Gen 4 Neutral issues - Solution

[noxx]

I'm another Clutch Complainer...absolute pig to find neutral from 1st or 2nd. I run out of patience and switch it off. My local Motorrad Tech has been dogged in his determination to get to the bottom of it. He confirmed BMW are sending modded parts soon. He took their demonstrator apart and found the clutch to be completely dry. It has taken a little bit of the shine off it as I've also had engine troubles fixed by replacing the throttle bodies...still...it's a fantastic beast so hoping to get all the wrinkles smoothed out soon...

Any update on your neutral issues? My bike goes to the dealer on Wednesday.

 

[user 1924]

Not yet. My Man in Motorrad is still waiting. I'll post as soon as I hear :tennis:

 

[noxx]

BMW have ordered the oil restrictor and I should get my bike back either today or tomorrow

 

[user 1924]

BMW have ordered the oil restrictor and I should get my bike back either today or tomorrow

Good news...let us know how it goes...I'm in Motorrad, tomorrow, so hoping for news...

 

[noxx]

Yeah, got my bike back today. Only done about 20 kilometers, but it feels good so far. I'll report back in a few weeks to see if it's actually gone for good now. Next bad news.. my bike has an active recall (defective oil cooler hose). Dealers were told to check the hoses and mine looks fine they say, but they reckon all bikes will get new oil coolers (can't get the hose just by itself), but that might take a few weeks.

 

[user 1924]

Yeah, got my bike back today. Only done about 20 kilometers, but it feels good so far. I'll report back in a few weeks to see if it's actually gone for good now. Next bad news.. my bike has an active recall (defective oil cooler hose). Dealers were told to check the hoses and mine looks fine they say, but they reckon all bikes will get new oil coolers (can't get the hose just by itself), but that might take a few weeks.

Thanks for the update. I hadn't heard about the cooler. I gave my dealer my Bike on Saturday so they could work on it slow time. I'm lucky that I have a RnineT Scrambler to play on whilst my Elegant Erotica (RR) is away. Irrespective of the troubles it's still a stunning bike to ride.

 

[user 1924]

So my RR had the mod to fix the Neutral finding issue but it hasn't really helped. I think I'm trying to will it to be better but it's not. The clutch bite has improved but I suspect that's down to my local tech taking it apart and putting it back together better. Waiting to see what the next steps are.

 

[oldwobbler]

So my RR had the mod to fix the Neutral finding issue but it hasn't really helped. I think I'm trying to will it to be better but it's not. The clutch bite has improved but I suspect that's down to my local tech taking it apart and putting it back together better. Waiting to see what the next steps are.

What bike are you coming from to the gen 4? The reason I ask is the gen 3 needed a delicate touch to find neutral and there is a bit of a technique to it. I find my gen 4 very similar and have no problems. If you're coming from a gen 3 then you already know this! First to neutral is difficult, second to neutral is easier, second to neutral while still rolling forward is easier still. Now I don't even try to find neutral, I just kill the engine with the kill switch. Saves the planet and boiling the bike.

 

[RammyRR]

What bike are you coming from to the gen 4? The reason I ask is the gen 3 needed a delicate touch to find neutral and there is a bit of a technique to it. I find my gen 4 very similar and have no problems. If you're coming from a gen 3 then you already know this! First to neutral is difficult, second to neutral is easier, second to neutral while still rolling forward is easier still. Now I don't even try to find neutral, I just kill the engine with the kill switch. Saves the planet and boiling the bike.

My Gen 3 experience was good for neutral, never had any issues. Gen 4’s *****. Very much agree with you on techniques to locate it though.

 

[user 1924]

What bike are you coming from to the gen 4? The reason I ask is the gen 3 needed a delicate touch to find neutral and there is a bit of a technique to it. I find my gen 4 very similar and have no problems. If you're coming from a gen 3 then you already know this! First to neutral is difficult, second to neutral is easier, second to neutral while still rolling forward is easier still. Now I don't even try to find neutral, I just kill the engine with the kill switch. Saves the planet and boiling the bike.

I'm coming from a Gen3...had a 2 and a 1 also. Yes the Gen 3 did work better from 2 to neutral but I'm finding the Gen 4 a pig. Literally up and down up and down until I get bored, or embarrassed, and kill the engine. Then it slips in no problem. I have found if you catch it on the last yard before stopping it'll drop in but it's not right. My local Motorrad tech agrees it's not right. I remember my old ZZR600 had a positive neutral finder. If you were stationary in 1st the only place it would go was neutral.

 

[oldwobbler]

Agree it does not sound right. I would always rather neutral was hard to find when looking for it rather than easy to find when using the quick shifter from 1st to 2nd though!

 

[user 1924]

Agree it does not sound right. I would always rather neutral was hard to find when looking for it rather than easy to find when using the quick shifter from 1st to 2nd though!

That's part of the irony...on occasion the quick-shifter has found neutral between 3 and 4. Only about 4 times in 1300 miles. There is a routine to train the box in the manual which I incorporate into the first warm up miles. Seems to work well.

 

[oldwobbler]

That's part of the irony...on occasion the quick-shifter has found neutral between 3 and 4. Only about 4 times in 1300 miles. There is a routine to train the box in the manual which I incorporate into the first warm up miles. Seems to work well.

Every ride?

 

[user 1924]

Every ride?

When I first start out of a weekend. Fully clutch up the gears with 10 seconds in each and then same back down to 1. Warm up the brakes and tyres. Bit of a ritual but I find it's helped the gearbox in the past. My 2012 RR was a bugger for finding neutral on a quick-shift but this really helped it. Sadly hasn't helped my neutral finding at a standstill. I have had word that there is a modified clutch coming out in November so I'll wait for that.

 

[RammyRR]

When I first start out of a weekend. Fully clutch up the gears with 10 seconds in each and then same back down to 1. Warm up the brakes and tyres. Bit of a ritual but I find it's helped the gearbox in the past. My 2012 RR was a bugger for finding neutral on a quick-shift but this really helped it. Sadly hasn't helped my neutral finding at a standstill. I have had word that there is a modified clutch coming out in November so I'll wait for that.

Will the clutch be on a recall?

 

[alex]

Will the clutch be on a recall?

No - it's on a per bike basis. They have a modification they can fit if yours is particularly difficult to get into N.

 

[user 1924]

No - it's on a per bike basis. They have a modification they can fit if yours is particularly difficult to get into N.

Agreed. Theres a stage process depending on severity. No point fixing something if it's not broken. Still love the handling of the Bike. By far the best of the four RR' I've owned.

 

[djheaton321]

Mine was in the dealers for the clutch issue. It was fine before the running in service, if it didn't go into neutral from first it invariably went in from second. When it came back from the service it became impossible to get into neutral unless the engine was switched off. It was so bad the dealer stripped the clutch down expecting to find something in the clutch was broken. It wasn't. There is now a new design clutch, the part numbers were only released a couple of weeks ago. My dealer ordered it straight away, it's not due in until the end of November.

 

[oldwobbler]

Mine was in the dealers for the clutch issue. It was fine before the running in service, if it didn't go into neutral from first it invariably went in from second. When it came back from the service it became impossible to get into neutral unless the engine was switched off. It was so bad the dealer stripped the clutch down expecting to find something in the clutch was broken. It wasn't. There is now a new design clutch, the part numbers were only released a couple of weeks ago. My dealer ordered it straight away, it's not due in until the end of November.

Very odd.

 

[noxx]

I’ve been a couple weeks on the oil restrictor ‘fix’ now and it does absolutely eff all.