This time on a 2012 1200GS with only 34k miles. It melted the alternator belt when it started . Replaced with an alternator sourced from Italy off an R 9T and looks like new. The replacement is shown as a comparison with the old man.
Another cracked and seized alternator.
- Thread starter Steptoe
- Start date
I’m getting a good collection of bolloxed 1200 alternators, here’s a few more. Remember the advice I’ve posted previously. DO NOT wash a 1200 and then put it away in the garage.
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Same happened on my old 2005 a couple of years back must've been around 50k, but it kept working for ages til I got round to changing it...sounded like a washing machine on full spin with knackered bearings. But at least it drowned out the other usual mechanical noises.
Never been washed since apart from the occasional muddy puddle...Good to know I'm following sound advice and not just a lazy b'stard
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Never been washed since apart from the occasional muddy puddle...Good to know I'm following sound advice and not just a lazy b'stard
Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk
Same thing happened on my 2011 GS at around 55k. Dragged it out if the garage after a winter lay off and it refused to start , flattened the battery so recharged. I then tried a full throttle full bore start aided by a booster pack and she eventually fired and immediately burnt right through the alternator belt . The huge amount of smoke coming from the front of the bike scared the shit out of me , I thought the thing had caught fire. 
Likewise, mine seized around 40k with a cracked lower casing. The laminated cores had badly rusted and expanded. I got lucky with a low cost replacement GSA unit from a scrapyard in Nevada USA, same mileage alternator but spotless as it had never seen rain.
New item gets regularly ACF50'd and I never put the bike away wet when I can avoid it unless its pissing down. Run the bike up after washing or the next dry day after having to put away wet.
I wish I hadn't thrown out my old GSA Denso unit, I have loads of spare time now at work and could have stripped and rebuilt it out of curiosity, maybe even got our TIG guru to weld the cracked casting up.
New item gets regularly ACF50'd and I never put the bike away wet when I can avoid it unless its pissing down. Run the bike up after washing or the next dry day after having to put away wet.
I wish I hadn't thrown out my old GSA Denso unit, I have loads of spare time now at work and could have stripped and rebuilt it out of curiosity, maybe even got our TIG guru to weld the cracked casting up.
I’ve previously sourced all my replacement 1200 alternators from the USA. But recently the shipping/postage costs have gone through the roof, and now postage is the same cost as the part.
Does this affect other GS? Or just 1200's from 2004-2013?
Is the design/location different to other earlier GS's?
Is the design/location different to other earlier GS's?
I've never had an 1100/1150 alternator seize up due to corrosion.
The 1200 seems to be set up so all the shite and water gets directed into the alternator.
Happens a lot on low mileage immaculate bikes that are washed and put away for the winter or bikes that are used infrequently. Seems if they're used daily, even through winter, the alternator doesn't have a chance to corrode and seize.
One needs to get the house pipe into all the nooks and crannies to get every scrap of salt off - then after washing blow dry, or ride the bike for a few miles to dry it off.
Deleted account 211025001
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I don't have to do that on any of the bikes that I own so is it just the R1200 series BWM's that need that level of faff
Andres
I don't have to do that on any of the bikes that I own so is it just the R1200 series BWM's that need that level of faff
Andres
Depends on how much you care about looking after your bikes - directing a house pipe between the forks to clean the suspension and alternator is hardly a faff, if you ride through the winter it’s common sense, salt gets in everywhere not just the alternator.
Deleted account 211025001
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Ah ok, I do ride through the winter (commute to work) and I do look after my bikes.
Seems then that it's just the 1200's that need the extra faff of, to quote you "get the house pipe into all the nooks and crannies to get every scrap of salt off - then after washing blow dry, or ride the bike for a few miles to dry it off".
All that hassle on a bike used day in day out in the winter would seriously piss me off but as long as you're happy, I'm happy
As Steptoe says, he's never seen the issue on 1150's...................
Andres
My failed alternator due to rust/expansion was on a bike used all-year for commuting. I think once the rusting gets so far you are knackered, hence my replacement alternator gets a good dose of ACF50 across its core, prevention is way less hassle and expense than cure.
As Steptoe says, don't put your bike away wet if you aren't gonna ride it next day.
As Steptoe says, don't put your bike away wet if you aren't gonna ride it next day.
Ah ok, I do ride through the winter (commute to work) and I do look after my bikes.
Seems then that it's just the 1200's that need the extra faff of, to quote you "get the house pipe into all the nooks and crannies to get every scrap of salt off - then after washing blow dry, or ride the bike for a few miles to dry it off".
All that hassle on a bike used day in day out in the winter would seriously piss me off but as long as you're happy, I'm happy
As Steptoe says, he's never seen the issue on 1150's...................
Andres
I’m happy
It may not have happened on the 1150s but other things happened on them that don’t happen on the 1200s.
Putting you bike away wet is never a good idea no matter what the make.
Putting anything away wet is never a good idea, no matter what part of your anatomy!
Mine should be fine (I hope) as I wash it very infrequently and then it doesn't get fully doused and I blow it off with compressed air.
I came back from 3 months away in May to find my alternator seized (2011 GSA). To be fair it had been groaning and whistling for some time so it was a matter of when not if. I probably washed it and didn't run the engine up to dry it, like I usually do, before I went away. To make matters worse when I tried to remove the alternator I rounded or snapped the heads of the torx screws that hold the shroud onto the alternator and engine casing. RGM Motorcycles did the job in the end but had to take the front off the bike off to get access to the screws. I got it back today with the £175 alternator from Sherlocks humming away nicely. While the front was off he also replaced the bearing under the top yoke as that was badly worn too.
