Missing 6th gear on a K 1100 / installing different final drive unit?

[ffbikersa]

Hello everybody,


A buddy who runs a BMW workshop approached me today with an unusual question: someone who owns a 1991 K 1100 LT complained to him how he's "missing a 6th gear" in his gearbox. I often had the same feeling while riding my K 1100 RS. The LT in question has the final drive unit marked with 31/11 - and my buddy asked me to check if final drive units with other ratios have been installed on the Paralever models. I had a look at the Motorworks site and found out that 32/11 too was installed on K 1100 LT as well, while 33/12 was foreseen for K1.


Has someone tried installing a 32/11 (or 33/12) unit instead of 31/11 - and if yes, what were the results? Is it possible to obtain just the different gear wheels and replace them, instead of the whole unit? Of course this question may be answered by K 100 and K 75 owners too, as there too final drive units with different ratios have been installed.
Cheers,
Tarik

[Scott_]

Put your ear plugs in and wind it up....
These motors have a power band sweet spot between 4-5k rpm. Also helps to keep carbon buildup in check.

[rbm]

Great page that explains all BMW final drive options:  http://www.largiader.com/articles/gearing/

[The Mighty Gryphon]

Put your ear plugs in and wind it up....
These motors have a power band sweet spot between 4-5k rpm. Also helps to keep carbon buildup in check.

That is the truth.  The sixth gear thing is the sign of a Brick newbie.  I had the same feeling when I first got mine.  Once you have done a couple 1000km days and accumulated some distance on your bike you settle in and will find yourself doing 100kph in 4th and enjoying it.  When I am touring on the interstate 5.5 to 6k is where I run.

4 to 6k rpm is where these bikes like to run, and they'll happily do it for thousands of km.

[ffbikersa]

Put your ear plugs in and wind it up....
These motors have a power band sweet spot between 4-5k rpm. Also helps to keep carbon buildup in check.

I am not complaining about the high revs or noise - just want more "lively" engine, e.g. when overtaking

[ffbikersa]

That is the truth.  The sixth gear thing is the sign of a Brick newbie.  I had the same feeling when I first got mine.  Once you have done a couple 1000km days and accumulated some distance on your bike you settle in and will find yourself doing 100kph in 4th and enjoying it.  When I am touring on the interstate 5.5 to 6k is where I run.

4 to 6k rpm is where these bikes like to run, and they'll happily do it for thousands of km.

I could hardly be called a newbie... Owned a K 100 LT 2003-2017, and this summer bought a K 1100 RS. But still miss one gear...

[ffbikersa]

Great page that explains all BMW final drive options:  http://www.largiader.com/articles/gearing/

T H A N K S !!!
Really useful

[johnny]

greetings...

having a 6th gear isnt gonna make your engine more lively...

keeping the tach near the red line will make your engine more lively...

sounds like you are frightened by engine speed...

ride dangerously...

j o

[bizzaro]

HMM, I was just wondering why the hell K's have a 5th gear?  Get a long stroke twin and you will be a happy man! (not trying to diss your preferences, just sayin)

[Laitch]

I could hardly be called a newbie... Owned a K 100 LT 2003-2017, and this summer bought a K 1100 RS. But still miss one gear...

How can one miss what one never had? On the other hand, I can think of several things I've had that I would have preferred to miss. :giggles

[Christopherguzzi]

I had the same feeling of wanting lower rpm's in top gear the first time I took my K75C for a ride, but I'm quite used to it now.  I suppose for me the difference was more pronounced as the gearing on my Victory Vegas (which I call my summer car) and BMW K75C (my newest hobby) couldn't be further apart.  The Vegas just lopes along in 6th gear at 80 miles per hour while the K75C feels like it is revving fairly high in 5th gear at the same speed.  Not a fair comparison at all given the overall design differences of the two bikes, but rather, just an observation.  Now that I'm more used to it, the gearing seems fine on the brick, although truth be told, I wouldn't mind an an extra gear for more relaxed highway cruising on the K75C, but then again, if I had it, I'd probably just go faster and want another gear after that.


Bottom line, for me, is that each will get you wherever you want to go, but given a choice, the cruiser is best suited for more relaxed cruising and interstate stints and the sportier bike, more spirited riding and shorter distance highway jaunts.
 :riding: :falldown: :2thumbup:

[Martin]

The K1200 had a six speed box, but would require a lot of engineering. If you go that route please post the process.
Regards Martin.

[Kudlaty]

He he, just wanted to open subject about missing gear. :riding: