Hawker Odyssey PC535 battery, CTEK Multi XS3600 charger.
Battery charging - what's normal?
- Thread starter Martin
- Start date
Paul Mac - you are getting all steamed up for the wrong reasons. From my experience and from what I have read on this forum and others the battery for the 1200GS plus the alternator (600W) is perfectly adequate for the bike - and in my experience very much better than on the old fashioned heavier bikes. Your particular bike has a fault that should be easy to trace particularly as the battery is so readily accesible. Put a voltmeter across it - you should have around 13 plus volts; disconnect it - leave it for a few days - you should still have 13 plus volts MINUS VERY LITTLE. So then you will know where the fault is.
Paul Mac
Guest
If my bike was a one off guys I could accept that - however loads of 1200GS's suffer from the same fault - surley they can't all be lemons ???. If you have a bike which is working OK then I am happy for you BUT don't shoot the messenger when somebody reports genuine problems and cause for concern. My BMW brand loyalty is beyond reproach. For years I have ridden nothing else covering well in excess of 300,000 miles all of it on BMW airheads and one oilhead - all have been TOP bikes and never gave any problems. In common with many other 1200GS riders I am finding that the 1200 GS is testing my brand loyalty to the limit. This saddens me as I got into motorcycling purely because of my love of and desire to own a superb BMW boxer motorcycle and is not in anyway a desire to be "controversial" - I merely report how my experience of ownership has been. Sad but true - I had great expectations for my 1200GS and I of course would much rather be extolling it's virtues.
i suggest sorting it out.
disconnect the battery as i said earlier to isolate the problem.
check the voltage rise across the battery.
it seems the battery rating is a bit marginal on the 12. once below a certain voltage , ECU prevents the starter motor from operating.
check the battery, buy a new one if necessary.
there was a software problem that could drain the battery overnight. find a better dealer. one who can't sort this out must be REALLY hopeless.
it's not rocket science.
I look at this the other way round, I'm returned to BMW ownership with the 1200GS because of it's light weight, improved handling, extra power etc. after deserting the marque because I was fed-up with riding asmatic, under powered, under braked, ill-handling, boring but reliable machines.
The 1200GS is a fantastic bike, with a few annoying faults, I admit but this inability to start is such a basic one surely you can get it fixed and rekindle your enthusiasm. I appreciate it's infuriating when a bike won't start and fully appreciate your point of view but it must be fixable.
Paul Mac
Guest
My thoughts entirely - don't worry I couldn't imagine not riding BMW !!! I will sort this. See my other thread re Oddysey Battery - thats what I intend to do. The bike is out of warranty now, BUT has had this problem since new so I am hoping the fitting of an Oddysey will sort it. It better do as I'm booked to Eastern Europe in the spring and the GS is my preferred bike to do it on.
