R1250GS 2019 Wouldnt Start

[listermint]

Have my bike plugged into Optimate Charger all the time for triggle management as its only riding maybe every 2 weeks. Had it out 4 times this week though so had a good run over 200km.

Took it out today to pop down the shops and the missus popped inside I turned it off whilst sitting reading the phone.

Tried to start it when she came out, it flashed up with brake light fault across screen contact service centre. Then tried again and it showed tilt sensor activated unable to start. Bear in mind I had been sitting on it stand up with 2 feet planted the entire time.

Battery showed 12.2 V, and screen wasn't fading like a low battery but the started would tick over twice then fade off. This went on and on around 4 power of on and ons and trying start button.

Moved the bike to another spot by pushing it as I was just on roadside with a bit of traffic. Again same on of and 2 start attempts then fade off.

Send herself off for tea and coffee as she had a angered expression. And I gave it two more tries and it decided to kick in. Straight up and running fine.

Only thing I done was touch the cables going into the top of the cylinder heads to see if they were loose.

Anyone have this happen ? I seen some posts in the states of similar issues.

 

[hawkeye]

Whilst I didn't get the same messages, same thing happened on my 2019 R1250GS about a year ago. Like yours, I keep mine on the BMW Charger, so battery is always kept conditioned. Took bike out (started ok), rode about 10 miles and stopped for petrol. Came out and bike would not start, no matter what I did, in the end it stopped turning over and I had to get BMW Assist out. They attached their battery pack to jump start it, fired up first time and I rode the bike home. Checked battery at time of "failure" also when I got home all was showing good on the volts front.

Did the same about a week later, this time, I'd just got it out the garage and needed to nip back indoors, so switched off and it wouldn't start again. Again volts showing good (around 12.3v) so this time I attached my spare battery and it started first time.

Had battery checked and they found that one of the cells was starting to fail. Put in new battery (Yuasa YTX14H-BS, which is the heavy duty version of the standard battery with 240CCA) and since then never a problem.

So if I have to guess, I think your battery is on the way out. Similar things like this has happened to others, new battery has solved in majority if not all the cases.

 

[listermint]

Whilst I didn't get the same messages, same thing happened on my 2019 R1250GS about a year ago. Like yours, I keep mine on the BMW Charger, so battery is always kept conditioned. Took bike out (started ok), rode about 10 miles and stopped for petrol. Came out and bike would not start, no matter what I did, in the end it stopped turning over and I had to get BMW Assist out. They attached their battery pack to jump start it, fired up first time and I rode the bike home. Checked battery at time of "failure" also when I got home all was showing good on the volts front.

Did the same about a week later, this time, I'd just got it out the garage and needed to nip back indoors, so switched off and it wouldn't start again. Again volts showing good (around 12.3v) so this time I attached my spare battery and it started first time.

Had battery checked and they found that one of the cells was starting to fail. Put in new battery (Yuasa YTX14H-BS, which is the heavy duty version of the standard battery with 240CCA) and since then never a problem.

So if I have to guess, I think your battery is on the way out. Similar things like this has happened to others, new battery has solved in majority if not all the cases.

Il go with that then.

I had assumed 12.2 seemed a little low for this machine. My DL650 would get flaky under 12.4.

New battery it is ! Not taking chances like that the other half will murder me.

 

[GADGET]

Had similar on a 21 reg, was suggested it was the valve decompresser mechanism, only manifests when engine is hot.

 

[Carts]

Hi, Join the club. i have same issue with my 2019 gs. New battery sorted

 

[Bigcats]

I also had the exact same issue

I highly recommend as others did the Yuasa high performance battery which has a few more cranking amps than the normal or original batteries you can get. absolutely no issues with fitting etc. Can be bought from Halfords if you have a discount card (good saving)

Yuasa YTX14H-BS High Performance MF Motorcycle Battery

Yuasa YTX14H-BS High Performance MF Motorcycle Battery <i>Advanced Engineering, Premium Quality, Unmatched Reliability</i> GS Yuasa located in Japan, all started in 1895 and is one of the biggest battery manufacturers in the world. Manufacturing batteries for the automotive, commercial and...

www.tayna.co.uk

 

[team duvet]

WOW spooky as…….new battery fitted last night, same problem last year, road test this morning for a breakfast

19 plate GSA 52,000

TD

 

[Barnoe]

I was always told that standing volts had to be 12.5 or above on a healthy battery?
Checked mine today and its 12.8v going to 14.4 when started.

