[Demike]

Hi All, I just had a new-to-me 2013 RT with 34k miles delivered from a non-BMW dealer and there are a few things I noticed right away. These may all be symptoms of the same issue or different but here is what I've found.

• Clutch catches very late and seems to grip suddenly when it does. It's not slipping once in gear though.
• There is a clunking noise just as the clutch engages.
• There is no lateral play in the rear wheel when on the center stand, neither at 9 and 3 o'clock or 6 and 12.
• There is a lot of play (1-1.5 inches) when turning the rear wheel back and forth when in 1st gear on center stand.
• Knocking noise when hitting bumps but can't tell were it's coming from.

Based on the description above, is it possible to get a sense of what the issue(s) might be? I've done a lot of research but haven't been able narrow anything down. The dealer said they would cover at least part of the repair but I'm concerned that it could go well beyond what they will cover.

The bike is in great shape otherwise and looks very well taken care of but I have only a few basic service records. In hindsight I should have paid an independent inspector since I couldn't test drive it myself. (Others please learn from my oversight).

Thanks in advance for any help/suggestions!!

 

[rockitcity]

Don't know what you are coming from, but the 2013 and prior bikes have single plate dry clutches so will feel different from a wet clutch. Possibly might need bleeding. The rest of it sounds pretty normal, depending on the severity. Does your bike have ESA, and does it work? Can't say what the knocking noise would be. Front or rear?

 

[MoPops]

It doesn’t sound that unusual to me. My 2011 with 19,000 mi sounds and feels similar.. My clutch is more gradual however. I had a 2008 GSA and it was similar also. Even when new. Have you owned a bmw from this era in the past?

 

[Demike]

Thanks @rockitcity and @MoPops! This definitely gives me some peace of mind. My only other bike was a 2009 F800ST which does have a wet multi-disk clutch so it makes sense that this will feel different. The dealer doing the repair did a test drive before diving in and said it felt normal and just needed a minor adjustment. VERY relieved I don't have to deal with that out of the gate on a new-to-me RT!

Their prognosis on the final drive is that it does need some bearings and will end up in the $1k range and should be ready next week. Considering the non-BMW dealer I bought it from will be footing at least most of the bill (so they say) I feel pretty lucky.

Hopefully Spring moves in to the north east soon and we can all doing some riding! Thanks again and I'll keep you posted on the final results.

 

[Audi403]

Goodluck, let us know how it goes