1200gs stopped/started/stopped

[redcap]

Hi all
I have just bought a 04 1200gs 23000 miles and all was well, i rode for 500miles on thursday stopped to fill up with petrol .When i tried to start her up the ignition turned on but the display pulsed and i could hear what i thought was the brake servo going on/off .When i hit the starter i got a clicking noise and then nothing .After jump starting her she ran ok until i came up to a roundabout and pulled the brake lever the headlight went out the brakes failed but the engine kept running but very roughly .Bearing in mind this was now 11.00pm i called the breakdown out to get me the remaining 250miles home . The bike will not start any ideas ,i suspect the battery but this was replaced in november last year at a BMW dealer the bike has covered app.750 since ! Any ideas would be greatly recieved cheers

 

[The Nutter]

My mate's 2004 did something similar a while back. His servo was continuously running with the ignition on. This flatens the battery very quickly and I suggest the rough running could well be down to the fact that the battery had insufficient power to run the electronics of the bike.
So I would point the finger at the servo being the problem. Hopefully someone else will be along shortly to offer a solution or a way of confirming my suspicions. Good luck.

 

[harry]

Can you not Jump her, Roger?

 

[redcap]

Hi Harry
Yes i jumped her but as i said the lights went out and the brakes went off ! I thought i would call it day after that !
Surley the servo would run all the time the ignition is on and the bike running ?
I am not sure this is my first BMW so its all new ,shame as it is a fantastic machine .

 

[The Nutter]

Hi Harry
Yes i jumped her but as i said the lights went out and the brakes went off ! I thought i would call it day after that !
Surley the servo would run all the time the ignition is on and the bike running ?
I am not sure this is my first BMW so its all new ,shame as it is a fantastic machine .

The servo should only run when the ignition is on and either the front or rear brake is being applied. Once the brakes are released, it should stop operating.

 

[TeaPig]

It's not impossible for a 'new' battery to fail so that's one possibility. Thereafter I'd check the earth connection to the bike (where the big black wire from the battery negative is bolted on). Any corrosion on the connection may limit the current available to the starter. You've got an older bike so plenty of winters could have got to it. If you tried to jump via the battery terminals, a duff earth would prevent even a good battery from starting the bike.

 

[The Nutter]

It's the fact he could hear what he thought was the servo running that would be the cause for a battery running flat so quickly. As I've said, the servo should not be running as soon as the ignition is switched on (unless the brakes are being used).

 

[Paul Wakefield]

Could it be the handguard touching the brake lever (used to happen quite often) causing the servos to operate the whole time and run the battery down? Though I'm surprised the alternator can't supply enough puff to keep the battery charged.

 

[Pukmeister]

It sounds like a combination of the afforementioned faults eg servo stuck on, drained battery. Whether the battery is fecked or recoverable is another matter, only eliminated by a recharge and test.

 

[redcap]

Hi All
Thanks for the response .I have put the battery on my oximiser charger, it has been on for two nights and a day and is still on orange .That means the battery is very low and the oximiser is trying to recover it ! I don't hold out much hope for it . The shop i bought the bike from is sending another battery to me to see if it can get the bike running again however it will not be a gell type i hope this will be ok .If i can get her running i will pop it to the dealers to see what they think to it .The dead battery should be replaced under warranty i think as it was only fitted in November last year at a BMW dealer .
Hopefully that will be the end of it .Other than that what a fantastic bit of kit the 1200gs is ,i can't believe it has taken me so long to get one !

 

[redcap]

Hi All
I have just fitted a cheapo battery and she fired up straight away no worries .I will get it checked out to see if it is charging ok .I think the original battery will be replaced under BMW warranty ! Will keep you all posted thanks for all your thoughts .