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Battery or not? 2014 R1200RT


profbodryak

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Happy holidays everyone!

 

The winter is finally here in DC and we already got some snow! With lower ambient temperatures came the starting issue that appears to only occur on an engine that is not completely cold (starts fine in the morning when the temperatures are the lowest). Turn the key, use the start switch to start the engine, clicks (does not turn over)... and the the bike resets to factory settings. Turn off the key, wait 5-10 seconds for it to initialize (during that time the switch won't do anything) and then it starts right up. Of course the first thought was the battery but if that was the case, then why does it work on the second try after the charge has been slightly depleted? And most of the time it starts fine even though seems a bit harder than usual but that could just be lower temperatures? When the bike starts, the voltage goes back to 14V although I know that it is the amperage that decreases across the terminals of the battery at lower temperatures. Has anyone experienced anything similar or have any suggestions?

Edited by profbodryak
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I failed to mention that I got the bike exactly a year ago before New Year's with 3700 on the clock and now it's over 14000 miles. My assumption is that it is an original battery and is three years old. Thank you Sailorlite! Point taken.

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1) If its a lithium-ion battery, what you describe may be normal in cold weather

 

2) If not--did you check the terminals for a loose/poor connection?

Edited by bobbybob
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1) Never looked at the battery, will check tomorrow. But it is an original that the bike had from the factory. This never occurred at these temperatures last winter. It has happened to me on previous RT's but this has never been an issue as there were no settings for the computer to remember.

 

2) Will check along with the battery.

 

Question - previous generations had an issue with grease build up on the starter. Possibility on a wethead?

Edited by profbodryak
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Just replaced original battery on my 14 GSA,3 years seems about common life expectancy for many batteries.

I bought a Deka,which is one of the labels produced by East Penn Batteries here in USA.

 

https://www.techbatterysolutions.com/Deka-ETX14-Battery-p/etx14.htm?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIpKbDhsCQ2AIVFbbACh11Hw8pEAQYASABEgJU4vD_BwE&utm_medium=cse&utm_source=google&utm_term=ETX14

 

This is the one I bought,you may need different battery for your RT,so use their battery finder.

These folks seem to have very good prices.My battery arrived with 12/17 build date and cranks bike better and started on first crank,something that did not always occur with original battery.

 

JR356

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Just replaced original battery on my 14 GSA,3 years seems about common life expectancy for many batteries.

I bought a Deka,which is one of the labels produced by East Penn Batteries here in USA.

 

https://www.techbatterysolutions.com/Deka-ETX14-Battery-p/etx14.htm?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIpKbDhsCQ2AIVFbbACh11Hw8pEAQYASABEgJU4vD_BwE&utm_medium=cse&utm_source=google&utm_term=ETX14

 

This is the one I bought,you may need different battery for your RT,so use their battery finder.

These folks seem to have very good prices.My battery arrived with 12/17 build date and cranks bike better and started on first crank,something that did not always occur with original battery.

 

JR356

 

The RT manual calls for 16Ah, the above Deka is 12Ah. I haven't check if the batteries are the same in the RT vs. GSA but my memory says they are different. 12Ah seems low to me.

 

Jay

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As stated,that was the battery for my 14 GSA.

 

Here is the page with all the Deka batteries,including 16 Ah,look to see if they have one that meets your specs and is dimensionally the same.

They offer right and left positive terminal batteries,so get the correct one.

https://www.techbatterysolutions.com/Deka-Motorcycle-Batteries-s/819.htm

 

They also list this battery for the RT(at least on the GS,batteries are same from Hexhead thru LC)

https://www.techbatterysolutions.com/BMW-R1200RT-Battery-2005-2013-p/m1664.htm

 

JR356

Edited by JR356
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I Posted this thread a year ago http://bmwsporttouring.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Main=89004&Number=976606#Post976606 Replaced original battery with an 18AH battery at a great price. No issues in the last year/12,000 miles. There is a computer upgrade that the dealer ran on my bike in August that took care of the need to try starting the bike 2X. The upgrade is free even after the warranty has expired. Ask your dealer. They will need your VIN to check for computer upgrades.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Update:

 

On a cold morning with an ambient t = 19F I thought that the bike started and I let go of the start button but didn't hold it long enough (I wish they were like newer BMW cars where one press starts the engine!). On the second try the battery was completely dead to turn over the engine. Pulled out the battery, charged it and put the battery back in. Has been starting fine so far.

 

For those of you who do this:

 

1. Make sure you disable the alarm before you pull the battery (the best way to do this is to set the alarm to auto alarm = off);

2. My service indicator went off even though service was completed by the dealer about 2,000 miles ago but then it disappeared 15 or so miles later;

3. Reset the throttle position sensor (ignition on with engine off, fully open throttle and then close, repeat for a total of three times, turn off ignition then start the engine as usual).

