2012 BMW R1200RT starting issue

[Sharkey]

Bought a 2012 BMW R1200RT couple months ago. Only has 6K miles on it. Rode out to church last month and upon leaving it wouldn't start. Sounded like the battery. I go inside and google jumping a cycle battery (not recommended apparently) and before I call the wife to come get me, I go out and try again and it starts.
Ordered a Gel Battery from a place in Houston and replace what looks like the original battery.

Now yesterday, I go out to ride it and it tries to start 1st time but nothing. Hit the start button again and nothing but a click. I am going to test battery this morning and put it on the charger.
Is this an alternator problem or starter problem? Maybe a loose wire?  Someone on a cycle forum mentioned a generator belt?   Any ideas appreciated.  Thankfully, my Yammy FZ8 started perfectly and I rode off to finish errands.

[dirtrider]

23 minutes ago, Sharkey said:

Bought a 2012 BMW R1200RT couple months ago. Only has 6K miles on it. Rode out to church last month and upon leaving it wouldn't start. Sounded like the battery. I go inside and google jumping a cycle battery (not recommended apparently) and before I call the wife to come get me, I go out and try again and it starts.
Ordered a Gel Battery from a place in Houston and replace what looks like the original battery.

Now yesterday, I go out to ride it and it tries to start 1st time but nothing. Hit the start button again and nothing but a click. I am going to test battery this morning and put it on the charger.
Is this an alternator problem or starter problem? Maybe a loose wire?  Someone on a cycle forum mentioned a generator belt?   Any ideas appreciated.  Thankfully, my Yammy FZ8 started perfectly and I rode off to finish errands.

 

Morning  Sharkey

 

It could be any of those things that you mentioned above or could be something not shutting down at key-off. (do you have any added electrical accessories that might not be properly shutting down at key-off?)

 

Before charging or disconnecting the battery see if your motorcycle's clock is showing the correct time (assuming it was set correctly before the no-start condition). This might give us a direction to look in.

 

If your new battery is indeed dead again then do look at the alternator belt (under the front plastic engine cover).  

 

If battery is fully charged then possibly a starter issues or a battery cable connection problem. (are the battery cables properly tight at the battery posts?)  

 

You might need to put a voltmeter on the battery to see if it is being charged with engine running (should show a little over 14 volts with engine at high idle).

 

Then make sure that the battery is staying above 10 volts with the engine actually cranking over  on the starter. 

[Pappy35]

You basically have one (or more) things to look at:

 

1. Did the previous owner install any electrical accessories that might be staying on and draining the battery? If you're not that handy then the easiest way to rule this out is to check the battery terminals and look for any added-on wires. If you find wires, trace them to where they go. Post pictures here of what you find and we can help you ID what it is.
2. Long shot but the alternator may be weak. You need a voltmeter and, with the bike running, the voltage should be right at, or around, 14V. If not then something is amiss.

 

This generation RT has a belt driven alternator that looks just like an automotive unit. Sit up above the engine and the belt is under the plastic cover at the front of the engine crankcase. It's almost impossible to visually see it but if the belt was broken, and since you didn't mention it I presume it's not making any horrible screeching noises, then the battery would have died in with just an hour of running, not a month later so I don't think it's died altogether. Could be a regulator but that's what the voltage check is for.

[Sharkey]

Put it on the charger that has a built in tester and it showed 12.7 where 12.8 recommended.  I let it charge to 100% and then rolled it out and nothing.  Not even an attempt to turn over, just a bunch of clicks.   I sold my van so no way to get it to a mechanic so I have towing on my insurance so it will probably go to mechanic tomorrow.  Hope it is something simple.

No wires at the terminal when I changed battery out.   Are the "generator belts" on the camheads the same as the hexheads?   I found a lot of belts for the hexhead but none for the cam heads yesterday in my Google search.  Yeah no horrible screaching noises.