Highly recommend a NOCO GB40 to keep in your box or pannier
helps you or a friend if you get stuck.

 

[Blue]

Handy Guide

 

[PhilBoy]

Have my bike plugged into Optimate Charger all the time for triggle management as its only riding maybe every 2 weeks. Had it out 4 times this week though so had a good run over 200km.

Took it out today to pop down the shops and the missus popped inside I turned it off whilst sitting reading the phone.

Tried to start it when she came out, it flashed up with brake light fault across screen contact service centre. Then tried again and it showed tilt sensor activated unable to start. Bear in mind I had been sitting on it stand up with 2 feet planted the entire time.

Battery showed 12.2 V, and screen wasn't fading like a low battery but the started would tick over twice then fade off. This went on and on around 4 power of on and ons and trying start button.

Moved the bike to another spot by pushing it as I was just on roadside with a bit of traffic. Again same on of and 2 start attempts then fade off.

Send herself off for tea and coffee as she had a angered expression. And I gave it two more tries and it decided to kick in. Straight up and running fine.

Only thing I done was touch the cables going into the top of the cylinder heads to see if they were loose.

Anyone have this happen ? I seen some posts in the states of similar issues.

Had the same thing on my 20 plated bike. About four times. Battery replaced under warranty and no further problems.

 

[team duvet]

Morning test ride battery report, all good from cold start but especially warm start

TD

 

[SBD]

Well, slap me down with a kipper, mine failed today. It’s a 2020 R1250GS TE.

went to work this morning, as every day this week except Tuesday, and rode home, happily, we finish at 1pm on Fridays. “Ah”, says I, “43 miles, time to fill up the awesome steed”. Not so fucking awesome when the fat fucker won’t start again after filling up.

I ride to-from work nearly every day, and, if it’s nice I might do 40 or 50 miles at the weekend. But it’s not nice right now, so it get dusted for the commute, and nothing else. And my poor little Dannys get cold, so I have the heated grips on. Early this week, it was zeroC when I left home in the morning, so I’m not being too nesh. Trouble is, that a few days of this and it doesn’t make up the canaries it used to start the bike.

Back in January 2022, they replaced the alternator under warranty. I think they’d have saved a few bob, and had a happier customer if they replaced the battery, but what do I know, I only designed batteries, amongst other things, for the auto industry.

Anyway, ‘erself brought the Landrover down, with the toolbox and jump leads, and I got it going, and rode home, and it’s on charge as I type this.

I’m going to buy a new battery, and tell tell anyone who asks that the bike is brilliant, but not properly specified. I can commute day in day out in the Land Rover and that doesn’t just fail to start when i stop for gas.

i see there are recommendations up-thread for new batteries. Any others?

cheers
S

 

[team duvet]

Well, slap me down with a kipper, mine failed today. It’s a 2020 R1250GS TE.

went to work this morning, as every day this week except Tuesday, and rode home, happily, we finish at 1pm on Fridays. “Ah”, says I, “43 miles, time to fill up the awesome steed”. Not so fucking awesome when the fat fucker won’t start again after filling up.

I ride to-from work nearly every day, and, if it’s nice I might do 40 or 50 miles at the weekend. But it’s not nice right now, so it get dusted for the commute, and nothing else. And my poor little Dannys get cold, so I have the heated grips on. Early this week, it was zeroC when I left home in the morning, so I’m not being too nesh. Trouble is, that a few days of this and it doesn’t make up the canaries it used to start the bike.

Back in January 2022, they replaced the alternator under warranty. I think they’d have saved a few bob, and had a happier customer if they replaced the battery, but what do I know, I only designed batteries, amongst other things, for the auto industry.

Anyway, ‘erself brought the Landrover down, with the toolbox and jump leads, and I got it going, and rode home, and it’s on charge as I type this.

