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Disconcecting the battery?

Posted: Sun Jan 02, 2011 12:37 am
by tinytrains
I want to install the pig tail for my battery tender. I just thought I would verify that disconnecting and reconnecting the battery has no ill effects? I know I have to reset the clock.

Silly question, but better to ask than have a no-start bike. These new vehicles can be finicky.

Thanks,
Scott

Re: Disconcecting the battery?

Posted: Sun Jan 02, 2011 4:15 am
by Jaguar
I wouldn't think dissconnecting the battery would have ill effects on the bike. Batteries do go bad and have to be disconnected at some time. I have disconnected my battery to connect some extra electrical goodies. Except for resetting the clock, I have'nt noticed any other problems over the years.

Russ
N.E. Florida

Re: Disconcecting the battery?

Posted: Sun Jan 02, 2011 5:44 am
by MrChicken
On mine, disconnecting the battery resets the system date and causes the service indicator to display. It doesn't seem to be something you can fix yourself and means a trip to the dealer to get it corrected. Be happy to hear otherwise, because it's a pain in the backside!

Geoff

Re: Disconcecting the battery?

Posted: Sun Jan 02, 2011 9:22 am
by mogu83
I've disconnected my 07 a bunch of times and only had to reset the clock.
If I was going to get a service indication that had to be reset by the dealer (I assume their would be a fee) I would consider wiring a 9V battery across the wiring to keep everything running while I changed the battery. Actually if you have wiring for electric clothing or a Battery Tender it would be easy to make a plug with a 9V battery on it. Sounds like a good winter afternoon project. :-k

Re: Disconcecting the battery?

Posted: Mon Jan 03, 2011 2:10 pm
by tl440
For Harry: The 9 volt battery would then plug into the accessory outlet? Does sound like a good idea.

Dave

Re: Disconcecting the battery?

Posted: Mon Jan 03, 2011 5:10 pm
by mogu83
tl440 wrote:For Harry: The 9 volt battery would then plug into the accessory outlet? Does sound like a good idea.Dave
Wouldn't work in the BMW accessory outlet because of the canbus craziness. A lot of us have wired another plug directly to the battery for electric clothing and it's also a good spot to hook up the Battery Tender.
The 9V battery isn't my idea, it has been common practice in the automotive world for a bunch of years.
Image $9.95 ------ wiring harness for the plug from Gerbing http://www.gerbing.com/Products/accessories.html

Re: Disconcecting the battery?

Posted: Mon Jan 03, 2011 8:46 pm
by Lost Rider
In my old age I forgot why, but I seem to remember a person who disconnects the battery should cycle the throttle to wide open and back two times with the engine off, but the key on.
Something to do with resetting something...
Don?.....

Re: Disconcecting the battery?

Posted: Mon Jan 03, 2011 11:23 pm
by ipokebadgers
That is what you do on the K1200LT. Turning the key on (not starting) and opening the throttle wide open and then closed twice and then turning key off sets the throttle position sensor after the battery has been disconnected. I don't know if this is needed on the R.

Re: Disconcecting the battery?

Posted: Mon Jan 03, 2011 11:27 pm
by Lost Rider
Yeah, that sounds like it!
:smt033

Re: Disconcecting the battery?

Posted: Mon Jan 03, 2011 11:40 pm
by deilenberger
It's actually not needed on the hexhead (it learns the throttle all by itself,) but if you feel compelled to do it - it only needs one full twist with the key on (and circling the bike anti-clockwise while waving the sacrificial chicken in a clockwise manner over your head..)

The "three-twist" dealie was for oilheads, which are sorta ummm... slow that way (oh.. I mean, "special".. or errrrr... NTTAWWT..)

Re: Disconcecting the battery?

Posted: Mon Jan 03, 2011 11:43 pm
by Lost Rider
Ahhh, thanks Don, I knew you'd know.


A leftover memory from my R1150R days then....


cheers

Re: Disconcecting the battery?

Posted: Tue Jan 04, 2011 1:14 am
by tinytrains
Thanks for the answers. Can anyone else confirm it will set my "service" flag on (2009 model)?

If so, I will wait. I just had the 6k service done and the flag turned off. One of these days I will get a GS911.

thanks,

Re: Disconcecting the battery?