[dirtrider]

7 hours ago, Sharkey said:

Put it on the charger that has a built in tester and it showed 12.7 where 12.8 recommended.  I let it charge to 100% and then rolled it out and nothing.  Not even an attempt to turn over, just a bunch of clicks.   I sold my van so no way to get it to a mechanic so I have towing on my insurance so it will probably go to mechanic tomorrow.  Hope it is something simple.

No wires at the terminal when I changed battery out.   Are the "generator belts" on the camheads the same as the hexheads?   I found a lot of belts for the hexhead but none for the cam heads yesterday in my Google search.  Yeah no horrible screaching noises.

 

 

Morning Sharkey

 

Yes, same alternator belt as the hexhead (4PK582),  If it still won't start (or even turn over) after a good battery charge then it probably isn't pointing to the alternator or belt as all they do is keep the battery charged.  

 

Your 12.7 volts might just be that you have the incorrect battery charger for your BMW's  AGM type battery as those usually won't fully charge with an older trickle charger. (still should be plenty to start the engine though). 

 

The real test here is to put a voltmeter on the battery posts (not the cables) at the battery, then try to start the engine and verify that your battery stays above 10 volts as you try to crank the engine over. Then move the voltmeter to the battery cables and see if you show the same voltage while trying to start the engine.  (both the battery posts & the battery cables must be above 10 volts during a starting try to get a proper engine turnover & good engine start)

 

Again check the battery cables at the battery posts for being tight as a (even slightly loose) battery cable attachment could be causing the clicking when you try to start it. 

 

Can you tell exactly where (or what) on the motorcycle  is the clicking sound  coming from?  This might help us tell more about the problem.

 

It shouldn't' take a good mechanic long to find the problem.

 

 

 

 

[Sharkey]

Trailered it to shop.  Starter gone.   Picked up an Arrowhead Starter off Ebay.  Difference btw OEM was 1/4 the price.   We shall see.....

[6speedTi]

1 hour ago, Sharkey said:

Trailered it to shop.  Starter gone.   Picked up an Arrowhead Starter off Ebay.  Difference btw OEM was 1/4 the price.   We shall see.....

Glad it's sorted out.

I use these guys for high quality OEM parts at fraction of OEM prices. Save the link for future reference. They carry many parts at great prices with fast shipping. 

https://www.euromotoelectrics.com/Starter-BMW-R-hexhead-BMW-VAL4-p/bmw-val4.htm

[Sharkey]

4 hours ago, 6speedTi said:

Glad it's sorted out.

I use these guys for high quality OEM parts at fraction of OEM prices. Save the link for future reference. They carry many parts at great prices with fast shipping. 

https://www.euromotoelectrics.com/Starter-BMW-R-hexhead-BMW-VAL4-p/bmw-val4.htm

I will book mark it and send to my Mechanic for the future.    Thanks for the link.

[RoadRunner]

11 hours ago, Sharkey said:

Trailered it to shop.  Starter gone.   Picked up an Arrowhead Starter off Ebay.  Difference btw OEM was 1/4 the price.   We shall see.....

Just reading the thread but I had the same/similar issue on 2013 RT.  Stopped bike for a short time,  dead.  Jumped it, was fine for a few days then in the morning, dead.  Jumped fine.   Took it into my dealer the following week for a service (it was fine in the interim) and told them to stick a new battery it.  They came back and asked why, I said it's bad, I've had to jump it.   They said nope, it's your starter.   So, new starter, same battery, about 20K miles since and no issues.  Weird stuff for a starter.  

 

[6speedTi]

Not to say there are not so honest technicians out there but this symptom could be from a loose or defective connection on the starter. Can't see it without removing panels. If a power cable to the starter was loose and all it needed was a retorquing to solve the issue that would be great. Sadly there are places that would sell you a starter for resecuring a loose feeder cable. Just saying sometimes if you're capable or have the time it is best to check out all the obvious stuff first. Most of us do. I'm just giving a scenario here and not accusing anyone of a dishonest practice.