HELP!!! Bike has died

[dashfixer]

Does anyone have any ideas? Tonight leaving work I tried to start my 09 1200GS and when I pressed the starter button there was a clunk and everything went off. I switched the ignition off and back on and the bike went through its start up check, I pressed the button again with the same result. This happened 3 more times then on the next attempt the bike started as normal.

I was thinking that the starter was jamming and a new starter motor was needed. Once I was home I tried to start it again with the same result except this time everything went dead and wouldn't reset.

So I now have a bike that shows no sign of life what so ever when I turn the ignition on.

Any good ideas?

Rich

 

[kevingrahambutler]

I had a 07 gs three years ago it done the same thing, I gave it to a guy called Mick Kendrick in Sunderland he had it two days and he sorted it, the owner before me had some work done under the tank some wires had been tampered with at the ecu, he had to change the key fob ring and the gear indicator on the dash, could give him a ring

 

[Magwych]

Could be your battery or starter motor. Try charging the battery up and see what happens.
It doesn't seem likely to me that you have the same bodged wiring as kevingrahambutler, though.
A bad battery and worn starter have similar symptoms. The main difference is that immediately after a run a poor battery will seem good, whereas a worn starter will be worse.

Replacing the brushes is not as hard as it seems. I would have thought an aircraft engineer will find it a doddle.

 

[OldCroc]

If it is completely dead my money is on the battery. If you are lucky it could be a loose connector.

 

[dashfixer]

If the ignition switch would reset then I would suspect the starter and the battery. I believe, but could be wrong, that there are no fuses but electronic over current cut outs which would explain the reset after switching the ignition switch off and then on again.

What really worries me is the fact that now it doesn't reset. It is almost like the battery has been removed.

I'll have a closer look tomorrow after work.

 

[Norfolk Tiger]

I would have a good look at the connections on the battery and also where they positive goes to the stater and where the earth lead is bolted to the chassis.

 

[dashfixer]

I'm thinking along the same lines as Norfolk Tiger. I have had earth cables become detached with nearly the same results in the past.

I will be able to have a better look tomorrow in daylight.

Thanks for all the responses. I've said it before, this is a fantastic forum.

Rich

 

[Bendy toy]

Check the battery terminals then connect jumps leads to the car battery and try again. Don't run the car engine. The starter back emf and electrical splutter could damage car electronics and it provides no additional starting ability.

If the bike starts fine on jump leads you have the answer. For batteries go cheap n cheerful or top totty posh. Anything in between isn't that much better than cheap to be worth the cost.

 

[Pukmeister]

Check battery terminals are tight before going in too deep.

 

[PokenH00D]

Had exactly the same thing on a Highland 950.
'Twas the earth lead.
Even if it looks ok at each end, it's worth checking the continuity as I've had the cable core crack and fail even though the outer cable looked fine.

 

[dashfixer]

Just a quick up date, sorry it's taken a while.

I had a good look around the following day in day light and found the main earth cable had separated at the crimped terminal. That would explain the intermittent fault and then the final total failure.

Thanks for all the help and nearly everyone was correct in their diagnosis. What a fantastic forum this is!

Rich

 

[Norfolk Tiger]

Just a quick up date, sorry it's taken a while.

I had a good look around the following day in day light and found the main earth cable had separated at the crimped terminal. That would explain the intermittent fault and then the final total failure.

Thanks for all the help and nearly everyone was correct in their diagnosis. What a fantastic forum this is!

Rich

Glad you got fixed now if you can post up your details then we can send the bill for the diagnosis

 

[iaingbrown]

Glad it's sorted. As above, I had a loose negative terminal. Well tightened at time of previous checking: I think just the vibes managed to dislodge this. Odyssey high performance battery from Nippy Norman has allowed me to run heated grips, HID lights - no optimiser, short 15 minute city commute, cold weather and no issues.

 

[tanneman]

Don't forget to reset the TPS.

 

[Bendy toy]

HID generally used less power than Halogen. Mine give much more light but are only 30 watts against 55 watts halogen.