 

I will replace with the stock BMW battery if it does this again.

 

Thanks for all of your advice!

Edited by profbodryak
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Update:

 

On a cold morning with an ambient t = 19F I thought that the bike started and I let go of the start button but didn't hold it long enough (I wish they were like newer BMW cars where one press starts the engine!). On the second try the battery was completely dead to turn over the engine. Pulled out the battery, charged it and put the battery back in. Has been starting fine so far.

 

For those of you who do this:

 

1. Make sure you disable the alarm before you pull the battery (the best way to do this is to set the alarm to auto alarm = off);

2. My service indicator went off even though service was completed by the dealer about 2,000 miles ago but then it disappeared 15 or so miles later;

3. Reset the throttle position sensor (ignition on with engine off, fully open throttle and then close, repeat for a total of three times, turn off ignition then start the engine as usual).

 

I will replace with the stock BMW battery if it does this again.

 

Thanks for all of your advice!

 

Thanks for sharing your experience with us. I've found that a key to long battery life is keeping it 100% charged and trickle charging with the correct voltage for the battery technology (AGM, etc.)

 

I'm new to the Wethead so went looking for the battery replacement procedure. I can't find any mention or instructions that suggest the throttle rotation procedure is needed on the Wethead. I've got the Service DVD and there are places that mention using the diagnostic connector and Service Diagnostic program to reset adaptive values but the battery replacement procedure only mentions making sure the date has been reset properly.

Edited by roger 04 rt
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Update:

 

On a cold morning with an ambient t = 19F I thought that the bike started and I let go of the start button but didn't hold it long enough (I wish they were like newer BMW cars where one press starts the engine!). On the second try the battery was completely dead to turn over the engine. Pulled out the battery, charged it and put the battery back in. Has been starting fine so far.

 

For those of you who do this:

 

1. Make sure you disable the alarm before you pull the battery (the best way to do this is to set the alarm to auto alarm = off);

2. My service indicator went off even though service was completed by the dealer about 2,000 miles ago but then it disappeared 15 or so miles later;

3. Reset the throttle position sensor (ignition on with engine off, fully open throttle and then close, repeat for a total of three times, turn off ignition then start the engine as usual).

 

I will replace with the stock BMW battery if it does this again.

 

Thanks for all of your advice!

 

Thanks for sharing your experience with us. I've found that a key to long battery life is keeping it 100% charged and trickle charging with the correct voltage for the battery technology (AGM, etc.)

 

I'm new to the Wethead so went looking for the battery replacement procedure. I can't find any mention or instructions that suggest the throttle rotation procedure is needed on the Wethead. I've got the Service DVD and there are places that mention using the diagnostic connector and Service Diagnostic program to reset adaptive values but the battery replacement procedure only mentions making sure the date has been reset properly.

Just my opinion, but I don't think that the throttle positioning procedure is necessary for our wetheads. You do need to do it for the earlier models whenever you disconnect the battery, BUT the earlier models doesn't have the ride-by-wire throttle system!

 

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Update:

 

On a cold morning with an ambient t = 19F I thought that the bike started and I let go of the start button but didn't hold it long enough (I wish they were like newer BMW cars where one press starts the engine!). On the second try the battery was completely dead to turn over the engine. Pulled out the battery, charged it and put the battery back in. Has been starting fine so far.

 

For those of you who do this:

 

1. Make sure you disable the alarm before you pull the battery (the best way to do this is to set the alarm to auto alarm = off);

2. My service indicator went off even though service was completed by the dealer about 2,000 miles ago but then it disappeared 15 or so miles later;

3. Reset the throttle position sensor (ignition on with engine off, fully open throttle and then close, repeat for a total of three times, turn off ignition then start the engine as usual).

 

I will replace with the stock BMW battery if it does this again.

 

Thanks for all of your advice!

 

Thanks for sharing your experience with us. I've found that a key to long battery life is keeping it 100% charged and trickle charging with the correct voltage for the battery technology (AGM, etc.)

 

I'm new to the Wethead so went looking for the battery replacement procedure. I can't find any mention or instructions that suggest the throttle rotation procedure is needed on the Wethead. I've got the Service DVD and there are places that mention using the diagnostic connector and Service Diagnostic program to reset adaptive values but the battery replacement procedure only mentions making sure the date has been reset properly.

Just my opinion, but I don't think that the throttle positioning procedure is necessary for our wetheads. You do need to do it for the earlier models whenever you disconnect the battery, BUT the earlier models doesn't have the ride-by-wire throttle system!

 

Afternoon PadG

 

The camhead doesn't call out a TPS relearn procedure after a battery disconnect & it still uses the older throttle cable system.

 

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  • 4 weeks later...

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