Re-occuring Dead Battery - R1200gs

[Mad Mac]

Hi all! Looking to see if anyone has had any issues with '08 or similar 1200GS draining battery.

This has happened 3 times in the last 12 months...only had the bike 12 months!
Latest time was today. Covered 700 miles last weekend, but bike was totally dead this afternoon. No aftermarket electrical kit.

BMW assistance attended and demonstrated that bike was charging battery correctly, and that despite being at only 5.9v the battery recovered and tested as OK. This suggests to me that something in the CANBUS software is getting in a loop or is not shutting down reliably.

Anyone else had similar issues?

Bike was serviced by BMW 2 months ago so will be checking that they "flashed" any software changes when I speak with them in the week.....

 

[cookie]

what about a shagged battery?

 

[Mad Mac]

what about a shagged battery?

Battery was replaced only 6 months ago,
It was down to 5.9v this afternoon but recovered and then tested as OK. The BMW guy had a unit that tests the batter under load conditions and checks that it operates as per specification.....which it now does. Cranks the bike fine.....

My concern is that if left without beeing hooked up to the charger, something on the bike will drain it again.......problem is its "only" occurrd 3 times in 12 months....how do you catch that problem?

 

[ncpierce]

I had the same problem a coue of weeks ago a random flat battery but it has not happened again. My solution is to ride it more!

 

[Mad Mac]

I had the same problem a coue of weeks ago a random flat battery but it has not happened again. My solution is to ride it more!

Will put that to the household committe!
An automotive specialist I know suggests a CANBUS glitch...leaving something running....I'm therefore keen to know if anyone has had an upgraded code flashed to their bike in the last 2 years (since my bike left factory). Assuming that the dealer has taken care of it all isn't really my style!

 

[Greg Masters]

Have you got an alarm fitted?

Greg

 

[(RIP) Bin Ridin]

S'very easy to undo one terminal on the battery if leaving it for a few weeks and then see if it will start. Eliminate the canbus part.

 

[JJH]

or put a battery tender on it. I cannot see how the guy tested the battery from 5.9 volts and told you that it is ok. To test properly the battery would have to be charged fully unless he came back to test it. I think a modern battery will have its service life shortend by getting so low and I would not trust it. JJH

 

[Mad Mac]

All, great perspectives, and may try disconnecting the battery to rule out. Problem is that if itches CANBUS then it is unlikely to present an issue predictably.
I don't have an alarm.....
Battery wasn't checked from 5.9v, hecwasvhere some time and brought the battery back by charging off his vehicle and running off mine also. Battery was back to level to allow starting.....the test kit they use takes a broad range of data into consideration.

Thanks for all comments and keep them coming!

 

[Big Red]

What is the average distance that you ride?
It's a big engine to turn over, (headlights are always on) so if you are making lots of short trips you won't be recharging the battery and eventually it will not have enough charge to turn over.

 

[Myke Rocks]

I had a similar experience

Several years ago, my car, with a new battery, was doing the same thing. Battery tested perfectly, but ran down if parked after a day or so.
I took the battery back to supplers, who were happy enough to provide a replacement.
Problem stopped immediately.
The battery was discharging via an internal fault.

Easy to prove. Ride bike till fullly charged. Park up for a few days with battery disconnected. Reconnect & try it. If battery is low, it is faulty.

Myke

 

[roddy]

I'd go with Mykes plan, sounds like a duff battery

 

[Mad Mac]

Rarely do less than 50 miles at a stretch, typically 100 miles minimum day.
The curious thing is that the bile will be fine parked up for a week at a time for months, and then can go flat for no reason. BMW had an issue with his a few years back (2005) and changed the software on the CANBUS system to try and resolve. I wonder if there is still something in there.

 

[tommygun]

Do you have satnav?

Maks sure you switch your heated grips and spots off before you turn the engine off, and put the steering lock on.

I had this problem during the winter when the battery just died after standing for two days. Ordered an Odyssey but that got shagged as well. Kept the faulty battery and its been running fine since. I do have an odd anomaly where my headlight comes on intermittently when the bike is parked up and off. I've never bothered to trace the cause but its probable that's what is shorting the battery. With winter approaching, I expect I'll have the same issue again.

 

[Pukmeister]

My old 2004 model 1200 had a lot of various software updates until they eventually got the accessory socket to work properly and the bike to hold its charge. It had the DWA alarm fitted as standard (as does my current 2008 GSA.) The revised software was to remove bugs that would cycle the accessory socket on-off-on-off whenever powered up.

I did a few home tests myself and found that most of the time there was usually no current draw when parked, but a couple of times when reconnecting the battery it could pull a bit of a spark as if current was being drawn somewhere.

I never did manage to track down the reason why although I suspected the alarm. I fitted a larger capacity Hawker Odyssey battery for peace of mind and used a CTEK MultiXS 3600 to top-up charge once a week, the Odyssey allegedly being capable of tolerating many charge-discharge cycles without sulphating.

I would never recommend leaving an optimate type device permanently connected to a lead-acid cell that has no current draw across it, but a weekly top up charge is okay.

 

[Mad Mac]

Interesting perspective about switching everything off before turning off.....indie leave the grips on one dot, they were cold but may have been the culprit if something didn't shut down......will bear in mind....