NHTSA Complaint #10140137 — 1997 UNKNOWN UNKNOWN

MY 1997 BMW F650 MOTORCYCLE SLIPS OUT OF FIRST GEAR. IT DID THIS WHILE UNDER WARRANTY. I BOUGHT IT USED FROM A PRIVATE CITIZEN AND TOOK IT TO FRANK'S BMW MOTORCYCLES IN ESSEX JCT, VT FOR SERVICE. LESTER PELKEY (OWNER) SAID IT WAS OPERATOR ERROR WHEN IT WAS UNDER WARRANTY. HE SAID IT DIDN'T DO IT TO HIM. I CAN DOWNSHIFT INTO FIRST, LET THE BIKE RUN IN 1ST UP TO A LIGHT OR STOP SIGN. STOP, AND SOMETIMES IT SLIPS INTO NEUTRAL, AND SOMETIMES IT WAITS UNTIL I'VE STARTED UP AGAIN TO SLIP OUT (NOT GOOD IN A TURN!), AND SOMETIMES IT STAYS IN FIRST GEAR UNTIL I SHIFT INTO SECOND. IN ALL FAIRNESS, THE BIKE DOESN'T DO THIS FOR MOST PEOPLE. IT SEEMS TO DO IT MORE WHEN WARM, BUT THAT'S NO GUARANTEE. I BELIEVED LESTER PELKEY AS I WAS A NEW RIDER. IN 2004 I BOUGHT A 2ND F650 - A 1999 (BASICALLY THE SAME BIKE). IT DOES NOT SLIP OUT OF GEAR. I'VE SPOKEN TO THE BMW REP MARGE CHARNEY, I'VE SPOKEN TO DARRYL AT 2ND WIND BMW (WHERE THE BIKE WAS ORIGINALLY BOUGHT BY THE PREVIOUS OWNER) AND OTHERS. NO ONE WILL DO ANYTHING. BESIDES HAVING THE BIKE SLIP OUT OF GEAR WHILE IDLE OR IN A TURN, I CANNOT USE MY FOOT BRAKE AS I HAVE TO HOLD THE SHIFT LEVER DOWN WHEN I TAKE OFF TO ENSURE IT DOESN'T SLIP OUT OF GEAR. THIS IS PARTICULARLY BAD WHEN STOPPED ON A HILL. I HAVE TO DO A DANCE AND HAVE GREAT TIMING TO LET OUT THE CLUTCH, LET OFF THE HAND BRAKE AND ACCELERATE ALL AT THE SAME TIME! THE ONLY THING THAT MAKES SENSE TO THOSE I'VE SPOKEN TO ABOUT THIS SITUATION IS TWO PARTS ARE BARELY WITHIN SPEC - AND BECAUSE BOTH OF THOSE PARTS ARE IN MY BIKE, THEY DON'T ENGAGE PROPERLY. THIS IS A DANGEROUS SITUATION. AND, I DON'T FEEL I CAN SELL THE BIKE TO SOMEONE ELSE WHEN IT MAY CAUSE THEM A PROBLEM. THE DATE BELOW IS PUT IN BECAUSE YOU REQUIRE ONE - I DON'T RECALL THE EXACT DATE EXCEPT IT WAS IN MAY PRIOR TO MY WARRANTY RUNNING OUT. YOUR FORM DOES NOT HAVE BMW LISTED UNDER MOTORCYCLES; THEREFORE, I'VE SELECTED UNKNOWN! *NM