Starting question

[awagnon]

We had a rally in southern Utah last weekend. One of the club members rode his 2007 12GS. The day before he left, it began having intermittant starting problems. Sometimes the bike would go through its diagnostics and be ready to start. When he pressed the starter button, absolutely nothing happened. Kill switch was on. Didn't seem to be the side stand, since moving it around did nothing. After two or three tries, it would start normally. The bike had a new battery put in about six months ago. The ground wire was tight. He took it to the dealer today, demonstrated the problem, but then they couldn't reproduce it in the shop and gave it back to him. ( It's 17 days out of warranty. Good timing BMW. )

 

Any thoughts?

[Sparkerite999]

Hi

I had a similar problem with my 1200 RT. At the base of the ignition switch there is a small housing which contains two micro switches that are activated by a cam when the key is inserted in the ignition and turned. One of the micro switches only worked intermittently, turning the key a number of times would eventually get it to start. I swapped out the defective part, took it apart to see what was inside and found the two micro switches. I purchased a new part and it has worked flawlessly ever since. I kept the old part as only one micro switch was defective, if the new one goes defective it will likely only be one micro switch so I will cannibalise them both to make one good working part.

 

I hope this helps

 

Ben

 

[Sparkerite999]

I found a site that shows the parts of the gs ignition switch, part number 2 is the one that can go defective.

 

http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts.do?model=0317&mospid=47824&btnr=51_5341&hg=51&fg=15

 

Ben

[JayW]

My RT will not start in first gear, even with the clutch pulled in unless you first let the clutch out and pull it back in once. However, this is not required if the bike in neutral. Could he have had it in first gear and inadvertently cycled the clutch once when he was fiddling with it, which then allowed it to start?

 

Jay

[gordiet]

With the engine off and the key on get your ear down buy the clutch lever and pull it slowly and you will hear a micro switch "click". That has to happen or it won't start in any gear.

 

GT

[JayW]

With the engine off and the key on get your ear down buy the clutch lever and pull it slowly and you will hear a micro switch "click". That has to happen or it won't start in any gear.

 

GT

 

...except neutral, which of course is not a gear at all.

 

Jay

[awagnon]

Hi

I had a similar problem with my 1200 RT. At the base of the ignition switch there is a small housing which contains two micro switches that are activated by a cam when the key is inserted in the ignition and turned. One of the micro switches only worked intermittently, turning the key a number of times would eventually get it to start. I swapped out the defective part, took it apart to see what was inside and found the two micro switches. I purchased a new part and it has worked flawlessly ever since.

 

Ben. How in the world did you isolate the problem to the microswitches? Thanks for the others who have replied so far.

[awagnon]

I just heard from my friend about his non-starting 12GS. Cudos to JayW and Gordeit. It appears the clutch microswitch wasn't closing until the clutch lever was all the way to the bar. The shop mechanic adjusted it and all seems to be well now. I'll repost if he has any more problems.