I’m going to buy a new battery, and tell tell anyone who asks that the bike is brilliant, but not properly specified. I can commute day in day out in the Land Rover and that doesn’t just fail to start when i stop for gas.

i see there are recommendations up-thread for new batteries. Any others?

cheers
S

https://www.motorworks.co.uk/battery-ela05650-2.html There you go SBD

 

[bosnjo]

i see there are recommendations up-thread for new batteries. Any others?

cheers
S

YUASA YTX14-BS​

 

[SBD]

Thanks guys. Any more recommendations?

 

[hawkeye]

YUASA YTX14-BS​

Don't disagree, but that's only the same CCA as the OEM battery, Better to go for the YUASA YTX14H-BS with 240CCA - heavy duty version of the standard battery, gives better cold start and turns over a bit quicker.

 

[Hann]

“Ah”, says I, “43 miles, time to fill up the awesome steed”. Not so fucking awesome when the fat fucker won’t start again after filling up.

Was the visit to the petrol station very soon after starting the bike/a few miles?
This seems to be the catalyst for the reluctant starting issue on the 1250`s which has been documented on here a few times: bikes will start fine when cold but if they are stopped shortly after then for whatever reason/quirk they may show symptoms of a flat battery when the re-start is attempted.
Odd/random faults on the TFT may show due to low battery voltage whilst cranking.
Giving the bike a `rest` for a few mins to give time for the battery to recover usually results in a normal start and running as if nothing happened...

 

[Mr Bean]

My 2019 1250 would sometimes not turn over on the first stab of the button - as if the decompressor wasn't working. I fitted a Yuasa GYZ16H on it - and all was fine. Apart from one day in February this year. Stopped of at work for 10 mins, went back to bike and it refused to start - similar issue as to previously, wouldn't fully turn over.

Jumped it from a car and all fine since.

I now carry a booster with me at all times

 

[SBD]

Was the visit to the petrol station very soon after starting the bike/a few miles?
This seems to be the catalyst for the reluctant starting issue on the 1250`s which has been documented on here a few times: bikes will start fine when cold but if they are stopped shortly after then for whatever reason/quirk they may show symptoms of a flat battery when the re-start is attempted.
Odd/random faults on the TFT may show due to low battery voltage whilst cranking.
Giving the bike a `rest` for a few mins to give time for the battery to recover usually results in a normal start and running as if nothing happened...

Precisely the symptoms. About 3 miles/10 minutes, all in 30 zone. About a mile from home

‘Erself was in a phone conf when it happened, so couldn’t come immediately, so the “rescue“ took a good half hour, maybe 40 minutes, and before taking the panel off, I tried one more time, and it still wouldn’t start.

Fitted jump leads, pressed the tit, started instantly, didn’t have to wait.

This got me thinking about the possible causes. It’s three years and 4 months old. I’ve had it from new. 7500 miles or thereabouts. Used to commute most days, occasional longer rides. The issue is not new, it seems to coincide with the winter, it was around zero most of the week, so I was using the heated grips.

When pressing the tit, the motor spins, maybe one or two revolutions, but doesn’t start, the button stops doing anything, and a range of dire warnings about any and every electronic system on the bike are displayed on the TFT.

it seems pretty clear that the battery is going below some cut-off voltage set in the electronics, I think this is why it stops trying to start, rather than “churning to a halt” as a non electronic controlled vehicle would if failing to start due to a duff or discharged battery.

Could be a duff cell in the battery, marginal but ok in good weather
Could be that the alternator cannot provide enough charge during gentle town riding to fully recover the battery State of Charge if the grips are on. This might be marginal, with the SoC reducing day by day.
Could be the decompressor not working.
Perhaps a combination of all three.

Can’t do much about the second one except ride with cold hands or put it on charge every night, can’t do anything about the third, seems to me that cutting my losses and fitting a new, higher CCA battery is probably the easy answer.

And having a torx screwdriver on board, as there’s often somebody with jump leads about.

cheers

 

[team duvet]

Always in my top box. Not only for me but any other stranded biker etc.

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Battery Capacity: 20000mAh. With a peak current of400A, the car jump starter can start 5.0L gasoline engines or 4.0L diesel engines in harsh temperatures (-20°C to 60°C). 【Multi-Function】It's a car jump starter, portable power bank, and LED flashlight.

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