"Slow" starting issue

[peej1977]

Hey folks, so, ever since my GS was new (Feb 2023) it's had an issue where, randomly it'll start exhibiting a slow start issue. Like the battery doesn't have enough juice to turn the engine over. Sometimes it'll be accompanied by the heated grips not working for a few minutes, other times it'll flash up a keyfob not in range even though it's in my hand etc. I had this on my 2019 1250 and it was the known issue with the bad batch of batteries.

The bike gets used very frequently and when isn't in use it's always on a battery tender. Sometimes the problem will disappear for days/weeks and then reappear at the most random times. For instance, last week I was doing a Blood Bike run, the bike started fine outside the house from cold, I rode the 25ish miles to Liverpool, collected the sample, went to start the bike and it struggled to turn over. Got to the drop off location and it started fine. Next day from cold it struggled to start, etc etc blah blah.

Williams BMW looked at it on Friday and said there's nothing wrong with it, battery shows all fine etc. They said that there is a "known quirk" with the 1250's due to the decompression valve where BMW recommends you push the starter briefly to spin the engine, then start it to "release the decompression valve". They say it's a known thing and nothing to worry about etc etc.

I told them that I wasn't overly happy with that an in the 3 years of owning my 2019 (which had 3 engines in it) I never had to do this and none of my many friends who own a 1250 have ever had to do this and their answer was simply "it's a known quirk, everyone with a 1250 has to do this". Anyway, i've taken the bike back for now as I need it but has anyone every encountered this and how did you get it resolved, other than kicking off of course haha

Video for context:

 

[Santa-2512]

I'd say battery is the culprit, but ..

Lithium battery's don't like the cold, and sometimes can benefit from a crank to warm them up, followed by a normal start

My Noco on the TC gets sluggish below 12c , but will start it and only once has needed the second crank

If it's not lithium, then i'd say you have a dying cell on the battery

 

[team duvet]

That's how mine started, now worse (sometimes) when hot.....see below's thread.

Hot Starting Problem

Hi All I'm after some info from the collective. Went out on my R1250GS 2019 model 22,000 miles. After 5 miles stopped to put in petrol, paid and when to start bike and the bike did one cough and died got error Traction Control limited. tried to start for the next hour but same issue. Called RAC...

www.ukgser.com

TD

 

[longdog]

I told them that I wasn't overly happy with that an in the 3 years of owning my 2019 (which had 3 engines in it) I never had to do this and none of my many friends who own a 1250 have ever had to do this and their answer was simply "it's a known quirk, everyone with a 1250 has to do this". Anyway, i've taken the bike back for now as I need it but has anyone every encountered this and how did you get it resolved, other than kicking off of course haha

So you had an R1250GS which required 3 new engines in 3 years of ownership? Why? Why did you buy another one with “a known quirk” aka “a fault” and allow the dealership to fob you off?

 

[hawkeye]

My 2019 R1250GS used to do this occasionally on the original battery (hesitate to start only though, none of the other symptoms you are having). Checked the battery terminals which were slightly loose and tightened them (as that also can be an issue) but that made no difference. In the end, when my OEM battery gave up after about 18 months (one of the bad batch of batteries I believe), I fitted a Heavy duty Yuasa battery and haven't had the issue since. Battery I fitted was a Yuasa YTX14H-BS, which has 240CCA (compared to the OEM battery which is only 200CCA), and she now spins over quicker and cold starts are a bit better.

If I were you, maybe check the battery terminals for tightness, if that makes no difference, consider swapping the OEM battery for a heavier duty one.

 

[Orbit]

My 2017 1200GS has done this occasionally over the past 12mths. Starts perfectly 99% of the time then very occasionally gives a slow or reluctant start despite being on an optimate daily and used daily. Changed battery but still does it.

Almost like the engine stopped in the wrong position and it finds it difficult to start again for some bizarre reason. Never let me down but unnerving when it happens!

 

[Pukmeister]

My 2019 GSA does this. It let me down the day we were departing for our Euro bike trip: full charge, started fine, rode four miles to a mates house, wouldn’t restart. It had a brand new oversized Motobatt in it, we had to dash back to mine in his car and grab my OE BMW battery and swap it out. It then ran fine all through France and Italy but I carry a NOCO GB40 booster pack just in case as I don’t trust it.

Edit: I checked the Motobatt on return home and it was fine, so the issue is not the battery it’s the hot engine not cranking.

Bloody bike has also done it twice since with no rhyme or reason, always once hot.

I didn’t know about briefly flicking it over on the starter to engage the decompressor, but it kind of explains why it wouldn’t crank each time it failed to turn over on a full battery.

Piece of Shit, I should never have sold my Hexhead.

 

[Santa-2512]

My 2019 GSA does this. It let me down the day we were departing for our Euro bike trip: full charge, started fine, rode four miles to a mates house, wouldn’t restart. It had a brand new oversized Motobatt in it, we had to dash back to mine in his car and grab my OE BMW battery and swap it out. It then ran fine all through France and Italy but I carry a NOCO GB40 booster pack just in case as I don’t trust it.

Bloody bike has also done it twice since with no rhyme or reason, always once hot.

