Difficult getting into 1st from neutral, R100R

[focusrsh]

I've only had my 1993 R100R for 3 months. It has about 43K miles. I just finished a by-the-book factory major service. Tranny oil is fresh. Clutch cable and controls oiled and working smooth.

The one thing I've noticed since I received the bike is that is is very difficult to get it into first after sitting in neutral. The only way to get it into first is to slip the clutch a bit when pressing down on the shifter. Once there, shifting up/down is no problem at all. Finding neutral is very easy. (Wish it was that easy on my old Bonneville!)

There is an adjustment rod from the shifter to the transmission. Should I try lengthening/shortening the rod?

Thanks,
Carl

[SteveD]

Try a slight forward roll as you snick it into 1st.

Check the bolt holding the gearchange lever in is not loose.

Is the clutch adjusted to 201mm cable length at the rear end?

[Rob Frankham]

A lot of airheads suffer from this, often more pronounced when the transmission is hot. If the transmission changes easily when the clutch is slipped, then it may be simply that the gears have come to rest in a position where the dogs aren't aligned. This isn't a fault and, in fact, it is an indication that the clutch is working well.

If, on the other hand, the gear is difficult to engage even when the clutch is slipped, it's a bit different. This is normally down to a dragging clutch and/or wear to the shift dogs. A dragging clutch is fairly easy to fix by adjustment, see Steves post above although you may need to examine the clutch actuating components to see that they're not 'hanging up'. Later machines like the R100R were fitted with a plastic thrust piston in the rear of the gearbox (unlike the metal one previously fitted) and these have a tendency to swell after long use causing them to become stiff in the housing. removing the piston and, dressing it down with fine emery till it moves freely may may well improve the situation.

Wear to the shift dogs is a different matter and requires major surgery to the gearbox. If the box shifts well in all other circumstances, you may well be best off living with it. Get into the habit of selecting neutral just before you stop (which was always quoted as best practice when I first learned to ride).

Rob

[Kurt in S.A.]

Here's Tom Cutter's clutch cable adjustment procedure...works a treat!

http://rubberchickenracinggarage.com/Do ... stment.pdf

Kurt in S.A.

[Rob Frankham]

Here's Tom Cutter's clutch cable adjustment procedure...works a treat!

http://rubberchickenracinggarage.com/Do ... stment.pdf

Kurt in S.A.

I have to say that this is a good summary for the post '81 clutch but I disagree with Toms statement that it is the same for earlier clutches, there is a somewhat different procedure and, if you wish to use the same procedure, the critical distance isn't 201mm (or 201 to 203mm to quote the BMW spec) but a distance that isn't specified by BMW.

I would also comment that it is permissible, if you have smallish hands, to increase the gap at the handlebar lever slightly to make it easier to apply the full pressure of your fingers. The most important thing is that the clutch disengages fully when pulled (and of course engages fully when relaxed). There is a certain amount of leeway in the system... but, remember the settings will vary slightly when the engine/gearbox is hot so a setting that works well with the bike cold may, if the setting is to fine, start to drag when it heats up.

Rob

[Kurt in S.A.]

Rob -

I used on my '78 and all went well.

Kurt in S.A.

[focusrsh]

One discrepancy I found in the above referenced rubberchickenracing PDF and the factory manual is where to measure the 201m. The PDF says to measure from the rear edge of the transmission to the front edge of the cable barrel. The factory manual seems to indicate you measure to the front edge of the transmission lever, but the manual isn't perfectly clear. That is about 2mm difference, which may not matter, but if BMW spec'ed it to 201mm and not 202mm, then it seems they thought it important.

[Rob Frankham]

The BMW spec is 201,to 203mm so... not that important.

Rob

[Kurt in S.A.]

Yeah, what's a couple of mm between friends!

Kurt in S.A.

[barryh]

I think we make too much fuss about clutch adjustment.

There are two parts to it: obviously there must be some free play which is important. The 201 mm measurement is simply an easy means of achieving maximum mechanical advantage by ensuring that the operating lever at the gearbox end is parallel to the rear plate of the gearbox when the handlebar lever is at half travel. There is nothing more magic to it than that and frankly a small error doesn't seem to make much difference as the change in mechanical advantage is not significant.

From measurements that I made, the pre-81 method seemed to amount to the same things with the exception that there is a small difference in the specified free play presumably due to the different clutch set up. So unless I'm missing something the two methods amount to much the same thing with the post 81 method just being easier way of achieving that maximum mechanical advantage.