can't buy a new rt

[taters]

went to start my 04 rt and it would not turn over. i have it hooked up to a charge and i hope that is the problem...i have been saving a good chunk of cash to buy a new rt next spring...but the nearest dealership is 100 miles away...i hate to have to tow it 100 miles if the battery does not turn over....but what choice do i have? so i guess it will be a triumph tiger for me. unless they get a dealership in southern n.j. and i doubt that...my loss

[Polo]

You can jump it. Have someone follow you with the cables.

 

Rent a U-Haul trailer, buy another battery.

 

Anything but getting another bike instead of a BMW because of a battery.

[taters]

my point was that i need a dealership near me.just for convenience sake. if i have to i will have it towed. i have cycle insurance which will cover it. can't buy a bike for another year...need a good down with the price of bikes these days.

[cali_beemer]

It doesnt take a BMW dealership to get a new battery. If a non-BMW dealer cant help you out on a bettery then they arent much of a dealer, and I would definately never buy a bike from a place like that. Personally I never buy batteries from a shop anyway. They typically cost 2-3 times than what I can buy a battery for from another place. Can you really not change a battery yourself? Heck, pull the battery and take it to a sears and get the voltage checked. I have no clue why a battery would dictate your next bike purchase..... Heck when the battery on my RT went bad, I just pulled it, went to the store and bought a new one, popped it in and all was good..........

[taters]

i talked to a bmw tech at a dealership and told him what i did to get the bike to turn over. he thinks it could be a starter, from what i have told him. the battery is only about a year old, i tried to get a jump start ,,the lights came on and the engine was trying to turn over but it would not turn over...it's not the battery issue that will make me go for a triumph it's just the proximity of a dealership who can help me that is not 100 miles away..i got a call into a bmw tech who lives about 35 miles away, he put the last set of pr2s on my bike. may be he can help...thanks

[Haynes]

It would be a shame if you allowed a technical problem prevent you from buying the bike of your choice. It should not take too much trouble to overcome a "hard to turn over issue".

 

If you go to the local Triumph dealer for a new bike it will mean that you will miss out on a 100 mile ride to get your new RT home.

[peterbulgar]

Dealer proximity and dealer availability are factors for many potential BMW buyers. In the San Francisco Bay Area I have half a dozen dealers withing a 50 mile radius and the closest is 5 miles away from my house (although "my" dealer is 40 miles away). Other people are not so lucky. If you plan to do any traveling, then there's the worry of getting a repair or finding a needed part if you are on the road. A friend and I were in Whitehorse, Yukon Territory a couple of years ago when the rear drive on his GS began leaking. We limped to Anchorage where the dealer there had a replacement final drive waiting for him, but those 1000 miles were less enjoyable for my friend than they should have been.

 

On the other hand just because a Honda or Kawasaki dealer is there doesn't mean that they will have the part you need in stock, especially if your bike is more than a few years old. I've found that BMW dealers generally keep a good supply of spares on hand. From what I've seen from my travels around the western USA and Canada, Harley Davidson has many dealers including quite a few old-time family shops that will have parts for your old, pre-Evo FLH if that's what you ride.

peter '73 R75/5, '04 R1150RA, '06 Kawasaki EX-500

[cali_beemer]

On the other hand just because a Honda or Kawasaki dealer is there doesn't mean that they will have the part you need in stock, especially if your bike is more than a few years old. I've found that BMW dealers generally keep a good supply of spares on hand.

 

+1, when I had my Honda ST1300 and called around for service, one dealer actually said he had never heard of it. Needless to say I wasnt going to take my bike there. When I go to my local BMW dealer, they are extremely knowledgable about their bikes. There is alot to be said for that.

[KDeline]

i talked to a bmw tech at a dealership and told him what i did to get the bike to turn over. he thinks it could be a starter, from what i have told him. the battery is only about a year old, i tried to get a jump start ,,the lights came on and the engine was trying to turn over but it would not turn over...it's not the battery issue that will make me go for a triumph it's just the proximity of a dealership who can help me that is not 100 miles away..i got a call into a bmw tech who lives about 35 miles away, he put the last set of pr2s on my bike. may be he can help...thanks

 

 

Just a FYI a battery that has a shorted cell usually connot be jumped. Happend to me anyway.

[elkroeger]

Do I understand this correctly - you're thinking of getting a new bike because the one you have didn't start? Jeez, if I did that, I'd be on bike #200 by now (I tend to nurse along old tired batteries...). I'm gonna go out on a limb and suggest that there's nothing really wrong with your bike.

 

This place is a GRAND resource for problem solving. Use it, and learn to do a few things with the wrench so you can cut that umbilical cord to your dealer. Get yourself a Haynes Manual. Wrenching, for me, is more than 1/2 the fun.

[outpost22]

Even if it was the starter, it comes out with 2 bolts and 2 wires removed. Not hard at all to fix.

 

BMW dealers may be few and far between, but at least they usually stock parts, unlike the Japanese brand dealers who rarely even carry spark plugs or air filters.

[VinnyR11]

I think the OP is planning on buying a new bike and the location of a dealership makes sense. i.e. warranty claims, or maybe he doesn't like working on his bike himself.

 

If Gold Coast didn't open up on Long Island, I'd be riding a Connie instead of my new RT. I wasn't riding into Manhattan just for warranty service.

[taters]

i am not thinking about getting a new bike because of a battery. i am going to fix this bike and get a new bike in a year...i don't have the cash to replace a bike for a battery issue and would n't even if i did...i just did not make myself clear.sorry about that...i will buy a different brand of bike just because i want a dealership close by. i rode a tiger and it fit me well ...was a great ride also....would like another rt but as i said just to far to go for service...thanks for the imput though...i am going to have the bike towed to a bmw tech tomorrow. lives 32 miles from me...

[AdventurePoser]

i am not thinking about getting a new bike because of a battery. ...

 

Hey Taters,

I hear ya about the convenience issue...if you like the Tiger, go for it-it's a great bike. Either way, you are welcome here!

 

Cheers,

Steve in So Cal

 

 

[Motodan]

Hope it starts by next year.

[Polo]

I didn't get your point at first

 

We are all wired differently, and if you are not mechanically inclined, the availability of a dealer would be a matter of consideration.

 

However, if you have the inclination, attend the next Tech-daze in your area, you'll make some great acquaintances and maybe friends, and will learn a lot. The RT is a very easy bike to work on.

 

Best of luck with whatever you decide.

[tallman]

Polo,

search OP history.

[Username]

I bought a 2007 RT last year. The nearest dealer to me is a good 8 hr drive. Across the border to the US. No worries. I have a good local Kawi/Guzzi/misc dealer who can help me with pretty much everything I can't do or get myself. Doubt I will have to access the Beemer dealer much. I wouldn't worry too much about access to dealer. But then, I am mechanically inclined to some extent. I have learned though that even the local bike dealers aren't all that great at getting things done right. Would rather do it myself.

[taters]

thanks for all the imput, i should have stated in my original post that i am a complete moron when it comes to anything mechanical...really, i can't hammer a nail.

[Rinkydink]

I think if you had someone "assist" you in changing your battery you would be suprised. Not saying a clutch replacement is in your future but a battery swap I bet you could handle. Plus, the feeling of doing it yourself is worth the price of admission.

[RodB]

thanks for all the imput, i should have stated in my original post that i am a complete moron when it comes to anything mechanical...really, i can't hammer a nail.

 

If you believe that hammering a nail is "mechanical", then I believe you.

[taters]

yes i do lol

[tallman]

How to