So it is more of an gear lever problem. Did not have this last autumn, during winter gearbox was opened, but nothing changed inside it (except oil of course). Conditions have been rather cold, something like +2 celsius today. 1st to 2nd ok but then the pedal sticks up and I have to press it down manually to get it 3rd and same thing with 4th and 5th. Is this known problem? Caused by cold or what? I did took that pedal off and put some WD40 on and round the axel - I would have put it back little lower but the exhaust is on its way.

Inside my garage (+10 celcius) and after WD40 it seemed to function better, but I did not have time to take her to another spin around.

If repairing this means ripping the whole thing apart again I will just do the shifting hard way this summer. No time or motivation to fix anything larger now.

Looked at Haynes manual and it did not make my day. It suggested weak or broken spring (I guess gearchange return spring) or gearchange shaft bent or seized.

Looks like I'll be doing extra left foot exercises this year... :|

It does sound a bit strange that it isn't on all gears you would expect it to be the same no matter what way your going as it is supposed to bring the gear lever back to it's neutral position.

No problems downshifting. Only up and of course not from 1st to 2nd - or should I say, that is when problem starts since without extra footwork 3rd won't go.

I have been thinking why now. As I said no problems last autumn (760km). We did not do any repairs inside the gearbox. The gearbox was opened and we changed seals of the top of it and there was that little trouble with neutral detent system, but that was fixed. And the bike worked well on first run this spring (only about 30km but still).

Actually this malfunction happeded for the first time on occasion when I accelerated strongly with 2nd gear and if I remember right changed to 3rd and the the lever stucked up. Noticed it when trying to change to 4th.

Since there are so little replys I think this is not common problem and since Haynes gives me the points to check I think there is not much I can do right now. I will not open the gearbox atleast not before next winter. If it stops working at all, I will just leave this K on garage for a period of time no one can tell.

Bright side is that I have now tested gearshift without engine on and it seems to work fine. Up and down. Even without clutch - and with it. No problems with the return movement. I have my fingers crossed that it was just a bit sticky (WD40 to that) and cold. Bike feels so good now otherwise that it would be shame if this would prevent me riding with it this year..

That would sound kind of possible if the oil seal where the gear lever enters the bike was dry or just sticking.
Fingers crossed back on the road it will be fine...

I think that various members of the forum are possibly spending time with friends and family over the Easter period.

twincarb wrote:I think that various members of the forum are possibly spending time with friends and family over the Easter period.

Oh. Easter and all.. I'm at work... (1:00 am here) I'm working in a central hospital in three shifts (obviosly nightshift currently - 2nd night out of three) so these holidays come and go. Sometimes I forget that normal people have normal working hours.

Gearbox spent last winter long time on desk, with the top off and with no oil inside, so there is a good chance of seal being bit dry. I should also check the amount of transmission oil inside. It should be OK since I put the amount said on Haynes and there are no oil leaks now. (Which is great!)

I used Mobilube 80W/90 both trasmission and differential (not sure if that is the right term).

Another (stupid) question. Since I've been working on the gearshift lever I noticed that there was black residue on exhaust. Checked my drivin boots and there was a bit melted on the inner side.. Lucky me that I used my old shoes for these first rides. Just bought new Daytona shoes for over 200euros (Gore-tex etc.) - It would have killed me if they would have been burnt. They don't have plastics at the point where old Richa Speedmasters were burnt, Richas do.

I made a little heatsink and installed it with steel wire for now, but what have you other K riders done with the issue? I think I will get some heatresistant tape and put it to the exhaust if I figure out how to make it stay on it. Something like this I mean:

http://hintaseuranta.fi/tuote.aspx/311252

...Don't know if this might apply to you?...but when riding my bike, I sometimes touch the footware against the hot pipes before the collector and that smells and leaves a smudge.

...Don't know if this gear shift thought will apply to you....and if you put the thing back together correctly...(hope you did)..?

I have found that riding my bike as often as possible makes her a happier beast. Hopefully, you getting out some and putting her through her paces will fix some of your concerns and identify other things that need to be addressed next.

I have found that my ride, if not ridden at least once per week...develops an attitude.

Hope that this is an easy fix.

JimK wrote:
...Don't know if this gear shift thought will apply to you....and if you put the thing back together correctly...(hope you did)..?

So do I, but the inside of the gearbox was not touched almost at all. So it should be OK.

I have found that my ride, if not ridden at least once per week...develops an attitude.

Hope that this is an easy fix.

I will find out next time I get her out.. In Finland there is a minimum of 3 months per year that riding a bike without spikes is just not possible. Usually 4 months is closer to truth and only from may to september weather is really good for riding. :|

Once Tenox fixes the faulty spring action on the gear lever, it will no longer be hanging down close to the exh. pipe causing him to have to reach lower with his boot to get under it for upshifts.

[quote="Tenox"]

JimK wrote:

I will find out next time I get her out.. In Finland there is a minimum of 3 months per year that riding a bike without spikes is just not possible. Usually 4 months is closer to truth and only from may to september weather is really good for riding. :|

Understand the weather restraints.
Point that I was trying to make, and fear did so ineptly, was that the bike should be used.
Best wishes for that.
Jim

ibjman wrote:Once Tenox fixes the faulty spring action on the gear lever, it will no longer be hanging down close to the exh. pipe causing him to have to reach lower with his boot to get under it for upshifts.

I'm not sure that he has a problem that can't be cured by just riding.
Granted, he can't do that as much as he would like due to weather constraints.

As to smell...just brushed the inside heel of a light hiking boot against the exhaust today when putting down the side stand....and Yep...have a little scare / melted place on the boot sole now.
...and that was not the first time.

