More battery crap

[LeonardoNYC]

After the aforementioned not being able to start and needing a jump to get back home, I took the battery out of the bike and into my apartment to charge on a Battery Tender Plus which is for the sealed gel batteries. After a few hours I get a blinking green light meaning 75% charge and then this morning the green light is steady indicating full charge. I disconnect it from the charger and a few hours later install on the my R12R. The start-up sequence of lights and dial movement occur but seem a bt "off" as in a bit jerky or slower than what's normal. I press the starter button and nothing..zilch, zero, nada. The lights come on, horn beeps, but not even a click click click from the starter. Could the battery be deader than Michael Jackson? Or is there any other remedy I should try / look into.

And of course it's labor day weekend so no one's open till Tuesday!

[NeilS]

It sounds to me like your battery is OK and there's something else wrong. Start button, solenoid, starter motor, etc.?

You might be able to tell by putting a voltmeter across the battery while you press the starter button. If the voltage falls to near zero, the battery is bad, if it stays up around 12 volts, it's something else.

BTW, we have AGM batteries, not "sealed gel" batteries. You should use the proper term so you don't mislead people who know the difference but don't know the bike.

[vielzebub]

My bet is it's the battery.

I just replaced mine a few weeks ago....similar scenario to yours Leonardo.
A new battery was the fix.

[cwrose]

I would also suspect the battery.

When I first bought my R back in May of 2008, I got to ride it for a few weeks until I started having starting problems just like you stated. The battery load tested fine, charging system checked out, and everything "worked" fine. Except the damn bike wouldn't start for me. It started fine for the dealer, then I'd take it home and park it for the night. Once I went to start it in the morning, the lights; horn; computer; and every other electrical item worked except for the starter. All I got was a click click click. It left me stranded three times. The third time it was in the shop, the battery finally failed the test and the dealer replaced it under warranty. Since then, everything's been fine.

[ka5ysy]

Welcome to the "Instant Battery Death Club" .

Let me guess.... Exide battery by any chance?

[LeonardoNYC]

Yes of course Exide....Battery is 25 months old on the 24 month warranty. Since I just dropped $3,000 at the dealer for repair from my accident (actually my insurance company's $$ but still ) I would hope for some consideration from the warranty department. If not will buy a YUASA for $84 instead of BMW battery for $183.

[deilenberger]

Yes of course Exide....Battery is 25 months old on the 24 month warranty. Since I just dropped $3,000 at the dealer for repair from my accident (actually my insurance company's $$ but still ) I would hope for some consideration from the warranty department. If not will buy a YUASA for $84 instead of BMW battery for $183.

Not a bad thing to do - but note that YUASA owns Exide. Really. Same battery, different label.

[Shortpower]

I have had the same experience several times on my 2007 R1200R--warning light sequence happens, but nothing from the starter switch. I flipped the kill switch (on the right handlebar) off and back on, and the starter worked fine. Worth a try. The last time this happened, I was in Pennsylvania on my way to the BMWRA ralley in West Virginia. I was too afraid to stop the bike again for the rest of the trip. Rode through a biblical rain storm and didn't get to put on my rainsuit. However, the bike has worked fine ever since. (Where's some wood?)

Shortpower

[ka5ysy]

Note to self: Long Trip: Pack spare battery

[redwing]

LeonardoNYC ... Mostly everythings been said. Mine showed fully charged but had no amps as per dealer and mine was under warrenty; so I got new battery. This happened around 400 miles from new. I expect and hope a simple fix for you.

I know no one wants battery crap but ya can't ever have to much good crap ... especially good smellin' crap. Like cars, motorcycles, kids, home, hair, money, ... hair? where did that come from?

Robert

[Rocket]

Glad this has come up. I am in the midst of a battery puzzle.

My Battery was replaced 3 weeks ago with a new Exide battery (under warranty). All was fine until I fitted GPS lead (using proper BMW connector ) and dealer wired in Autocom (taking feed from rear of aux socket).

Picked up bike from dealer. Did approx 100 mile trip that day
Then, I left bike for approx 1 week unused
Came to start (week later) , battery was as flat as a pancake
BMW Assist called out, tested battery and concluded battery good but just not properly charged.

Left on charge overnight. OK next day. Condition indicator showed "strong"

Left bike for further week. Went totally flat again.

Charged up again using trickle charger.

Condition light says "strong" ie good condition, battery holding charge

Intend to leave bike unused for 5-7 days to see if it goes flat again.

[sandycruz]

I've been standing on the sidelines watching as some number of the members here have had their OEM Exide batteries die an unexpected premature death. So using the power of the internet I began a search for a replacement; I know I'm gonna need one sometime. I've been a fan of Odyssey batteries ever since I installed a PC680 in my R1100SA, back in 2004. Its still going strong BTW. Massive cranking power, mil spec construction and the ability to hold a charge over time, coupled with the no maintenance factor makes the Odyssey a big hit in my book.

However the Odyssey that comes closest to fitting in the reduced battery space provided by the R1200R is not a direct, simple drop in replacement. Over at Adventure Rider site, thanks Jim VonBaden, is a pictorial of a PC 535 installation in a R1200GS. Here: http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthre ... ssey+PC535

You'll notice that the battery has to be modified, thereby voiding the warranty. I don't know if the battery would have to be modified to fit in our R1200's. I suspect it would. In addition it looks like ShinySideUP has successfully installed a PC535 in his R. See: viewtopic.php?f=20&t=14645&p=130328&hil ... 35#p130328
Perhaps Shiny could let us know how if the battery itself had to be modified in addition to the seat hook persuasion.

I would love to use a PC535 as my replacement battery, but I'm unwilling to void the warranty on a $100+ battery.
Best price I've found is here: http://www.batterystuff.com/batteries/m ... PC535.html
If you decide on the PC535, would you let us know what, if anything, has to be done to get it to fit?

So, I've searched around for a replacement battery that would be a simple drop-in, hook her up and go.

What looks like the best bet are AGM batteries from Deka. They are available as Dika branded batteries here: http://www.dcpoweronline.com/product_in ... ucts_id/30
Or as BigCrank batteries available here: http://www.batterymart.com/p-Big-Crank- ... ttery.html
It looks like Dika makes the battery that BigCrank sells.

What I like about the Dika/BigCrank is that it has some good reviews on other sites and it weighs 12 pounds. That's a full pound heaver than any of the other drop-in replacements I've seen.

Has anyone installed a Dika or BigCrank in their R1200R? Would you be willing to share your experience?

Thanks,
David in Santa Cruz, CA

[websterize]

. . . The start-up sequence of lights and dial movement occur but seem a bt "off" as in a bit jerky or slower than what's normal. I press the starter button and nothing..zilch, zero, nada. The lights come on, horn beeps, but not even a click click click from the starter. . .

This happened to my bike on the showroom floor, with only 14 miles on the odometer. It had been sitting for months. The dealer replaced the battery.

[ShinySideUp]

[quote="sandycruz"...In addition it looks like ShinySideUP has successfully installed a PC535 in his R. See: viewtopic.php?f=20&t=14645&p=130328&hil ... 35#p130328
Perhaps Shiny could let us know how if the battery itself had to be modified in addition to the seat hook persuasion. [/quote]

As I remember, I didn't have to do anything to the battery itself, although it was a tight squeeze. I just bent the seat hooks a very small amount to the outside, and then, to use a technical term, shoved.

[mogu83]

When the battery in my R went belly up I took the WestCo 12V14-B out of my Valkyrie dropped it into the Beemer and ran around a few weeks untill I could get to the dealer for a free replacement. No problems. WestCo is the same size and drops right in.