R1200S Ignition Failure - Input needed

[blkduc1]

My R1200 S electrics failed while at gas pumps after fueling up.

Cranked once and died immediately as if you dropped the sidestand while in gear.
Checked it , and cranked again. Died immediately, and then the display would not come back on. Zilch. No display, no sound, no electrical responses at all.

Cleaned battery terminals, slicked them up, saw display flash one time and immediately went off. Then once batt cables re-tightened, nothing.

Took battery to parts place, they checked and it had voltage. They load-tested it and it tested "BAD". I replaced the batt with a new, USA made batt.

The display came on once for a brief flash, while messing with the cables during hook-up. But nothing after that. Same as before -- no display, no electrical response at all-- Moved gear shift, checked kill switch, turned key-switch various times, moved wires at sidestand switch, etc. Nada.

The bike had been running very good up until when I switched it off and re-fuled. Then 2 times cranked and went dead, then no response and no display. The EWS ring antenna thing had been replaced on recall, previously. Put in brand new batt that volt meter said had 12.36 volts. No display.

Bike has a Power Commander tuned by Duc Shop, on dyno.

Any ideas?
Thanks

[wswartzwel]

check for loose or corroded main fuse.. check other end of battery cables.

[nathanmargolis]

Sorry you are having electrical problem as I had the fuel pump gremlin. Yours should be easy diagnostics as nothing is working and not intermittent.

Being a CAN-BUS system, not sure if there is a main fuse like on the ole BSA you have or a relay. If not mistaken, basic motorcycle/car wiring has the positive battery terminal feeding to the starter. If so, I would check their first.

In fact, you could use a 12V battery charger directly to the starter solenoid post (if you can get to it) and see if lights come on. Be sure to ground the battery charger lead to the bike. If lights come on, you start back tracking to the battery for the problem.

I have not looked at a R1200S so I could be totally incorrect, but have done this on my old '69 Corvette trying to locate a wiring issue.

Good luck but it really should be easy since nothing is working right now.

[wswartzwel]

You are correct. I just looked at the parts fiche.. no fuse panel that I can find.

[Carrottopper]

Aloha,
Had the same problem here just as described, I replaced the ring antenna as well,thinking that was the problem but that didn't fix the problem. Turned out to be really simple, the ignition wires are really thin and are held in place to the frame with a couple of zip ties. Well they are pulled & stretched every time you turn the handlebars. Snap, crackle & pop you ain't going anywhere. You need to undo the black cloth tape and check the wires, chances are they're broken. On mine one was broken and the second one was cracked.
Not sure why BMW used such thin wire there, really bad design and just about everyone is gonna have the same problem sooner or later. Let us know if that's the problem.
Cheers, Ron

[Droptarotter]

I would also check to make sure the new battery is good.

Cheers

[cantfish]

Carrottopper described my problem exactly with the same fix. Happened to me also, Was a broken wire in the bundle where they mount to the frame from the handle bars. Not enough slack from the factory.

[omg1010]

sidestand switch comes to my mind ....?

Brgds
Oliver

[blkduc1]

Hey --- Thanks to all of you for pitching in to help resolve this issue.

I like the broken wire theory, and seeing the display flash on a couple of times, then no response makes me think it could indeed be some type connection problem.

I will look for that, and if I can't find it, then I will pull the fairings and look for the engine ground wire and see if it has corrosion or could be loose. Not really likely , though.

I understand that these bikes do not have fuses.
I understand there is a resistor in one of the computer circuits that has been known to go out and it could be that. But I sure hope not.

I did not load test the new battery but did charge it completely when I got it home. Still no display.

dp

[blkduc1]

Carrotopper and cantfish ---- You guys get the prize!!

After seeing your posts, I went back and started messing with the wiring underneath the switch and steering head area. Low and Behold, the display lit up!! And the bike cranked.

Now I just have to figure out which wire is bad and how to fix it. Did you guys solder the bad connections you found?

Wow , if I had persued the wiring thing more when it stranded me, I could have saved a lot of time and expense of going to bring it home on a trailer!

Thanks a bunch, guys!
dp

[cantfish]

Don't know which wire it was, Mine happened on the way in for the 24K service and the BMW shop fixed it for free, the service manager said they lengthened it, but I would suspect the green or red one that goes from the keyed switch into the loom. That area has a different tape on it that makes me think they worked on that small section and it feels like a butt connecter under the wrap.

[blkduc1]

OK, Cantfish, I will try to find that one to check. -- Good info.

Thanks
dp