► Unexpected stalling issue

[GS800NR9]

There seems to be two problems associated with stalling on the F650/800GS.

1. The bikes are fairly high-geared and the engine lacks the flywheel or reciprocating mass momentum of the boxer twins, so when asked to pull from very low revs it sometimes just gives up. Sometimes the engine cuts out when waiting at lights in gear with the clutch in.

2. In order to meet Euro emission regulations, the fueling is quite lean at times and under certain circumstances can cut out. The answer to this might be for the dealer to load a revised fuel mapping.

Extracted from thread on user reviews...

The motor quit once on me today. I felt a hesitation, grabbed the clutch and checked the instruments. Speedo was showing 50mph and the tacho was on 0 rpm. Hit the start button and carry on. Luckily i was pretty upright when it happened and not overtaking. It was pretty wet, but nowhere near as bad as yesterday. Hasn't happened since so im not sure what caused it.

I read your last write up with interest. I had my 800 cut out as well today,going around a corner, had to put my foot down and then hit the starter. Scared me a bit, I was travelling at 10/15 mph not the speed you would expect the motor to cut out at. Needs checking out. ( I thought it was me having a crap rider moment, now I am not so sure)

On the plus side I love the machine, engine, exhaust, handling, looks, price. Need some handguards though, I think the seat is okay but not done more than 70 miles in a oner, got an Airhawk just in case.

Paddy

Hmmm, think this cutting out thing needs keeping an eye on Paddy. Maybe BMW can check for a fault code but i'm not going to make the 70mile trip to the dealer unless or until it happens again.

Be interesting to see if any more riders have the problem.

After much trawling through threads on the F800.org site here is what i can gather is one possibility on the engine cut out.

If you ride for a certain distance or time ( 50 miles is a figure mentioned which roughly ties in with my experience )without stopping or returning the throttle to fully closed then the ECU recalculates the fully closed position of the throttle, presumably based on the furthest point you moved it back during a gear change or slow down at junction etc.

Then, during a gear change or some other occasion of low throttle, in my case i believe i was going from 4th to 5th, if you close the throttle beyond that new zero point then you are in a negative throttle value and fuel is shut off to the engine. Engine stalls.

I would have put this down as a one off on my bike if it wasn't for Paddy having an engine cut out too and the approx 10 pages of stuff on the other forum about it.

It may sound a bit like goofy software but it does tie in with the characteristics of my ride yesterday where i never came to a complete stop at any lights for the previous 48 miles (another significant figure may be i had just passed the hour mark).

There is talk of software updates etc so i'll be talking to the dealer next week.

 

[chrisjk]

Hmmm. My 800 cut out once as I closed the throttle and coasted to a stop at the traffic lights. I had not done anything like 50 miles at the time though.

Maybe we need a separate thread for this topic?

 

[twisticles]

A few interesting comments about cut-outs... I had a couple within the first 100 miles. The first one on the way home from the dealer (approx 60 miles journey, near the end) when coming to stop at red lights, the second one when I slowed to go round a very congested roundabout.

I thought it was me getting used to a new bike and not keeping the revs high enough.

Not had any since though.

 

[GS800NR9]

Barfly, the recall work has been done on my bike. This fault is either not related to the recall problem or else the recall isn't clearing the fault.

I'm going out again now to put some miles on it so i will see how it behaves.


Just to reiterate,i was doing between 50 and 60 mph, accelerating and changing up when it just died, not slowing for a roundabout or something. That's typical overtaking territory and i wouldnt want it happening as i was alongside an artic.

 

[Wizard]

I have/mine has stalled a few times in the first couple of hundred miles, but apart from running out of juice it's been grand for the last 1000 miles. There was a software update done at first service.

Oh, and you can disregard some of my comments elsewhere which were made when I thought everyone was still talking about the pressure switch

 

[BM_donator]

It finally arrived - on April 1st !!

I've got the dreaded stall issue though - three times this morning. All three were as I was slowing down on closed throttle.
The last one happened just as I was about to open the throttle to pull out of a junction - left me in the middle of the road

Someone suggested a thread of its own, so here it is.

 

[Porthos1]

Mine stalled once as I was heading down a steep hill at very slow speed..........never done it since.

 

[BM_donator]

Just an additional thought - all stalls were whilst moving and "bump starting" did not refire the engine - I had to press the starter button to get the engine going again.
Almost like someone had hit the kill switch...

I checked with my dealer when I picked the bike up and it has had the recall work done.

(only one stall on this afternoon's longer outing - maybe just bedding in?)

 

[BM_donator]

Strangley enough, the stalling problem had disappeared after 3 days. No stalls at all in the last 4 days. Fingers crossed the gremlin has gone away.

