2 ). Interestingly other than that gears smooth and noiseless. So going back to first one I tried. It was most definitely an issue. It gave the bike a real juddering bang as it went into gear and bike lurched forwards slightly, as if I had not pulled the clutch in properly. So if your thinking of buying a road test is a must. Try a couple as well as they all seem to be better or worse from comments on here.
 
Ted said:
Had another road test this weekend. Bike was same spec, age even colour and very close milage. Got the usual gear change clunk I'm used to on my last 12 BMs (added them up last night:thumb2 ). Interestingly other than that gears smooth and noiseless. So going back to first one I tried. It was most definitely an issue. It gave the bike a real juddering bang as it went into gear and bike lurched forwards slightly, as if I had not pulled the clutch in properly. So if your thinking of buying a road test is a must. Try a couple as well as they all seem to be better or worse from comments on here.
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Interesting thread.

I wouldn't touch an LC in any guise with such a shockingly poor gearbox. Yes, I've tried them out. Appallingly bad. £16 k for a bike that embarrasses you every time you engage 1st?

BMW have to be JOKING !!

Don't get me wrong, I absolutely love boxers, had 6 in the last 15 or so years but F***ing Hell, I simply cannot get a smooth change up and down the gears on an LC and it's not down to technique.
 
phooey said:
Interesting thread.

I wouldn't touch an LC in any guise with such a shockingly poor gearbox. Yes, I've tried them out. Appallingly bad. £16 k for a bike that embarrasses you every time you engage 1st?

BMW have to be JOKING !!

Don't get me wrong, I absolutely love boxers, had 6 in the last 15 or so years but F***ing Hell, I simply cannot get a smooth change up and down the gears on an LC and it's not down to technique.
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I have had various RTs for 30 years, still ride a 2010 and my 2014 LC, love the LC, have ordered a 1250, gearbox massive improvement. Have had Harleys for 11 years as well, if you want a noisy gearbox, try those. Gearbox noise doesn't actually bother me, its a friggin motorcycle :)
 
phooey said:
Interesting thread.

I wouldn't touch an LC in any guise with such a shockingly poor gearbox. Yes, I've tried them out. Appallingly bad. £16 k for a bike that embarrasses you every time you engage 1st?

BMW have to be JOKING !!

Don't get me wrong, I absolutely love boxers, had 6 in the last 15 or so years but F***ing Hell, I simply cannot get a smooth change up and down the gears on an LC and it's not down to technique.
Click to expand...

I don't know which model year Wethead you have ridden, bu my 2017 RT is butter smooth both up and down the box. The only time it makes a clunk is into first from stationary (every time once the engine is warm). But, so too did the Hexhead and Camhead. My Oilhead, oddly never did, however, all the other gear-changes were fractionally noisier than on my Wethead.
However, I agree that the early Wetheads were often clunking between gears.
 
This all goes hand in hand with it's too windy, the seats too hard, there's too much heat coming from the engine etc. Give up motorcycling and buy a car.
 
I'v got a 2018 model 1200 rt le.The well known clunk is there but only slightly.Last week I was offered a test ride on the new 1250rt.Rode it for a couple of hours and apart from it feeling heavier than my 1200 and of course a bit more umph was noticeable,the gearbox clunks,if anything,slightly more than my 1200.It's a motorbike with straight cut gears and no syncro,in 50+ years of riding,I have yet to find a bike that doesn't clunk.My FJR being the best of the bunch,came close but no cigar.
 
Nippy Normans supply Touratech, Wunderlich, Desert Fox and many other makes of accessories.
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