Need Tech Help - GS Acting Up

[BobFV1]

Okay assembled wrenches -

Tell me what is wrong with my bike, because I am riding it across the country again at the end of next week!

Here are the symptoms. On the highway, at or above about 3500 RPM, it accelerates smoothly if I gently roll on the throttle. If I rip the throttle open, as I have a tendency to do, the RPM's momentarily leap up by about 1000 and then fall off to where they should be for the amount of throttle I have used. This was not happening last month when I rode it out here - at that time the acceleration and throttle response were very linear.

Other than an ECU issue (which would not surprise me), I first noticed this last weekend, which was after the gentle tip over on to the right side of the bike. The right hand grip got a small crack in it, and the linkage below the throttle may (but I'm not sure) have been hit against the ground.

Well - hope I have explained that well enough. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated, as always.

[DarthRider]

Bob -

Just a plain WAG but you may have touched on it.
It *sounds like* more of a mechanical issue than electronic.
I would eliminate possible throttle cable & related problems from the tip over.
Good luick & keep us posted!

Dave

[Acacia]

Is this 1000 rpm surge a dial indicated jump - or can you hear/feel the jump too?

In all gears or just some? At the same rpm indicated or different rpms, vibration ranges?

If it is a real rpm surge then I would guess it is drive train related - clutch. Dial - electronics some where.

[Deans BMW]

Wow, of the top of my head, sounds like clutch slippage which would be more pronounced in top gear. Get thee to a dealer for a check out.

[fganger]

Bob,

Sorry about your bike's problem. Tell me, when your bike fell over, did you pick it up by yourself, or did someone come and assist you?

If someone assisted, there is a chance they grabbed the wrong spot and lifted or pulled. If you did it by yourself there is also a chance of tugging on the wrong spot.

So, as Dave suggested, perhaps a mechanical problem not an electrical one. What you are describing could be attributed to an air leak. With all the pipes, hoses, valves the bikes have one of them could be loose or cracked. It would explain your symptoms.

I do hope Dean is wrong about the clutch. Just some free advice, if they need to go into your clutch, have it replaced with one of the ceramic ones. I would suggest this especially if you plan on keeping the bike a while and intend to go trailing with Dave and Dean.

Good luck in tracking it down.
Frank

[BobFV1]

Is this 1000 rpm surge a dial indicated jump - or can you hear/feel the jump too?

In all gears or just some? At the same rpm indicated or different rpms, vibration ranges?

If it is a real rpm surge then I would guess it is drive train related - clutch. Dial - electronics some where.

Dial indicated AND hear/feel

all gears

different RPM above about 3500

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Picked the bike up by myself - fell on the right side, left side was not affected.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ +++

I have noticed the last couple of days I have been smelling "BMW clutch" - you know, that rancid baby puke smell? It is acting like clutch slip too. Why would the clutch be slipping?

[Deans BMW]

Don't know Bob. Run up to 6th gear at about 2,500 to 3,000 R's. pull in the clutch, rev the engine to about 5K R's or so, pop the clutch while giving it full throttle. If the engine slows down immediately, ie clutch grabs right now and solidly, then clutch AOK. If the engine comes down slowly in R's to slowly full lock up with the tranny, even perhaps accompanied with that horrible smell, then clutch slipping for some unknown, at this point, reason. Warrenty issue

[Ed K]

It does sound like a clutch problem... but strange with so few miles...

Sounds like you can pretty easily replicate the problem...

If its the clutch... you should notice some seat-of-the-pants clutch splippage not completely being translated into forward motion... especially in sixth.

[BobFV1]

Yikes -

I am going to try and nurse it home to Arizona - we'll see. Hope I don't leave my clutch in Oklahoma. Only other option is to trailer it back, which is a viable one for me if I have to. Will have to make a command decision this week.

[Acacia]

Ride that distance on a more than suspect clutch?

It will only get worse, and progressively worse - until.... Sitting on the side of the road somewhere close to nowhere - now that would be fun!

Dont delay - get it fixed.

[BobFV1]

Ride that distance on a more than suspect clutch?

It will only get worse, and progressively worse - until.... Sitting on the side of the road somewhere close to nowhere - now that would be fun!

Dont delay - get it fixed.

Brian -

Problem is, I hae gone from "motorcycle heaven" to "motorcycle hell" - the dealer here, which is an hour away, has a 5 week service backlog. To top that all off, I can't even get it out for a test ride this week due to rain (may have a break on Wednesday). I will probably end up trailering it - or possibly trying my luck.....

[Acacia]

Bob,

My real concern would be the reason why, still being new, it has begun to slip? Contamination, plate material, other...? Older 2002 oil-heads had leakage from slave cylinders - not sure if the hexheads share the same system?

Your miles have been mostly highway - the least taxing on a plate. By the time you get to smell it, there has been significant heat not only to the plate, but pressure plate etc too. There has been some serious slippage. Where it will slip now is in the higher gears - where you will be cruising.

It will not remain a constant, but will get progressively worse.

I would not ride a distance with it like this -other than to the shop.

[Acacia]

Just another thought.

Do you ride with your fingers on the clutch lever? Enough, over time, to apply just a little pressure?

I have found myself at times recently getting into the habit of resting my finger on the lever on longer distances when I have been flexing my fingers.

[jamming]

Bob, there's a clutch slip thread over on the BMOA site, seems other people have had the same problem with the R1200GS, sorry no link, I'm at work, guess I'll work.

Roger

[BobFV1]

Bob, there's a clutch slip thread over on the BMOA site, seems other people have had the same problem with the R1200GS, sorry no link, I'm at work, guess I'll work.

Roger

Roger thanks - I'll search that thread. Guys on ADVRIDER said to check the hand guard and make sure it is not depressing the clutch lever a bit. I will check, but since the slip is limited in RPM range I suspect something more nefarious.

[Deans BMW]

Bob said nefarious......................................... ..

[supermotoC]

Dean said "Bob"....

[jamming]

Bob Nefarious.....sounds like a good name for a porn star.

Rog

[BobFV1]

Clutch handle was hitting hand guard. Hand guard repositioned. Problem gone.

What can I say - this is my first bike with hand guards!:icon_redface:

[GPM]

I hear all future clutches will be servo assisted. The whine should be loud enough to prevent that kind of thing from happening....

[socalrob]

That was sure alot of drama.

I still love the bike Bob.

[Ed K]

Clutch handle was hitting hand guard. Hand guard repositioned. Problem gone.

Whew!

[BobFV1]

That was sure alot of drama.

It was:

http://www.ourhouseinoz.com.au/images/Sticker-Drama-Queen.jpg

I'll tell you what - I may never have checked that issue had I not posted my problem all over the place and had another distinguished gentleman who had experienced the same thing help me out.

Now you guys get more pix from the road as I ride it back to AZ starting this weekend!

[Acacia]

Glad the cause was found and easily fixed.

Now, can this be documented for BMW as a possible warranty issue later down the line - or did you cause the hand guard to stray from its original setting? There has been distress to the clutch/pressure plate and their life shortened.

[Bones]

Bob,
Fantastic. It is SOOOOOOOOO satisfying when what COULD be a major service issues turns out to be something so simple.
Have a safe ride to AZ and give us a ride report.

Safe and fun travels.

Jeff

[fganger]

Bob,

Glad you figured it out. I've found many times when a bike is up-righted something gets moved. Normally this occurs when you have "help." Obviously it is not limited to someone else causing it. I'll store that away in my memory safe. You know the one you lose the combination to just when you need it.

Frank