2010 GS1200 intermittent non starting.

[bitwobbly]

Coming back from France last week, pulled into autoroute services, bike not starting.
Went through start up checks all ok, press button, nothing.
Bmw assist will not come out to peage as they are privately owned and not allowed on their land. Had to phone 112 and get French breakdown out. Jump the battery, thumped starter motor and it started and got me home.

Now this has happened three times now, although it does usually start in the end.

Just returned home from NOG, they have carried out drop test on battery and tested starter motor, all ok.

Bugger, anyone any ideas?

BMW say they are going to pay for the callout in France but I'm now left with a bike with an intermittent fault.

 

[Robbo1200ADV]

Sound like the starter switch/wiring /side stand switch How many miles? ? lots of rain recently?

 

[bitwobbly]

Hasn't seen rain for ages. Bike is one year old, 14000 miles.

 

[Bigrodders]

Could this be the problem http://www.ukgser.com/forums/showthread.php?t=258530&highlight=sluggish , mine sometimes sounds like it won't turn over mentioned it when I had it serviced and they checked the flap, not had it happen since.
Bigrodders

 

[F104]

friend had the same, starter would not turn over 50% of the time. Happened both while engine was cold or hot. Turned out to be a sticky/corroded starter relay (the one under the tank).
Would look at that, certainly if jumping the battery does get it going, as jumping it from a running engine puts some 14.8V on it rather than the 12+ from a (good) battery.

 

[bitwobbly]

Bigrodders; That could be it. Did yours do anything at all when you pressed the started button? Mine did nothing at all.

F104; hopefully NOG checked the relay today but I'll certainly have a look tomorrow.

When I broke down in France the friendly mechanic walloped the starter motor with a hammer, this could have scared the exhaust flap into moving, they are fairly close.

Hands dirty tomorrow, thanks chaps.

 

[Pukmeister]

Be sure to check the wiring on the back of the (female) relay socket and not just the relay itself. Some early 1200's suffered from corrosion of the copper cabling where in enters the socket. Worth applying some silicon grease for waterproofing the wiring connectors once checked/cleaned.

 

[Bigrodders]

HI
yes mine only just turned the engine over and it fired, it sounded like a flat battery, but it only happened about 4 times before I had it serviced.
Hope it helps, sounds like it could be a few things
Bigrodders

 

[bitwobbly]

See, you guys aren't scary at all!
Don't think its the exhaust valve as it doesn't even turn over on the starter when fault happens.
Starter relay seems favourite, it was ridden in torrential rail in Norway last year, something may well have corroded.
I'm handy with the spanners and a multimeter but never removed fuel tank before, any hints please?

 

[Keith Chapman]

never removed fuel tank before, any hints please?

Yes, don't fill up with fuel before you remove the tank.

 

[F104]

apparently the gs1200 has only one relay, and that's for the starter. It's either under the tool tray (mine isn't), or under the tank. I just had the LH side panels off to remove my accellerator module (see if i notice the difference..) and looked under the tank: there is something that looks like a relay under the ECU. You might get access to it by removing the belt cover on the front.
PS on my friend's bike you could hear the relay clicking upon actuating the starter button, but it did not power the starter, so corroded output terminals must have been the problem.. In which case you likely need to remove the tank to get decent access to it

good luck,

 

[Oldrat]

Thanks for the replies..
I've got a similarly aged GSA and am following this with interest. I know Bitwobbly is keen on all the advice from you guys, and I'm sure he would not mind me saying that he is busy with a family matter at the moment and will be back on 'soon as'.