Clunky gearbox, temperamental gear selection issues. I have recently purchased a 1998 BMW R1200C wih a full S/hist, but fidn the gearbox is very clunky and have inconsistent problems selcting first and going up from second to third gears. Is this just a quirk of the 1200C or shiould I think about getting the g/box looked at? Also, the abs is signalling an error, I was advised this was because of a low batters, I have ridden it about 250miles in the past week (which I guess is enough to charge and resolve the issue). However, would I be better of replacing the battery before investigating it as a brake issue? Happy for any advice....

SOURCE: BMW R1150 GS. SECOND GEAR PROBLEM

Sounds more likely that you have a corroded gearshift pivot. Take apart the footrest/gearshift assembly, clean with a wire brush & lubricate
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Bike-Doc

SOURCE: gsxr1000 k5 limited edition (black) clunky gearbox

Change the oil in the gearbox.Hidraulik oil is the best.

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Jerry

• 35 Answers
• Posted on Sep 30, 2009

SOURCE: I have a 1983 BMW R100RT. Potential charging problem

Hi Tom,

Typically, the charging voltage should be somewhere around 13.5VDC-14.5VDC, so you may be experiencing signs of a problem.

Before doing much else, I'd recommend you do two checks:
1) Assuming you are referring to a voltmeter mounted to the bike in your message, double check the voltage using a multimeter at the battery terminals to confirm there isn't a fault with your bike's voltmeter.

2) Because I'm unfamiliar with your particular model, I'd recommend checking the spec for your bike -- if you have a service manual, it should list the proper voltage range. Otherwise, you can probably contact a dealer or BMW tech to get the spec.

If you are below the recommended voltage range, there are a variety of possible faults.

The first that comes to mind is your regulator/rectifier circuit. The purpose of this circuit is to 1) rectify (turn the AC current generated by the engine into DC current) and 2) regulate (make the current stable at a given voltage, say 13.5 VDC, and dissipate the excess voltage as heat). Because this part turns excess electricity into heat, it's not uncommon for regulators to 'burn out."

I believe the diode board you replaced is the rectifier portion of the circuit, so it sounds like the regulator portion may need replacement. FYI, an aftermarket "reg/rec" that combines the regulator and rectifier is available for your bike (see: http://www.electrexworld.co.uk). The advantage to switching to such a unit is that it's probably better engineered than the OEM unit (more efficient/better heat dissipation), and might last longer.

If your battery is more than a few years old, you may want to take it to a dealer or auto parts store to have checked (many will do this for free), and consider replacing it. Often one bad component in the charging system will cause other good components to fail.


Finally, here is a generic fault finding diagram that is very well put together:
http://www.electrexworld.co.uk/pdfs/Troubleshooting-3P-PMG-&-RR.pdf

Good luck!

SOURCE: ABS failure on 04 R1200C Montauk, very limited braking ability

check brake fluid levels and also, believe it or not, the brake light bulb.