 

[Brian ROSEN]

Third day out on my new 800GS - coming up to my home via a twisty hilly road as I have done 1,000s of times before, the last three and a half years on my 1200GS.. As I came round one of the righthand hairpin bends and accelerated, still leaning to the right, the bike stalled/cut out and thus shreared off to the right; I was unable to hold it up and down it went. Broken headlight, engine casing, bad scratches on bodywork, oil all over the road; I was winded and a few cuts and bruises. The dealer from whom I had bought the bike in Lyon (25 miles away) came out straightaway and picked the bike up -8.30 pm. So far I have deduced, the hard way, that this bike simply cuts out if the engine is overloaded - it doesn't vibrate or stutter, like the many boxers that I have had, and give you a chance to change down. Engine fault ? Rider error? Engine characteristics? What do you think? ( On Saturday I tried to buy back my 1200GS, left there on Wednesday, but it was already sold!) I would of course be interested to hear if others have experienced this, apart from previous replies in this thread;

What an unfortunate experience Brian! I hope you're healing well.

When I took one for a test ride I was paranoid of stalling it and dropping it, so was quite heavy handed with the revs. I guess when mine arrives I'll err on the side of caution. Amazing that the bike gave no hint before stalling, falling over and spitting you off.

Has it put you completely off the 800?
Jolyon

Sorry to hear what happened Brian, get well soon.

I am still sure that the 800GS is an excellent bike - BUT it was not what I was looking for (I discovered too late.) It is NOT an old man's version of the 1200GS - more like a souped up version and obviously intended for the younger generation (hopefully) joining the BMW ranks - hence the rorty exhaust.

"....Amazing that the bike gave no hint before stalling, falling over and spitting you off....." Yes, that was obviously what fooled me - you do expect some warning and I am not sure if it was me or a fault with the electronics. Keep the revs up is the answer, something that does come easily after 30 years of boxers;

Sorry to hear about your off, and on a new bike too! I've had a 1200 for a week while my 650 was having some work done, it's a very different beast. I can see how the 800 would react differently; I had some odd experiences.

When I test rode the 800 it just seemed full of get up and go, but then I was coming up from the 650. It'll be interesting to ride my new 800 on Tuesday (yes I'm picking it up then) now I've had the other end of the range for a week.

Catherine.

"Keep the revs up is the answer, something that does come easily after 30 years of boxers;" No, what I meant to say is "...something that does NOT come easily after 30 years. "

The 800GS is a super bike but it does require a different technique from a boxer. It doesn't suit me i have decided - so will swop back at the very earliest opportuniity. An expensive mistake!

Brian

sorry to hear your news. I hope that you get better soon and get back on a bike that suits soon

i have to say that my F8GS has been great, passed 1st service now and the revs are up. I've not had cutout issues.

off to lyon and montelimar 16 to 25th may ----a proper test. Just hope its not a French issue !!

mine is a fast metalic one, perhaps its yellow bike issue

Hamish

Sorry to hear about the incident Brian... and I guess I know exactly what you mean.

With 3,400 miles on the clock my 800GS has behaved OK. I've found myself turning at junctions in fourth gear with only a few revs on and the 'bike has done it without complaint... so it's so easy to become complacent with it, but I guess sooner or later it'll take a gobful of air and say "bollox t'ya"

I did this once with my R1100S, and it did the same thing ...... and the fecker stalled and left me at 10mph with mi feet floundering all over the place trying to play catchup

Ride safe

Micky

"....I have it booked in at the dealers this coming Thursday to sort, hopefully!!!, I will be getting a loan 800GS so I should be able to compare...." It will be very interesting to hear what they say and whether they admit that this is a known characteristic.

My GS had this issue until the first service, now all seems well, Like Brian mine cut out on a bend, I was lucky, As stated when you hit the starter she fired up and I made the bend. !

"....If your bike is under warranty..." In my case it all happened on its THIRD day on the road! Very difficult to prove that when you stall on a very sharp corner it is the fault of the bike not the rider - but the more similar stories the stronger my case!

So true! That's why I got the habit of not changing gears in corners
But I am doing it now again with my trusty 1150 GS

"...So true! That's why I got the habit of not changing gears in corners..." No, there was no question of changing gear at the time it stalled; This is a steep hairpin bend with pronounced camber. One mistke and you are down - but I had managed OK for 10 years on many other BMW models (boxers of course!)

 

[JackieG]

And another...

About 10 minutes into a ride this weekend mine cut out for the first time as I was shifting down from 4th to 3rd, making the transition into a 30 MPH speed limit - so not a situation where I would expect a stall (as opposed to a cut out). The bike had done about 500 miles at that stage.

Just another experience to add to the pot! Otherwise I love it...