Just saying, and hope this fellow will have fun with his bike.
Jim

ibjman wrote:Once Tenox fixes the faulty spring action on the gear lever, it will no longer be hanging down close to the exh. pipe causing him to have to reach lower with his boot to get under it for upshifts.

It may be a spring issue, but I would not bet on it. Lever does not "hang" when on center or well, anywhere. It is very tight and stable. It just stucks on gear up position. So it is higher than normally when malfunctioning not lower.

Here is a pic: http://kotisivu.dnainternet.net/ajk73/Lever.jpg is that hanging on wrong position? There can be seen a stain in exhaust allthough that is an old photo (taken before this season).

JimK wrote:Point that I was trying to make, and fear did so ineptly, was that the bike should be used.

Got that, just tried to explain why I can't.

Compared to what I have on my 85 RS it looks the correct position

Maybe it is the exhaust that is causing this. Someone told me that my exhaust is from 16v engine. I don't really know, I thought it was original 8v. Pipes look a bit different than yours ibjman and the silencer is certainly different. http://kotisivu.dnainternet.net/ajk73/Cafe_0.JPG There is the whole exhaust in picture. Also it might be just me keeping my foot wrong.

I tested that lever today and actually the spring seems strong. I think there is 2 possibilities left.
A) It was dry and cold and it will work after some more km in the odometer.
B) The shaft is bent or otherwise malfunctioning.

Hoping for the A. May have chance to testdrive tomorrow.

EDIT: My solution for the heat - no idea does it work as I plan.. http://kotisivu.dnainternet.net/ajk73/PFR_00.jpg

Just curious did you paint the gearbox when it was out?
maybe cleaned it up could be paint or crud sticking in the seal
and spraying it with wd40 dissolved or dislodged it

cheers Tony

Toto_jp wrote:Just curious did you paint the gearbox when it was out?
maybe cleaned it up could be paint or crud sticking in the seal
and spraying it with wd40 dissolved or dislodged it

cheers Tony

I did not, but previous owner did. And I have noticed that the seal is also red from outside. Painting has been done 2009 so I don't think that is the cause though. Going for the 3rd and hopefully final testrun today. If everythink is OK next run is just for fun.

Solved! And of course it was nor A or B.

Here is the fix in pic: http://kotisivu.dnainternet.net/ajk73/PFR_05.jpg

The bolt on the lever was so long, that it touched the exhaust, but the tolerance was so little that it did it (so that it effected on lever return) only when the exhaust got warm end expanded just a bit. Today first 35km OK and the it started to stuck again. I was already sure that it was the gearshift shaft bend and that it would jam after it gets heated. Luckily no. Only had to put one little washer on the bolt and now gearbox works like a charm. Well there is one extra neutral between 4th and 5th, but I don't really worry that so much. With careful shifting it does not occure.

Drove about 80km today and it seems that everything is now OK. I am so relified right now. Seems like a good season with K after all. Only weather should warm a bit.

Thank you all for trying to help out. I really like this forum and its people.

It is not uncommon to be able to find a small neutral range between any 2 gears. Nothing wrong there. Enjoy the ride. Glad you found it. Your a pretty smart fellow (after all).

Thanks - don't know about the smart though. Fixing things is not what I'm used to do, so learning as doing I guess.

I think both these problems (heat issue and lever problems) are caused by the exhaust, which is not 2v stock. Exhaust was off the bike during winter and we fixed one of the exhaust bolts from the engine which was missing, so I guess that the exhaust may now be in slighty different position than it was last autumn and that explains why there was no lever problems then. Just guessing.

Tenox wrote:Solved! . . . Only had to put one little washer on the bolt and now gearbox works like a charm.

Lesson for today, don't forget the washer.

It was the previous owner!

Hi Tenox,
Looking at the Motobins site, I noticed that the K1100 gear lever is cranked far more than the K100.
http://www.motobins.co.uk/bmw-parts.php?model=K%20Series

Perhaps the 1100 exhaust needs the 1100 gear lever to give enough clearance to keep your boot away from the hot pipes?

Paul.

sidecar paul wrote:Perhaps the 1100 exhaust needs the 1100 gear lever to give enough clearance to keep your boot away from the hot pipes?

Good suggestion, Paul.......where you place your boot is also moved
a couple of cm's to the left.
Here is a picture from another forum....

K1100 exhaust is like the K1 and 16-Valve RS, it has a shield above the exposed header pipes.

The gear-lever on the K100RS 16-Valve and K1100 is offset to clear this shield.

Thanks for the info. I think I will install some exhaust manifold tape to the pipes, but I will keep my eyes open for 1100 lever. I actually watched my left leg while driving last time and for most of the time it is quite far away from exhaust. I don't really know what I have been doing when it has touched it.

I think the tape is overkill & will unnecessarily detract from the appearance of the bike.
Why don't you just clean off the old show goo and see if you can manage to not do that again.
Now that the lever is working correctly, you probably will not be over extending to operate it.

ibjman wrote:I think the tape is overkill & will unnecessarily detract from the appearance of the bike.
Why don't you just clean off the old show goo and see if you can manage to not do that again.
Now that the lever is working correctly, you probably will not be over extending to operate it.

It actually now looks like this: http://kotisivu.dnainternet.net/ajk73/PFR_00.jpg I will try with that and with my old boots. Problem is that I just bought new and (to me atleast) very expensive Daytona boots and can't stand if I burn them. So if it seems that I'm not burning more those old boots I may leave it like that for now. I am also thinking the possibility to make my bike look more "used" and weary (if that is the word I think it is). Just by using it and not cleaning so much etc. so in that look the tape might fit in nicely.