Thanks for the feed back

[redwing]

I like to talk about my bike... I heard a story about a crusier owner and I think it true.

A man bought a crusier. Rode it for a time... perhaps 1000 miles. Drained all the fluids out, washed, and polished his bike.
Then parked it in his den. ...... go figure.

I have missed 1st gear perhaps 5 times in 4000 miles. I usually run down through the gears letting out on the clutch a bit for each gear. For me shifting is not a problem and a dependable bike.
My bike's outside in the cold..though covered.

Robert

[Caroanbill]

.. now on my ignore list .. only the 2nd person to gain that status. Say HI to Wildpig in there..

Geepers, Don, this was all goin' on an' I missed it ... oh, yeah, I kinda promised the moderators I'd be good after WILDPIG

Paranoid? Pathetic.

Have you gone, builtforcomfort? If not, simple advice is "don't dis the Don" (now, that has more resonance in australia where "the Don" = Don Bradman, most famous and respected cricketer ever - good company, Don) - we live by his advice.

But, crikey, your bike has a characteristic that's a consequence of conscious design choice. Get around it, get over it, or get off it onto a Yamazuki. Mine does this on occasion too, particularly when new, and I was a bit peturbed. Nothing tears into a decent pilsener didn't fix, and now it's gone. I haven't been out on mine for a while (too hot here ) but used it as a commuter for the first time in Sunday - ain't gonna sell the F650CS, but I was pleasantly surprised and even with two gazillion traffic lights (welcome to Sydney town) that problem is all gone now .. or maybe I should sober up.

[MattPie]

I have now had, and loved (more than any other bike), my R for the past three years, and have owned innumerable bikes in the past 45 years, and think I will weigh in here.

1. I have the first gear problem. If you shift into first before stopping it doesn't occur. When it does happen, let out on the clutch, pull it in, try again, it goes. It's a minor pain. I posted on it when I first got the bike because I wanted to know if it was "normal" or there was something wrong that I should get fixed. A number of other people reported having the same problem, so I decided it was "normal" and dropped it.

My R1150R does the same thing, those lazy Germans at BMW! Actually, putting my Subaru into first requires the same thing from time to time, AND it prefers double-clutching to get into first while rolling. It must be something endemic to former Axis nations, I've heard some of the Italian bikes do this too!

2. I also found the turn signal set-up to be a pain. On my Harley you press the switch to signal, you press the same switch to cancel. It was simple and natural. I find the addition of the cancel switch to be another minor pain (it's something else I posted about early on and got a relatively benign response from other readers). The BMW set-up wasn't so minor until I got used to it, now it's second nature. To have only two minor gripes about a motorcycle, neither of which I onotice anymore, is a blessing

The Kissan Signalminder I have (again, R1150R) changes the turn signals to the 'Harley' way OR the BMW way. Pushing the same side again cancels, or the cancel button does too. Maybe be worth it for BFC to take a look at one for his R1200R. The Harley method is the most natural, I think, with the BMW method second, and everyone else third. But they're all interchangeable, really. I've had loaners and demo rides on bike with all three configurations, and after the first couple turns it becomes second nature.

[deilenberger]

The Kissan Signalminder I have (again, R1150R) changes the turn signals to the 'Harley' way OR the BMW way. Pushing the same side again cancels, or the cancel button does too. Maybe be worth it for BFC to take a look at one for his R1200R. The Harley method is the most natural, I think, with the BMW method second, and everyone else third.

The signal controls are controlled by the body/light module - and there is no plug-in available since there are no relays and such on a CAN-BUS bike. That's the bad part. The good part is - if BMW wanted to (or someone was really clever with coding) - it could be changed with a simple software change.

I had the Kissan on my R1150RS - and actually found I used the cancel button 90% of the time since then I was certain it was cancelled without seeing the signals, or glancing down to the dash. I don't mind the BMW way at all.. it makes sense after using it for about 15 years, and I hardly ever blink furiously left when I meant to blow the horn now.

[daveyator]

I've only been on this forum for a little less then a year. I can't believe an argument like this is even going on. Don seems to be a great source of info and implying he's up to anything else is just wrong. My '99 R1100R did the first gear thing constantly. It also had a "clunky" transmission. So be it. I still loved it. The R1200R shifts better although still a little "clunky" but its only missed 1st like once for me. To me thats improvement. I don't really like the cancel switch set up for the turn signals but between the self cancel feature and the newer switch position thats been improved also. Whatever you think of BMW they are IMHO progressively improving their bikes as time goes by. By improvement they hope we will buy their version of $15K motorcycles . I think that's all they (BMW) are up to.

[celticus]

" By improvement they hope we will buy their version of $15K motorcycles . I think that's all they (BMW) are up to."
If you say so. Our local BMW dealership, or rather the place where I bought my R1200R , has not had a new BMW on the lot since July. The dealership changed ownership and it seems to me and everyone at the dealership that BMW is going out of it's way to make it as hard as possible to get the franchise back. Triumph, Ducati, KTM, Piaggio, Moto Guzzi and Aprilla were easy to deal with and are back on the floor with barely a lost day of sales.
The same walls that WERE OK with the previous owners are now the wrong shade of grey and the signage outside is suddenly wrong.
I spoke to an ex BMW dealer in Fayetteville NC a few weeks back and he said he finally just had enough from BMW and gave up the franchise and now sells Suzuki , Yamaha and various custom choppers.
I can still get my bike serviced and get $90 per set rear brake pads there but for almost a half a year no new bikes.
I don't know what the BMW people are thinking.
I love my bike but if I were in the market for a new bike and this dealership had no new BMWs on the floor I would not travel to a BMW dealership farther away to get one.
The on line BMW community is very helpful and a lot of fun. I don't think you are going to find a more knowledgeable bunch anywhere. There is so much information out there on almost every subject concerning the maintenance of a BMW. I would miss that. And the aftermarket parts availability is amazing, especially if you are riding a GS.
Many of my friends ride Airheads and do their own mechanic work but I would have a hard time going back to those last century brakes and performance.

Mark