F**kin lectrics

[appledell]

Sorry chaps, I have an RT, not a GS but this is the best site by far

Now the groveling is over - the problem !

I had a new ? battery fitted under warranty when the bike was serviced in April as the original battery was fecked - lazy turnover etc when starting. I use the bike at least once a week but when its in the garage I usually have it hooked up to the BMW charger.

yesterday we were off on a jolly to the lake district. When starting it, the bike sort of stuttered when turning over but started ok. Off I went with all gear blazing (gerbing jacket and gloves, zumo and phone charger).

Coming home, when I came to start it, the fecking thing just started again (lazy turnover). Stayed at the girlfriends (bike outside)

This morning it only just turned over but thankfully started. Got to work, parked up outside, did a bit then at 1.30 left for home. Bike was very hasitant to turnover and wouldnt start . Left it for 5 minutes - same thing. I thought in for a penny ! I pressed the starter button and give it a little throttle and it slowly started to fire. Got the thing home and left it for a few hours.

I have just put a meter on the battery (an analogue one) It showed about 12v whith engine off. Started the bike (started ok??) and took another reading and got about 14v, so i suppose the alt is charging?

I will leave it off the charger overnight and test it again to see what the readings are.

Has anyone else had this problem? Any ideas whats fecked?

I love the bike when its working but I have had so many electrical gremlins over the last 2 years that I am thinking of getting shut!

 

[oblertone]

Were you ...

... to do a Google search for 'Motorcycle fault finding chart' it would take you to this site; there you can download and/or print a step by step fault finding chart for motorcycle electrical problems

Having said that, yours sounds like the starter motor is fecked

 

[appledell]

thanks for the words of cheer

Will try the fault finding chart, but unsure/unwilling to believe its the starter motor???

 

[oblertone]

Starter motor ...

... went on my '97 1100 after 4,500 miles. I bought the bike in '02 with 4200 miles on it, but the bike had been stood idle for long periods. Starter motor corroded and produced exactly the same symptoms, tried a new battery, still the same. Finally packed in while on holiday in Ireland but had my son on the back and would push-start ok. Changed the starter and never looked back There are threads on here detailing how to take it off and regrease; the Search function is your friend.

 

[appledell]

just taken starter motor off. Its not the Valeo but a Bosch unit. There are loads of sites detailing how to dismantle the valeo unit but very little for Bosch. Any pointers?

ta

 

[Gipsy]

It's not clear from your post whether you have actually eliminated the battery as a cause of the problem. A knackered battery can show 12 volts when tested, however it's more important to test it under load, ie crank the battery without the engine starting, and then measure the voltage.
Testing while the engine is running and getting 14 volts is what you would expect, and confirms the charging circuit is working. It doesn't tell you the battery is ok.

 

[appledell]

Just had the starter tested. They stripped it down and they say there is no faults. So the new battery fitted under warranty last april looks to be the culprit

 

[Pukmeister]

The 'genuine' BMW battery fitted to the 1200 models is barely strong enough when new. The capacity could be better but they are small in the interest of weight saving.

If under warranty I guess you'll be getting a replacement from the dealer. If fitting it yourself, fit a Hawker Odyssey Battery instead and sleep easy.

 

[appledell]

Before the 'Oh no not another battery fecked/do the search button' soothsayers chime in Just had the battery load tested and was given a clean bill of health. It actually held the cranking voltage for 4 minutes. It was not put on charge before the load test - SO

Starter motor OK

Battery OK

What the feck caused the lazy turnover ?

 

[Deleted account W]

What the feck caused the lazy turnover ?

Cold weather?

 

[buellzebub]

What the feck caused the lazy turnover ?

Just my 2p worth:

Check you have a good earth from the battery to the frame?

Regards,

Mick

 

[Timolgra]

The 'genuine' BMW battery fitted to the 1200 models is barely strong enough when new. The capacity could be better but they are small in the interest of weight saving.

If under warranty I guess you'll be getting a replacement from the dealer. If fitting it yourself, fit a Hawker Odyssey Battery instead and sleep easy.

Before the 'Oh no not another battery fecked/do the search button' soothsayers chime in Just had the battery load tested and was given a clean bill of health. It actually held the cranking voltage for 4 minutes. It was not put on charge before the load test - SO

Starter motor OK

Battery OK

What the feck caused the lazy turnover ?

First you could try pressing the starter button really hard, then as you've been advised fit a proper battery

 

[appledell]

unfortunately to check the earth to the engine/frame, you have to take off the alternator cover. if you follow the service book, you have to dismantle the front suspension to do that ! Which bright spark in the fatherland thought that one up

 

[appledell]

It actually held the cranking voltage for 4 minutes.

Why replace a good battery????

 

[dodger]

battery

just bought my 06 1200 gs from motorrad in october, already battery knackered, went back to shop but surprise surprise not covered under warranty as I charged it on a non bmw charger, now they want £90 to replace. well pissed off. has anyone used the numax batteries advertised on ebay?

 

[mechcanico lee]

Load tests on batterys not always 100% accurate i have found, when a battery sits for a few hours in the cold it can change its state, it is a chemical device remember so the cold affects it.

Have you a car battery and a set of jump leads ? if you can get the bike to play up ......lazy turn over thing,hook the jump leads up to it and see if the turn over gets better, just a case of ruleing out one thing at a time.

Bike batterys are notouriously shite, there only small things, and the bmw bike batterys seem worst than most reading alot of the posts on here, if your gut instinct is a bad batt your probably right

 

[Sgt Bilco]

just bought my 06 1200 gs from motorrad in october, already battery knackered, went back to shop but surprise surprise not covered under warranty as I charged it on a non bmw charger, now they want £90 to replace. well pissed off. has anyone used the numax batteries advertised on ebay?

£90

Batteries take a hammering in this weather but I've never had too many issues with the BMW batteries. My bikes live outside so 2/3 years life is good enough for me.

Have a ring round for a better price but if you are spending that amount, think about an Odyssey.

 

[(RIP) Kaister]

too easy

put jump leads from the car to the battery - if it starts - its the battery

if its sluggish its the starter / solenoid.

put the leads direct to the starter motor post - if its sluggish its the motor - if not its the solenoid contacts burned.

if the weather is getting cold - its usually the battery going down - starters don't care.

if its none of these - its the earth lead or pos lead connection.

i've just done all this to mine and it was the starter motor magnets unglued.

 

[Slowdown]

too easy

put jump leads from the car to the battery - if it starts - its the battery

if its sluggish its the starter / solenoid.

put the leads direct to the starter motor post - if its sluggish its the motor - if not its the solenoid contacts burned.

if the weather is getting cold - its usually the battery going down - starters don't care.

if its none of these - its the earth lead or pos lead connection.

i've just done all this to mine and it was the starter motor magnets unglued.

Sage advice