Jackie

 

[Scorpion1946]

Stalling

Unfortunately, I also have this stalling problem; it is happening usually when coming down the gearbox (normally 2nd to 1st), slowing down for roundabouts etc. and no amount of trying to keep the revs. helps. There is a lot of popping and banging then a 'clunk' from the engine and it cuts out, it won't 'bump' start, but it will start on the button; which is a bit of embarrasment, not to say dangerous.

The first time it happened was at about 500miles on the clock, it was OK for about 200 miles then it started happening at every slowdown.

I have it booked in at the dealers this coming Thursday to sort, hopefully!!!, I will be getting a loan 800GS so I should be able to compare.

 

[Scorpion1946]

Bike back from the dealer, now running well with no 'popping' or 'banging' and most inportantly No Stalling.

The service manager says that they altered some of the 'Atributes' (set up parameters?) on their computer and that they tightened a loose flange on the exhaust (cause of the popping)

I had a good run of a couple of hundred miles over the weekend with no problems.

Hopefully it should be cured now

 

[BM_donator]

An experienced BMW tech said that it is essential on these bikes not to open the throttle when starting the engine as it resets the idle each time the engine is started. If you hold the throttle open that becomes the default tickover setting and then results in stalls when throttle is subsequently closed.

The single pot 650's were apparently the same though not the 1150, (don't know about the 1200's).

I've had about a dozen of these stalls on my 800 in the last 6 weeks (3 in the last 3 days in France). Never had a single one on my 650GS in a year.
Are we sure about this ?

 

[BM_donator]

Grrrrr..

Still happening a couple of times a week - gonna go back to dealers and press for a solution before I have a BrianinFrance moment.

BTW, With experience, I think it is prone to happening after "spirited" riding using high revs, followed by slow deceleration on overrun. The next attempt to open the throttle results in nothing other than a popping sound and the engine cutting out.

Sound familiar to anyone

 

[snaponphil]

F800 Gs Stalling at slow speed

Hi everyone, just to add to this forum, got my new 800 GS in black/yellow from southport BMW, done 1600 miles now in the last 3 weeks, from sunshine to rain & cold weather, the more i ride it i get used to things i didn't expect of it, Btw, love 99% of my time with it..
The stalling at low speeds, roundabouts & junctions, engine just goes OFF.. the start button works instantly & i've never fallen off yet.! but, i have had to ride differently, where i would normally cruise round a slow corner i now use the rear brake, slip the clutch slightly so it's not a direct drive when the lights go out, i'm still not sure its not me, but i think the first 2 gears are quite high, considering the bike is designed for a bit of off roading, touring etc, when 2 up on tight roads & hills, even 1st gear is quite high, (personally i would like to see lower 1st & 2nd gears) sproket change no good cos on motorways it could do with higher gearing as it pulls really well 2 up & luggage loaded.
Anyway, it's under warranty & gonna get dealer to check it out..
Regards.. X..

 

[john35]

F650GS stalling

I've been out on the new twin cylinder F650GS today while my R1200GS was in for a service. On entering a small roundabout, in the rain, the rear wheel suddenly locked up and I got dumped on the floor. Only damage to bike was a broken front brake lever. I continued with my ride thinking I must have done something wrong, it was wet etc etc. However, after completing a ride of about 180 miles I was leaving a deceleration lane of the A46 near Caistor, went to let the clutch out and put power on and the rear wheel locked up again, fortunately it was dry and I was more prepared. Is this the type of thing the rest of you are experiencing?

 

[snaponphil]

Hi John 35, i assume that was Astles demo bike ? if so i have ridden it & answer to your question YES, i think so, i had no problems with it in particular & it performs similar to mine, although i think with the F800 Gs you need to keep the revs up through townie roads. I live in louth & road tested more than once both the 800 & 1200 bikes before purchasing the 800 Gs, Astles were brill but could not supply me with a 800 Gs so i bought one from Southport superbikes, although i would have liked to use Astles for servicing etc i cant seem to get my bike booked in with them, too long lead times for the workshop.. Guess i learned my lesson, buy local, but Southport have been excellent in everything up till now..
Sorry to read u fell off, happens, but so hard to walk into dealership, takes balls..

 

[Jaq]

My F650GS twin has stalled twice.....first time pulling away uphill from the house....but I think that may have been me not using enough revs.....however, the second time was slowing down to a stop, going from 3rd to 2nd gear....
First service due in 3 weeks, will see how things go, but will defo mention it to the mechanics at Ocean.......

 

[Tim Cullis]

I can't remember the last time I've stalled the R1200GSA, but I've experienced several stalls with the F650GS within 1100 miles.

The first was when I initially took the F650GS on a test ride but this and another experience I put down to the very high gearing. Roundabouts in third gear are no-nos on these bikes as the engines don't have the 'flywheel' effects of the bigger boxers and it's important to change down to a more appropriate gear.

But I've had two experiences where the engine just stopped at the traffic lights. Might be down to clutch drag?

Tim