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starting the bike


mig

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hey guys ( gals)

I have now over 4k on my 2016 RTLC and each morning when I start the bike,( in the garage ) it seems to take a few more revolutions to light off. When new and in the colder winter time December and January it would start right away. I guess the bike was very tight brand new and is getting looser, just wondering if others are experiencing the same.

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hey guys ( gals)

I have now over 4k on my 2016 RTLC and each morning when I start the bike,( in the garage ) it seems to take a few more revolutions to light off. When new and in the colder winter time December and January it would start right away. I guess the bike was very tight brand new and is getting looser, just wondering if others are experiencing the same.

 

 

Morning Mig

 

I'm not sure if your area of California has summer & winter gasoline but if it does then just the summer gasoline blend alone can hinder starting a bit due to the lighter (easily ignited) ends being missing in the summer blend.

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Not to hijack this thread, but speaking of gasoline, there is a 76 station in town selling 'racing fuel', 100+ octane. The guy said souped up Harleys, Maserati drivers, etc. Anyone using it?

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Better make sure the "race fuel" is UNLEADED race fuel! A couple tanks of that in a newer Beemer and you might wish you had stuck with regular pump gas. Lead coats the sensors and catalytic converters.

 

There is unleaded race gas available. Usually 104 octane. Anything above that likely contains lead as an octane booster. Nothing at all wrong with running unleaded race fuel, except that it probably doesn't have the road tax factored in. Probably see better fuel mileage and performance as there is more energy in race fuel usually. There will also be less cleaning agents so that is a negative. At any rate, any fuel mileage gain won't cover the cost difference!

 

I buy 5 gallon cans of Sunoco HCR Plus ( 114 octane ) to run in all my weedeaters, leaf blowers, chain saw, and to mix in with fuel in the Shelby. No carburetor issues from ethanol or longer term storage since I started doing that. And there is just NOTHING better than the smell of race gas!

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Morning Mig

 

I'm not sure if your area of California has summer & winter gasoline but if it does then just the summer gasoline blend alone can hinder starting a bit due to the lighter (easily ignited) ends being missing in the summer blend.

 

Anecdotal: I'm within 40 miles northwest of Vallejo where we most likely have the same Summer / Winter blend issue - the "starting issue" just started in the last week for me (with no issue during the prior "winter")

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See this thread below.

 

http://bmwsporttouring.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=969017#Post969017

 

Synopsis : Turn bike off with kill switch. The computer will know when to fire sooner than turning off with key/key-less button.

 

I have really over simplified the above statement. Do I know why it does that, nope. But when I have turned the bike off with kill switch, it lights up right away.

 

Snowy

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If I wait until the end of the speedometer powerup and only then press the starter button, the engine starts faster. Hope that helps.

 

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See this thread below.

 

http://bmwsporttouring.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=969017#Post969017

 

Synopsis : Turn bike off with kill switch. The computer will know when to fire sooner than turning off with key/key-less button.

 

I have really over simplified the above statement. Do I know why it does that, nope. But when I have turned the bike off with kill switch, it lights up right away.

 

Snowy

 

I was skeptical about this, but it's worked consistently for me.

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My '14 Wet start-up procedure is simple. I turn the ignition on then turn on my Helmet's audio (Sena SMH-10). I put the helmet on, buckle up and hit the Start button.

 

Every time... it starts on the first push of about 1 second.... so I agree with letting the start-up procedure do its thing before hitting the button.

 

(minor detail but I also use the warm-up time to pair my iPhone to the Nav5.)

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I don't think using the kill button is the answer. It's been found the the starting issue is caused by the bike being out of time (mine included). Once corrected it's never been an issue regardless if it's freezing or hot. I have 5 friends that own Wetheads and had the starting problems. All are wetheads RTs and GS models. All we're out of time and once corrected, problem solved. BMW is using a tapered shaft for the timing gear not splined.

GT

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Well I do let the start up thingy happen before I hit the start button, especially since there is no way to know for sure if I'm in Neutral or not. I do miss that about the LC. on my 07 RT the N light was on from the beginning so I know I was safe I can see the timing being out a little and will ask about this when I come up on the 6k maintenance.

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hey guys ( gals)

I have now over 4k on my 2016 RTLC and each morning when I start the bike,( in the garage ) it seems to take a few more revolutions to light off. When new and in the colder winter time December and January it would start right away. I guess the bike was very tight brand new and is getting looser, just wondering if others are experiencing the same.

 

Hey Mig,

 

Two issues to look into:

 

1. Try 'recalibrating' the throttle by turning on the ignition, then rotate the throttle to full on and full off 3 times, turn off the ignition, then start as per usual. Others will tell you this isn't a valid procedure, but when I did this it completely resolved my '16 RT's initial problem w/ starting up on the first starter button press, and that was 21K miles ago. My local shop confirmed this is a valid procedure. The problem was present for me hot or cold, and in fact what got my attention to look into it was a backfire that happened once when the bike was warm and failed to restart on the first press

 

2. It's possible you may have picked up some water in a recent fill up. It seems this just happened to me while on a ride south to San Luis Obispo when I filled up at a Chevron but noticed the pump flow rate was at a crawl at which point against my better judgement I went ahead and filled up anyway wondering if I may be pulling up the dregs in a near empty tank. It began once again not starting on the first press after 20K miles of quick first press starts. I tried the throttle calibration procedure to no avail. After 3 or 4 days of sputtering first start attempts despite a couple of complete tank fill ups I bought a bottle of HEET water remover, put in a half a bottle in a fresh tank of fuel, and it's been back to quick first press starts since.

Edited by NoelCP
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Noel

I tried the throttle re-calibration, and that seamed to get it starting better. I will still have the dealer check the timing when it goes for the 6k visit, but thanks

Miguel

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Both my WC bikes, the RT (sold) and the GSA (lovin' it!), suffered a reluctance to start around 6K. The RT actually wouldn't start the first time, I had to let go of the button and try again, and it'd start right up. Other people had reported the problem too and also that it "healed" itself, which mine did after 2-3000 miles. Dealer looked at it but couldn't find anything. I remember it happening to the GSA but didn't pay much attention as I was confident it'd go back to normal - which it did. The GSA starts instantly now (52K). I do make a point of letting the electronics go all the way through their self test before starting.

Edited by WBinDE
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well for two days it worked pretty well, then today it did not and sputtered at start, let go of the button and then re-engage, starts right up.

At 5.5k so almost time for the shop visit

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I'll say it again! Have the timing checked. Out of five of us with the starting issue, all wet heads. All out of time. Timing corrected....problem gone.

 

GT

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Always killing it with the kill switch completely eliminated the problem for me. Starts first time every time hot or cold.

 

Keith

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John in VA
Always killing it with the kill switch completely eliminated the problem for me. Starts first time every time hot or cold.

 

Keith

 

+1

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2016 RT. Mine just started doing this as well-2000 miles. Hit the start button..won't start..then second try it goes perfectly.

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2016 RT. Mine just started doing this as well-2000 miles. Hit the start button..won't start..then second try it goes perfectly.
I somewhat appreciate these complaints. My 2015 wet head used to take about half a second to start after sitting for a few weeks. Now I keep it on a charger, and it starts instantly even after sitting awhile.

 

However, as someone who grew up in Alaska and dealt with starting cars in the winter dealing with jumper cables or getting a push start, the complaints about it taking two hits to the starter button make think we are spoiled. I don't long for the old days. :(

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1. Try 'recalibrating' the throttle by turning on the ignition, then rotate the throttle to full on and full off 3 times, turn off the ignition, then start as per usual.

 

This worked for me (2016 RT, 6000km)

 

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