Bike Dead!
 

Hi everyone,
I have a small problemo. We are in Salta, Argentina at the moment on a BMW R1200 GSA and could do with a bit of advice. The bike was going great guns yesterday but when we went to move on today there was no response from the starter button, the bike is going through its checks and not reporting any problem. I have had this before but it cleared itself after a spray of WD40, no joy this time tho!!! it refuses to start. There is about 15 ltrs of fuel in the tank, and WD has been sprayed copiously over the side stand cut off and kill switch. Battery is only 12 months old and no warning lights coming up on the dash (replaced in Puerto Madryn). We had a few probs with the bike getting hot coming over the 4,800 mtr Paso San Francisco back into Argentina from Chile but as I said ok since then. I have phoned BMW emergency assistance in UK and no help from them, is there an equivelent for South America? I know there is a BMW dealer about 300KM south of here but with my limited Spanish, I am not sure ringing them will help tho I will try tomorrow, then we have the problem of getting the bike there!!. If there is anyone can give us a few pointers (good mechanico in Salta) or can speak Spanish and make a phone call to BMW in San Miguel de Tumuco for us will be appreciated.
Will check back later tonight and tomorrow.
Many thanks in advance.
Kev & Lorraine Hatchett

I would definitely post this message in the appropriate subforum on ADVRider, I think you'll get a lot more responses there.

When you say you get no response from the starter button, I assume you mean just that--bike doesn't turn over at all? And is the instrument panel working normally?

I'm no guru, but the first things people recommend in cases like this are checking battery connections carefully and checking the kill switch (which it sounds like you've done). If is is an OEM battery, even if only a year old, they are known for dying very suddenly, so you might want to try a new battery.

I had a simular problem on the way to Italy on my 1200GS. Rode it for two days and no problems went to start it dead as a dodo , dash lights on headlights on etc but not a murmer from the starter .
Long story short turned out to be my battery, i swopped batteries with a friend , mine started fine and his same fault , so i left mine running swopped batteries again and got his going and put a new battery on in Switzerland no problems since !!!

If you are certain that it has to do with the side-stand switch, you can by-pass it. There are three wires going to the side-stand switch: red, white, brown. Hard-wire the white- and brown cable together. Now the CPU will "see" side stand up. That would be a nice, easy and cheap fix. Hope it helps...

...and, if it turns out to be the side-stand switch and you do by-pass it, make certain you visually check each and every time that the side-stand is up BEFORE driving of.

Hi...I hope by this time you already fix this problem.
You didn't mention if you try to push the bike...if its an electrical problem the bike will not start by pushing it, but if its starts you can forget about the side stand switch.
To push the bike in the right way, unload it, try to find a downhill road (Salta may have plenty of this ones), turn the key in the on position, shift to 2nd, press the clutch, start pushing...when you get enough speed jump in to the bike and try to seat on it as hard as you can and when you do this, at the same time, let go the clutch...don't loose your balance!! see if the bike starts.
Even with a dead battery a bike can start like this...
Good Luck
Rod.

maybe the key ring?
 

I have had the key ring replaced on my 06 gsa and a 08 gt.Everything looked ready to go but nothing when i pressed the start button.there should be a trouble light,may be esp,check manual.I carry a spare now.If you have another key or the plastic one try those,or if you just take any other keys or metal beer openers off the ring and insert the key by itself .good luck.there may be a way to remove and get it to go but i am not sure.

Bike Dead
 

Hi Kev and Lorraine

I can confirm the advice given by bushman_uk. The GS has a voltage sensing unit in the Central Electronics Unit. The battery may have enough grunt to allow the dash/system check etc but when trying to start it shuts down the start solenoid via the ECU. This generally happens when the battery is dieing or "collapsing" under load. Could possibly be crap shorting out the plates insid the battery. Happens sometimes when the battery gets all shook up.

Try a battery change for a known working battery, or a jump start. May help.

I had the same fault with a 2 week old battery on my GS. The battery I had then was of a "questionable quality". Changed it for a BMW (Exide) battery and no problems since.

Hope you get it going.
Quandary

Yes, that's another potential cause. However, you should get the "EWS" indication in your display if the ring antenna went south.

If that's case, then you're pretty much f... dead in the water, because you WILL need to have a spare ring-antenna. No by-passing in that case.

Dead Bike
 

Thanks everyone for all the advice. Just to mention. I tried to jump start the bike in 2nd but nothing there either. Ring antenna on ignition was changed by BMW before we left home tho that doesn·t mean anything I guess. Think my first choice would be to try and source a live battery and give that a go.
I will post back when I get any news.
Thanks again
Kev & Lorraine

Don't forget WD40 is the kiss of death as far as electrics go, always use a proper contact cleaner. Hope you get it sorted.

Not Dead GSA!
 

Hi all,
Update on the situation.
I took the battery into a local mechanic who tested it and said all was ok with it. They said they would come round to us at 17:00 as they were just going on siesta. 17:00'ish!! they turned up and had a look at the bike, still saying it wasn't the battery, maybe the solenoid or starter motor. Anyway, long story short, they brought the bike back at 21:30 running good as ever. They had stripped, cleaned and serviced the starter motor and as far as they could see everything is ok now. Cost AR$400 about £60.
Not sure of their address at the moment as I am in a coffee shop and don't have their card but easy enough to find if Grant would like to add it to his list of world wide mechanics, they are called "On Track Motos", I will post the full address next time I'm on line.
Thanks for all your replies beer
Kev & Lorraine
Back on the road

Glad to hear the bike is running again :thumbup1:. How many miles do you have on your GS? I'd consider the starter motor on an '07 model as unusual cause. But, ya never know...

Seems strange that it didnt start in 2nd gear if it was inded the starter motor. The starter serves no function when trying this.
Possibly could have been a dickie connection on the starter however I would still suspect the battery. I am an Electrician and have seen plenty of batteries "come back to life" after being "shaken" or even after being load tested.

Panhandle1300, was there any problems with your ABS prior to the fault. I ask this as the ABS is voltage sensitive and any loss of or low power will cause "funny" things to happen with the ABS. (speaking from experience $$$).

Hope all is still and will be all OK

Quandary

Not Dead GSA
 

T.REX63 - Bike is now in Berlin Motos BMW in Tucuman for 30,000 (just short of that on the clock) mile service, I mentioned the problem to them and they will check it out.
As I said earlier, I had a no start prob with only 2,000 miles on the clock and BMW changed both starter motor and battery to fix it even tho their computer said there was nothing wrong.

Quandary - The bike did splutter once or twice on a bump but wouldn't fire up (TKC's no grip and slipping on Salta streets maybe!!). No ABS on the bike either, I don't ride fast enough !!! lol.
Thanks for the replies
Kev & Lorraine

Will be interesting to hear what the dealer finds, if anything... Hopefully, it's just a fluke never to be heard of again :biggrin3:.