R1200GS Adv motor cutting out (2008 MK II)

[Leekyboy]

Onlychild do you have the details of the dealer that carried out your re-flash?
I spoke to my local dealer in Northampton and they said this is not a common problem and he is unaware of any new calibrations.

They offered to book it in and for just under £50 have a go at diagnosing the issue.

 

[Leekyboy]

Coopers Tunbridge Wells?

 

[Mr Bean]

Hi all, I've just bought a 08 GSA (yesterday) my first BMW bike, and really enjoyed my first ride.

The only problem I experienced was just as I was downshifting before pulling onto my drive, I think from 3-2, she cut out. I dropped it back into 1st and hit the button and it fired up straight away, I nipped it round the block just to make sure it was ok but I had no other problems.

I've read through all the comments and there are lots of things suggested and my problem seems like the common one.

To be honest I'm a little lost on what to do next, I think I'll just ride it a few more times and look out for it before spending any money but was quite interested in the factory BMW re-flash comments whether this was to address this specific issue and if the dealer could read any fault codes related?

Leeky.

Mine (1200RT) was cured when idle actuator calibration was reset with the GS911 - or it seemed so. Not had the problem since - he says with fingers crossed!

 

[john1215]

Hi,

I have a 12 plate GSA and mine cuts out intermittently when downshifting from 3rd to second. My last GSA a 10 plate did the same thing. When I took the new one into Alan Jefferies for 600 service they couldn't find a problem. Its bloody frightening when it happens in traffic and the bike stalls.

john1215

 

[Spike Riley]

Don't spend money on it!

I've had my 09 GSA for over 3 years and often got annoyed with it stalling, when changing down, usually in the middle of a junction, or in slow moving traffic, even worse when you've got someone following you...

The solution I found is simple, most bikers tend to blip the throttle as they are slowing or braking to match the revs, this will cause the stall by the pooling effect mentioned earlier. I tend to do sustained rev gear changes when slowing down, this also causes it to stall sometimes. I think it depends on the severity of the braking combined with the blip that chokes the thing up, for want of a better technical explanation.

So, I've changed my riding style, for example; trundling along in top gear, 200 yards ahead I want to turn into a side road, slow down as hard as necessary, only clunking down through the 4 gears as you get to the entrance of the road, aiming to get to 2nd (no blipping or sustaining revs) just before you need to feed the power back in to accelerate as you're rounding the corner. It works every time! No stalling. Same if you're coming to a stop or almost stopping, only select the gear you need for your speed when you've slowed down enough, if you see what I mean...

Infact it has stalled since, but only when I have had to break for an obstacle (an ambulance last time) very shortly after going from 3rd to 2nd in traffic.

Normal slowing down and sustaining revs to gently select a lower gear as long as you keep the motor running (staying smooth) doesn't effect it at all.

If for eg; you're moving along say 30mph in 3rd and you need 2nd to accelerate quickly, blip, match revs, clunk & go no probs because you're not giving it the chance to flood.

Really hope that helps (assuming you follow my drift)
Moreover, hope it saves you from spending your hard earned spondoolies!

Spike

 

[onlychild]

Sorry I haven't come back sooner!

Coopers Tunbridge Wells?

Yes it was Coopers. I had the upgrade done 8 weeks ago and all was going lovely until Tuesday this week when it cut out again, only this time at quite high speed between traffic. To be honest I'm thinking about getting rid of it now for something else. I really don't want to but if BMW don't know what's wrong with it, then what other choice do I have?

I may have to follow the advice of an independent BMW specialist (who hasn't a clue what's wrong with it either) get a four cylinder bike and make sure it's Japanese!!!

 

[onlychild]

Hi,

I have a 12 plate GSA and mine cuts out intermittently when downshifting from 3rd to second. My last GSA a 10 plate did the same thing. When I took the new one into Alan Jefferies for 600 service they couldn't find a problem. Its bloody frightening when it happens in traffic and the bike stalls.

john1215

Did you change your bike on bmw's advice? That's all they seem to be able to do!

 

[Rasher]

Hi,

Its bloody frightening when it happens in traffic and the bike stalls.

I bought my bike (2008) with just over 6k on the clock just serviced, it never did this, after the 12k service it started to do it, twice on my 50 mile journey home, then not very often (maybe once every 300 - 500 miles) but as others have found typically happens as you approach a roundabout or junction.

