Dead Battery?

["Tom Brown" <tbrown@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Date: Sat, 30 Aug 2008 02:59:02 +0000

From: rt1100@xxxxxxxxxxx

Subject: Battery Problem?

 

The trusted RT1100 (2000) died on me this afternoon 40 miles from home.
Luckily a gentleman stopped and we tried to jump start it but to no avail.
Turns out he only live a few miles from me and took me home. With the help
of my neighbor, truck & trailer we got it home.

 

Was riding along when the battery light came on, then the ABS light started
flashing. A few miles down the road I got off on my exit and the bike died.
I was able to bump started and continued down the road. I slowed up and the
bike started mis-firing and died. Try starting it and only got a clicking
noise.

 

Have the side cover off tonight, and will pull the battery in the morning.
Battery is a BMW gel type, installed June 2004. Holiday weekend and I'm sure
the dealership will be closed tomorrow, but I can get the battery checked at
the auto parts store.

 

What else may it be if not the battery?

 

Damon in Detroit 

 

------------------------------

Damon:

 

If you bike is an early 2000, which is likely as BMW was working hard on
changing to the 1150 bikes later in that year, and if this is the original
batter with your bike, you're battery is perhaps 9 years old by now.  That's
pretty decent life for any battery.   I had a 2004 with a gel or ACM (?)
battery.   They hold a charge for a very long time without recharging.  Mine
never gave me any trouble, but I've heard they can be really bad if they are
not charged properly the first time.   

 

It's very likely that the battery is the problem. It's possible that battery
connections were not tight enough and have corroded, but that usually just
causes a starting issue.   It would be real speculation to go further trying
to guess what could cause this beside the battery.   

 

I've heard good things about Oddesy batteries.  They are good, but not
always easy to install requiring some jury-rigging because the sizes don't
match up with BMWs.  I've heard that the Westco batteries don't put out
enough voltage for some of the ABS units.   I've always bought BMW batteries
from dealers and been done with it. No real problems although I once lost a
battery while out in the mountains of Colorado on my '99.  It was lead-acid
and it gave out over the course of 4 days requiring push-starts every
morning but working OK during the day.  I was pulling into Peonia at the
time for the Top o the Rockies.  The Denver dealer had hauled in a truck
load of parts and I bought a brand new battery from him.  I installed it at
the motel and gave him the core the next day.  Sometimes things work out.
Hope your problem is as simple.    

 

I don't know if ACM or Gel batteries go out so suddenly.   I've never had
one fail.  Anyone?   

 

-TB

 

 

 

Date: Sat, 30 Aug 2008 04:19:21 -0400

From: Robert Silas <robert.silas@xxxxxxxxxxxx>

Subject: Re: Battery Problem?

 

I have the worst opinion of BMW's Gel-batteries.

Try charging it and if you'd succeed, start the bike and measure charging
voltage.

Bob Silas

 

 

- ----- Original Message ----- 

From: rt1100@xxxxxxxxxxx

To: BMW LIST

Sent: Friday, August 29, 2008 10:59 PM

Subject: Battery Problem?

 

 

The trusted RT1100 (2000) died on me this afternoon 40 miles from home. 

Luckily a gentleman stopped and we tried to jump start it but to no avail. 

Turns out he only live a few miles from me and took me home. With the help 

of my neighbor, truck & trailer we got it home.

 

Was riding along when the battery light came on, then the ABS light started 

flashing. A few miles down the road I got off on my exit and the bike died. 

I was able to bump started and continued down the road. I slowed up and the 

bike started mis-firing and died. Try starting it and only got a clicking 

noise.

 

Have the side cover off tonight, and will pull the battery in the morning. 

Battery is a BMW gel type, installed June 2004. Holiday weekend and I'm sure


the dealership will be closed tomorrow, but I can get the battery checked at


the auto parts store.

 

What else may it be if not the battery?

 

Damon in Detroit