BMW R1200R R1150R/T F800 K1200R R1100R/T R1250R RnineT Message Board

Good morning ladies and gents,

I need your help once again.

Waking up this morning to find my rockster covered in a thin layer of frost due to last night's low temperatures. Nothing impressive about this... I've seen her in this condition before... but...

The bile refuses to start. I get a rattling sound as soon as I press the ingnition button that, generaly, indicates that the battery is not operating as it should be. I do not have any jump cables but I do own a battery charger. After a DIY extension (3 extension cables connected to one another) I managed to reach the bike and plug the charger hoping that by doing so I could check the battery's status and simulate a jump start...(which by the way am not sure it actually works)

No such luck. The charger shows that the battery is healthy but the bike responds in exactly the same way. I am thinking about fuel pump problems but before I go to that extend I was hoping you could enlighten me on alternative ways to start the bike.

Shall I push her down the road and get her in gear to start? (like we use to do with cars ages ago)
Shall I try to jump start it from a car?
Any other quick checks I can do?

Consider this as a matter of emergency, I am on my way to my LAST day of work for this year and ABSOLUTELY pissed to BMW Battersea for servicing my bike a month ago giving me the all OK to go crap.

Thank you in advance.

Might be a stiff starter... there are smart solutions, I just don't have any. It was recently discussed here.

Leave the charger on low charge, maybe one or two amps, for a while. Let it warm the battery up. Maybe for an hour or so. Then try it.

Good luck.

RB

I've seen pictures of people lighting small fires under their bikes engine to un-freeze the oil inside.

It might be worth a try...and get some marshmallows to toast while you're at it.

Just kidding...I would try roll starting it.

Meanwhile down under...I'm having trouble trying to sleep..because it's so hot..

DJ

1:...it was -2C this morning in lovely sunny london

2: it sounds like you have a standard bmw battery & its on it way out
usually when the basic batt's start to die, cold is the worst thing for them, get them properly cold & your cranking power dissapears.....

3: get an odyssey PC680

You will need to keep it on the charger for awhile to get to charge correctly.
You can jump start it by taking the starter cover off and connecting the positive to the top bolt on your starter and putting the negative on the exhaust bracket and do NOT start the car.
I guess you can push start it if there is some juice in the battery. Keep it in second or third gear. I tried it once and had no luck. Others have done it though.
Good luck.

+1 on what Zax said - your battery is on it's way out & you should expect a 3 to 5 year lifespan from it from new. This is not BMW Batterseas fault btw.

You can bump-start the bike (ignition on, push as fast you can, second gear selected, clutch in, then jump on the seat side-saddle & drop clutch simultaneously) but it's hard work in the cold & you'll be knackered afterwards.

Alternatively, leave it on a trickle charger & go to work in the car today and order a new battery.

Telson - I just replaced my battery - IIRC your bike is around the same age as mine so it could well be due for renewal.

The run start is a bit too much for me, not in this weather and definately not for my size... I am waiting on a friend to come over with jump cables... I think I can manage this...

I had the same startup problem a couple of weeks ago and the BMW assistance came along and passed a few tips on how to jump start them correctly.

Than k you guys, i guess my battery is out of breath, I have to get it replaced... crap.. I was hoping on spending my money on Xmas presents ... not motorcycle bateries...

thank you anyways.

Keep your cager in the driveway, and put your bike(s) in the garage like I do.