Mine did it as I changed down to pull out of a junction - approached slowing, road clear, down a gear to pull out (into second) and it died, this left me not enough time to stop, nor enough momentum to cross the road to safety - luckily bugger all was coming and I had time to get it started.

It also led me to stop a couple of times when I was about to go (Roundabout / Right Turn) and leaves you vulnerable to being twatted from behind as you stop "for no reason".

I guess very difficult to troubleshoot for the dealer (Of course it was nothing to do with their service and they could do nothing to check it over - or at least they could not be bothered and would not even put it on the diagnostics)

I think it may have sorted itself, the bike had another service at 18k and I sold it at 20k, but thinking back it had not done it for ages, may have been resolved by 18k service, or possibly "fixed itself" between 12k and 18k, it certainly did not do it in that last 2-3k - it was far too busy developing other faults

 

[bobr1200]

unfortunately you are all wasting your time,this issue has come up over and over again,do a quick search and see.i have had this problem for the last 6 years on my rt,i have had it checked out many times at bmw,i mantain an extended warranty mostly because of this.i have read every possible cause for this,fact is no one knows as no one has an answer least of all bmw,the fact that so many people have this only leaves one of 2 answers,bmw know the cause but will not fix due to cost,a recall etc or they actually dont know,which answer is worse depends on your point of view either way the only sure way to fix it is to sell it,sorry to be negative but thats way it is

 

[Beemerman59]

unfortunately you are all wasting your time,this issue has come up over and over again,do a quick search and see.i have had this problem for the last 6 years on my rt,i have had it checked out many times at bmw,i mantain an extended warranty mostly because of this.i have read every possible cause for this,fact is no one knows as no one has an answer least of all bmw,the fact that so many people have this only leaves one of 2 answers,bmw know the cause but will not fix due to cost,a recall etc or they actually dont know,which answer is worse depends on your point of view either way the only sure way to fix it is to sell it,sorry to be negative but thats way it is

All I know is I fixed mine

 

[colinshotts]

Quote "All I know is I fixed mine "

Beemerman, you say you fixed yours.
How? Or are you referring to selling the bike was the fix?
I am suffering from this and have been for way too long and too many visits to a dealer who is 30-40 miles away and if the GT1 machine doesn't see it then it's "sorry, no fault shown" so ANY help advice would be most welcome.
Regards.

 

[Beemerman59]

Quote "All I know is I fixed mine "

Beemerman, you say you fixed yours.
How? Or are you referring to selling the bike was the fix?
I am suffering from this and have been for way too long and too many visits to a dealer who is 30-40 miles away and if the GT1 machine doesn't see it then it's "sorry, no fault shown" so ANY help advice would be most welcome.
Regards.

Posts #7, #26 and #32

Its just what has worked for me following a lot of expensive testing! No guarantee that the same would be true on any other bike - I just know I have not had a stall for a very long time now when previously it would stall at least once every ride.

 

[Bendy toy]

Mine has been fine (08 GSA TU) until last week when I got sick of the M6 jam near the Spaghetti Junction and decided to take to the side streets.

All seemed fine, then turning right it stalled when I was halfway across the carriageway. I was moving enough for it to not be operator error on the clutch/throttle, but the stall was so violent it locked the wheel. As I was turning right and leaning, it threw me off the bike. Thankfully I'm not hurt, though my leg adductors are a bit sore.

It also cant have been throttle blipping because I had had to wait for a while for the road to be clear. Then when the nearby traffic lights changed I got the space to go without doing a race start, it did that to me. Thanks Mr Bus Driver for holding up traffic while I struggled with a 1/4 tonne of iron.

There is no major damage other than a scratch on the crash bar and scuff on a pannier case plastic corner. But it was a bitch to pick up from the "wrong" side and then get the side stand down so I could push it out of the road.

Next step is to try an accelerator module though I do plan to have it remapped.

Does anyone know if a Hilltop remap solves this stalling problem?

There are times when a throttle blip is the only way to get a smooth downsift. But, in traffic, I avoid a deliberate throttle blip because I still cant properly match the revs. Instead, while the bike is slowing on a closed throttle I gently preload the gearlever and flick the throttle with a really quick flick of the wrist. Its way less throttle than a full on blip but it unloads the transmission and the gear snicks in sweetly. When I need a fast downshift (say on a hill or for overtaking), I missmatch the clutch and throttle so the revs blip without giving a slug of fuel. This gives a really quick and smooth downshift.