Posted: Tue Jan 04, 2011 8:08 am
by websterize
tinytrains wrote:Thanks for the answers. Can anyone else confirm it will set my "service" flag on (2009 model)?
No service flag on mine after disconnecting the battery, but I had to reset the clock.

Re: Disconcecting the battery?

Posted: Tue Jan 04, 2011 3:45 pm
by goo
just remember to disconnect the red lead first.

Re: Disconcecting the battery?

Posted: Tue Jan 04, 2011 3:59 pm
by mogu83
goo wrote:just remember to disconnect the red lead first.
? [-(
Goes against everything I ever learned

Re: Disconcecting the battery?

Posted: Tue Jan 04, 2011 4:31 pm
by goo
oops! brain fart (64 y.o. brain), sorry :smt030
...
http://www.ehow.com/how_2286716_disconn ... cycle.html
...
Have you been guilty of looking at others your own age and thinking, “Surely I can’t look that old?” I was sitting in the waiting room for m y first appointment with a newlady dentist. I noticed her D.D.S. diploma. Which bore her full name. Suddenly I remembered a tall,sexy, girl with the same name had been in my High School class some forty-odd years ago. Could he be the same girl that I had a secret crush on, way back then?

Upon seeing her, however I quickly discarded any such thought, gray haired old lady with deeply lined face was way too old to have been my classmate, Hmmm, or could he??

Afte she examined my teeth, I asked her if he had attended Central High School.

”Yes. Yes, I did.” She gleamed with pride.

"When did you graduate?” I asked.

she answered, In 1964, Why do you ask?”

"You were in my class!” I exclaimed.

she looked at me closely.

And then, that miserable, near-sighted, ugly, old, wrinkled woman asked,
" what did you teach?”

Re: Disconcecting the battery?

Posted: Tue Jan 04, 2011 4:33 pm
by MrChicken
tinytrains wrote:Thanks for the answers. Can anyone else confirm it will set my "service" flag on (2009 model)?

If so, I will wait. I just had the 6k service done and the flag turned off. One of these days I will get a GS911.

thanks,
Scott, just to clarify my situation (I get the service indicator after disconnection), mine is a 2008 and optioned with the on-board computer. I'm not sure if this makes a difference compared to non-OBC bikes?

Geoff

Re: Disconcecting the battery?

Posted: Tue Jan 04, 2011 6:05 pm
by sky_sailor
goo wrote:oops! brain fart (64 y.o. brain), sorry :smt030
...
http://www.ehow.com/how_2286716_disconn ... cycle.html
...
Have you been guilty of looking at others your own age and thinking, “Surely I can’t look that old?” I was sitting in the waiting room for m y first appointment with a newlady dentist. I noticed her D.D.S. diploma. Which bore her full name. Suddenly I remembered a tall,sexy, girl with the same name had been in my High School class some forty-odd years ago. Could he be the same girl that I had a secret crush on, way back then?

Upon seeing her, however I quickly discarded any such thought, gray haired old lady with deeply lined face was way too old to have been my classmate, Hmmm, or could he??

Afte she examined my teeth, I asked her if he had attended Central High School.

”Yes. Yes, I did.” She gleamed with pride.

"When did you graduate?” I asked.

she answered, In 1964, Why do you ask?”

"You were in my class!” I exclaimed.

she looked at me closely.

And then, that miserable, near-sighted, ugly, old, wrinkled woman asked,
" what did you teach?”
That's one of the funniest things I've seen....in a long time.
Lyle

Re: Disconcecting the battery?

Posted: Tue Jan 04, 2011 6:29 pm
by Gatuso
I have a 2008, and when I disconnected my battery it set the "Maintenance" reminder on, mind you it only took me about 3 minutes to pull the old battery out and install the new one, I had to go to the dealer and they reseted the "Maintenace" light for me, free of charge.

What was I doing replacing the original battery, you ask? Because the original battery is CRAP.

Lates.

Re: Disconcecting the battery?

Posted: Tue Jan 04, 2011 6:44 pm
by tinytrains
"just remember to disconnect the red lead first"

Only if you want to do some arc welding with a screwdriver as a rod. :smt107

Negative terminal: first off, last on.

It sounds like a crap-shoot as to rather or not the service flag comes on or not, so I will wait until I really need to disconnect to battery.

Thanks all,