Dead battery or gremlins?

[AviP]

Took my 2019 GS out for a ride today and it is stranded.

 

Temp was 40F. Bike started fine in my garage. Went to the diner. Bike started fine after breakfast. Went to Walmart 2 miles down from the diner. Bike does not want to start. Battery is original BMW battery showing a charge of 12.61V. Borrowed a battery from one of my other bikes and it had the same issue. Bike won't start.

 

The original battery was on the charger when it was on the bike, Now I've removed it and plugged it directly to try again.

 

Should add that I do not have any electronics or aftermarket gizmos connected. 

 

What am I missing?

[dirtrider]

43 minutes ago, AviP said:

Took my 2019 GS out for a ride today and it is stranded.

 

Temp was 40F. Bike started fine in my garage. Went to the diner. Bike started fine after breakfast. Went to Walmart 2 miles down from the diner. Bike does not want to start. Battery is original BMW battery showing a charge of 12.61V. Borrowed a battery from one of my other bikes and it had the same issue. Bike won't start.

 

The original battery was on the charger when it was on the bike, Now I've removed it and plugged it directly to try again.

 

Should add that I do not have any electronics or aftermarket gizmos connected. 

 

What am I missing?

Afternoon  AviP

 

You are missing more information. 

 

Does the starter crank the engine over or won't it even crank???????????

 

If it cranks OK then first thing to try is holding the twist grip at about 1/8 to 1/4 open THEN try starting it. 

 

If it still won't start BUT IT CRANKS OVER OK then try to get the battery voltage while the starter is cranking. If it is under 10v while cranking they start very poorly, or not at all. 

 

Otherwise, you need to check for a spark, if that is OK then check for injector spray.

 

Did you JUST fuel up before the issue happened? If so then possibly water in your fuel.   

[AviP]

After I press the power button, I let the let the software initialize. Bike is in neutral, clutch pulled in and side stand is up. Key fob has a new battery. 

 

Hit the starter and the bike cranks once or twice, then does not crank at all. The yellow triangular light with exclamation mark comes on. 

 

I did try cranking with the throttle partially open and no success.

 

Bike has been sitting with very little fuel in it when this happened. I just added a gallon from a container that I just filled to that quantity to rule out any fuel starvation.

 

I'm recharging the battery out of the bike and will go back to Walmart shortly to see if I can try again.

[Hosstage]

I would suspect that battery. You might try jump starting it when you go to start it.

[dirtrider]

18 minutes ago, AviP said:

After I press the power button, I let the let the software initialize. Bike is in neutral, clutch pulled in and side stand is up. Key fob has a new battery. 

 

Hit the starter and the bike cranks once or twice, then does not crank at all. The yellow triangular light with exclamation mark comes on. 

 

I did try cranking with the throttle partially open and no success.

 

Bike has been sitting with very little fuel in it when this happened. I just added a gallon from a container that I just filled to that quantity to rule out any fuel starvation.

 

I'm recharging the battery out of the bike and will go back to Walmart shortly to see if I can try again.

Evening AviP

 

That sure dose sound like a BAD battery, not just a low battery. Even a bad battery will usually take a charge & show mid 12v open circuit. That just means it will hold a surface charge, but still might not have enough balls t crank the high compression BMW boxer.

 

It needs to be able to crank the engine at over 10v cranking voltage (period)

 

You need to get a KNOWN GOOD battery in that motorcycle or jump from a NON-RUNNING automobile or truck.  

 

 

[AviP]

So I trickle charged the original battery and installed it. It was showing 13.0 even at install. And it started on the first attempt so I was happy to ride it home.

 

I will check for 10V cranking voltage in the comfort of the garage tomorrow but you guys are probably right about the battery, It is 5-6 years old.

 

As to the tip about jump starting, won't the higher CCA of the auto/truck battery damage the electronics even with the auto/truck NOT RUNNING?

[dirtrider]

19 minutes ago, AviP said:

 

 

As to the tip about jump starting, won't the higher CCA of the auto/truck battery damage the electronics even with the auto/truck NOT RUNNING?

Evening AviP

 

No, the higher CCA will not damage anything. It's the voltage that can damage the electronics & that is the same.

 

Think of plugging vacuum cleaner into you wall plug, you can plug it into a 15 amp circuit, or a 20 amp circuit, or even a 30 amp circuit. It will run & operate the same on any of them as long as the voltage is correct. 

[Rougarou]

Mine was the battery, sounds like similar symptoms.

 

  New battery solved the issue completely.

[AviP]

To follow up, I left the GS uncharged with the original battery and started it 6 days later. The voltage was showing 12.15V before startup and dropped below 10V at startup but it fired up instantly. I repeated it 3 times with the same result. So, I'm not sure what to interpret from this.

[szurszewski]

15 minutes ago, AviP said:

To follow up, I left the GS uncharged with the original battery and started it 6 days later. The voltage was showing 12.15V before startup and dropped below 10V at startup but it fired up instantly. I repeated it 3 times with the same result. So, I'm not sure what to interpret from this.

 

I'm no mechanic, but my understanding is a resting voltage of 12.15 is a battery down to about 1/2 capacity (should be 12.6v). At 5-6 years old, and having had a problem with it once, I'd replace that battery for sure. 

 

 

[dirtrider]

1 hour ago, AviP said:

To follow up, I left the GS uncharged with the original battery and started it 6 days later. The voltage was showing 12.15V before startup and dropped below 10V at startup but it fired up instantly. I repeated it 3 times with the same result. So, I'm not sure what to interpret from this.

Afternoon AviP

 

That could be pointing to a battery issue but it sort of sounds more like a charging issue while riding. 

 

What is your battery voltage right after starting, then what is your battery voltage after riding in the same type of conditions that it first wouldn't start?

 

What is you charging voltage after riding for while? Check at idle then again at about 3000 RPM's.

[Rougarou]

21 hours ago, AviP said:

To follow up, I left the GS uncharged with the original battery and started it 6 days later. The voltage was showing 12.15V before startup and dropped below 10V at startup but it fired up instantly. I repeated it 3 times with the same result. So, I'm not sure what to interpret from this.

 

Ya, mine could sit a week and start no issues a few times.  My bike is an every other week commuter shared with the RT, so it sits a week at a time.  No start would happen in the afternoon.  Bike cranked fine to ride to work, cranked fine to ride home ten hours later, stop for gas, bike would be slow to crank-no start.  Button it off, let it reset, then would slow-crank start.

 

New battery, no issue.