I didn’t know about briefly flicking it over on the starter to engage the decompressor, but it kind of explains why it wouldn’t crank each time it failed to turn over on a full battery.

Piece of Shit, I should never have sold my Hexhead.

You wouldn't believe the size of the lithium cells in the GB40 - tiny is not the word

Sell the new one , and get a newer lower mileage hexhead

 

[Pukmeister]

I’ve seen the GB40’s in bits Mart, just three thin lithium cell pads in series. It’s the mosfets that do the heavy lifting. Bloody amazing how they can provide such a huge burst.

I’m not spending any more money on bikes, I’m keeping the 1250 for now in the vain hope that it lasts me through to retirement.

 

[Santa-2512]

I’ve seen the GB40’s in bits Mart, just three thin lithium cell pads in series. It’s the mosfets that do the heavy lifting. Bloody amazing how they can provide such a huge burst.

I’m not spending any more money on bikes, I’m keeping the 1250 for now in the vain hope that it lasts me through to retirement.

You cant be that far off? 1, 7 or 9 for me depending what options pan out

 

[Pukmeister]

Every day is one day closer mate, that's what I keep telling myself whilst the shit slowly piles up ever deeper.

 

[clutchspring]

I had to smile the other day when talking to my next-door neighbour who is a gs man when he told me one of his friends had just bought a bmw used approved 1250 gs jokingly I said make shore he buys a jump pack for when it fails to start and he replied yes the salesman that sold him the bike had already advised him to get a jump pack.
So it seems even the dealers have little faith in what they sell.
Ian

 

[ShakeyBMW]

My 1250 did this too.. in anything from 7 to 30 degrees. After fitting a new battery it's fine now.

 

[McT]

Read about this issue last night and decided to put my optimate on overnight cos hadn’t used bike for about 10 days…
Currently stuck outside local co-op cos bike won’t start.
It’ll turn over for say a second or so, not catch, and then when I press starter again there’s nothing.
Fuck sake.

 

[McT]

Read about this issue last night and decided to put my optimate on overnight cos hadn’t used bike for about 10 days…
Currently stuck outside local co-op cos bike won’t start.
It’ll turn over for say a second or so, not catch, and then when I press starter again there’s nothing.
Fuck sake.

Did this a few months back and eventually started after I left it for 10mins or so.
Thought issue then was battery low cos I’d spent some time playing around with settings without engine running.
Bike brand new in June.
I’m still stuck outside the co-op

 

[RichardD]

I had all this with my 2019 GS. It almost always happened if I did a very short journey (e.g. stop to get petrol after 10 mins).

A new battery cured it. I used this one - https://www.halfords.com/motoring/m...lPpRDkzX3QpN1OBPgkobZ4LBXecfpathoCTKYQAvD_BwE

For £80, it's not worth messing about - in my opinion.

 

[B15ape1981]

My 2017 1200GS has done this occasionally over the past 12mths. Starts perfectly 99% of the time then very occasionally gives a slow or reluctant start despite being on an optimate daily and used daily. Changed battery but still does it.

Almost like the engine stopped in the wrong position and it finds it difficult to start again for some bizarre reason. Never let me down but unnerving when it happens!

Mine very much like this only occasionally... I thought it was the battery too so replaced it with the heavy duty one, but still every now and again does it.
It begins to crank over then seems to pause for half a second then cranks over and starts fine, Now mine has done over 80 thousand now and its like the engine settles in the wrong place like you said or the starter just sticks for a second...Either way its still never let me down starting but its certainly a quirk

 

[McT]

Did this a few months back and eventually started after I left it for 10mins or so.
Thought issue then was battery low cos I’d spent some time playing around with settings without engine running.
Bike brand new in June.
I’m still stuck outside the co-op

Update.
Son picked me up.
Got home, had a beer, gave it an hour and went back - bike started.
Got it home.
In garage and tried starting it again - no go.
Battery showing 11.8V - I’m assuming that’s not enough.
Thanks to Richard - have ordered the one he recommended.
Pretty poor stuff though, eh?!

 

[NeilCol]

My previous GS did this, mostly after the battery was anything but brand new.

Put a higher cranking Motobatt on it about a year after I got the bike, but after a year or so it started slow cranking again…and also switched off the heated grips so they weren’t drawing power.
Kept it charged most of the time and so never had an issue with it not starting but the grips were always hit and miss when the battery was a bit low.

After bike was off the road for a while (got divorced and Bike was at a mates for 2 years as I didn’t have anywhere for a bike) had a new standard battery fitted and again didn’t have that slow delayed crank issue….but after probably only a few months it returned and stayed that way until I got the GSA in September.

Concerning that a brand new bike like mine has done this and left someone stranded, so will keep an eye on it.
I’ve got a new optimate for Canbus but not used it yet…but might be the time to start now rides are becoming more sporadic.
Has anyone considered it possible that the constant charge thing might bring about the early demise of batteries? No knowledge of my own just wondered if it’s a possibility

 

[GdS65]

My '21 GS did this. I took it to the dealer. Battery was replaced under warranty. Apparently a bad batch of batteries. I believe they can tell by checking the battery serial number