 

[onlychild]

Yet again

unfortunately you are all wasting your time,this issue has come up over and over again,do a quick search and see.i have had this problem for the last 6 years on my rt,i have had it checked out many times at bmw,i mantain an extended warranty mostly because of this.i have read every possible cause for this,fact is no one knows as no one has an answer least of all bmw,the fact that so many people have this only leaves one of 2 answers,bmw know the cause but will not fix due to cost,a recall etc or they actually dont know,which answer is worse depends on your point of view either way the only sure way to fix it is to sell it,sorry to be negative but thats way it is

Ok I now know what the problem is and I know the fix for it!
It's the ecu. I had mine renewed by BMW after a service 6 months ago, they told me it needed it. Up until this point the bike had been to cooper bmw many times trying to resolve this problem. It cured it.
Last week the bike went back to find a cure for the tyre pressure sensors that kept giving me an amber warning triangle. They told me it needed an ecu upgrade. They did it and yesterday (5 days later) it stalled going in to work and again coming home. The latter so bad that it wouldn't even start again just holding in the clutch. I had to put it in neutral in the middle of a bus lane before it would even consider it.
I'm going to take it back this morning and insist they put it back whilst I stand there.
Oh yeah, and the cure. Well I rely on my bike to cover my 20,000 mile per year commute to London. Therefore the answer is the new Triumph Tiger Sport. I'm fed up with bmw. Sorry guys, I know you all think they're the be all but quite frankly my Kawasaki Versys was a far more reliable commute.
I resign...

 

[fusionpaul]

Got mine back from vines on tue & they replaced the accelerator module & said they have had positive results with other bikes that have had similar issues, however they did say if it happens again there is another mod they can do but didnt go into detail !

Also they found damage to the l/h/s coil pack, it appears that previous owner had dropped the bike & someone had replaced the outer plastic cover on the rocker cover, turns out where the connector snaps into the coil pack it was broken off consequently the connector was not making proper contact, said this may have caused engine to shut down, not covered on warranty so its back to the supplying dealer to re-coup the £70, just hoping this is the problem sorted but have my doubts.

 

[Bendy toy]

Mine pops and bangs on overrun also hunts at constant speed. The pops are worse with free flow exhaust but hunting the same.

Next job is to try an accelerator module to spoof the air temperature. But I think remap is best option

 

[cocker]

ive got a 2012 gsa ive done 6000 miles on it, and since the 6000 mile service i have noticed when rolling off the throttle if i have the clutch in and blip the throttle to downshift, then there is a good chance the bike will blip/rough to crap, or cut out altogether, sometimes its been almost dangerous,

it does it intermittently, ime not happy

 

[Pukmeister]

Mine pops and bangs on overrun also hunts at constant speed. The pops are worse with free flow exhaust but hunting the same.

Next job is to try an accelerator module to spoof the air temperature. But I think remap is best option

The hunting could be and air intake leak, or your idle stepper motors being well out of synch. Easily reset with a GS911 tool.

And a remap will sort out the lousy emissions based fuel curve and make the bike much smoother and more tractable, hopefully curing the stall issue.

 

[kasti]

Anyone found a reason for cutting out while downshifting yet???

Mine (2008) cuts out at low revs while downshifting from 4th to 3rd gear!
It happened 3 times now; no chance to start the engine while in gear with clutch pressed. It starts if I put in Neutral dow!
Othervise will start while in gear and clutch pressed with no problem.

 

[Beemerman59]

Anyone found a reason for cutting out while downshifting yet???

Mine (2008) cuts out at low revs while downshifting from 4th to 3rd gear!
It happened 3 times now; no chance to start the engine while in gear with clutch pressed. It starts if I put in Neutral dow!
Othervise will start while in gear and clutch pressed with no problem.

My '08 GSA used to do this quite often in standard trim - there's quite a few threads on here about it. Mine was cured completely by a Hilltop remap. Before the remap I also found it worse when I removed the baffle on the Akra can. When the bike was remapped it was done with the baffle out. My theory therefore is that the problem relates to the lean fuelling as standard but that's just my experience. If I put the baffle back in, run it a while, then take the baffle out it can also stall until I've been running for an hour or so, so its relearning something to do with the fuelling each time IMO or it needs a certain amount of back pressure.