[petar]

Hi, I purchased the bike a month back and experienced one "Hot Start" episode so I wanted to check the wiring and when I removed the tank I found that BMW have installed supplemental wiring to resolve the Hot Start issue so I guess it is the battery that caused the Hot Start issue. I assembled everything back and fired the bike. Runs OK. I have removed the tank on K1200GT and K1200S many times so I know no other than two fuel pump wiring connectors need disconnecting. I have disconnected the battery in the process and connected it back and adjusted the clock.

However, since then, I noticed that when I turn the key to Ignition position, only Green N (neutral) shows on the telltale panel and I do not get that the Yellow Triangle and Red ABS light to come on before firing it and fuel tank level and temperature gauge does not come on. These lights and symbols only come after I start the motorcycle and stay on until I start moving.

 

[botus]

all BM bikes (with ABS) leave the red light on until its noticed the correct signals coming from the wheel speed sensors (usually once the vehicle speed goes above 5mph) - until this self check completes successfully the red light never goes off just coz u started the bike...

alleged hot start issues is often more about a) the grunt left in a tiring battery b) the switch gear and relay losing the plot c) a tiring starter motor .. which is why its still there even with another few kilos of copper

 

[Beech]

Two additional comments. Buy a new battery. I suggest AGM from Yuasa. I like the ones you fill yourself then seal. (always charge a battery on a smart charger for several hours before you install it, no matter what) Next make some time to remove the fuel tank and get to the starter. Remove it and give the interior a good cleaning and lube the bearings with grease. Lots of carbon in there usually. Lots of things to consider when starting on a used bike. The right side switch group was responsible for failure of the start up boot several years back. It was a recall in the states.

 

[petar]

Thanks for suggestions about renewing the battery. I think it is the battery that is old and may not have sufficient juice despite good voltage. I figured out the self diagnostic issue. I usually stop the engine but turning the key and not by depressing the stop switch, but this time I used the stop switch. With the stop switch "on" there is no self diagnostic when you turn the key to ignition..... All good now. Will look for new battery. Will I have to do any mods to secure the Yuasa AGM battery or it is same dimension/shape as the BMW one? One I have is BMW Gell by EXIDE Technologies.

 

[Beech]

Here is a link to the Yuasa. Good job in realizing you turned the bike off in an unusual way. The battery will fit right in. The directions are good with the battery. This is the designation: YTX14H-BS
Here is one at Amazon:

Amazon.com: Yuasa YTX14-BS YUAM3RH4S : Automotive

Buy Yuasa YTX14-BS YUAM3RH4S: Batteries - Amazon.com ✓ FREE DELIVERY possible on eligible purchases

www.amazon.com

Here it is Amazon Canada:

Yuasa YUAM6RH4H YTX14H-BS Battery, Automotive - Amazon Canada

Yuasa YUAM6RH4H YTX14H-BS Battery in Automotive.

www.amazon.ca

The directions are good. Generally, fill with the acid, let sit for half an hour, charge for minimum 4 hours, install.

 

[Duncan Hare]

I'm a big fan of lithium batteries due to the massive weight saving and extra capacity and cranking current. I saved 5.75Kg (over 12lbs) on the 1300GT by fitting a 30AH Aliant lithium battery at 1.76Kg as opposed to the 6.5 standard 18AH battery; and 4.35Kg on the 1300S by fitting a 0.76Kg 14AH Aliant instead of the 5.1Kg 12AH standard one.

Getting rid of so much weight from high up on the bike has made a very noticeable difference to the C of G and the handling. I'd never go back to a lead-acid battery..

As well as the capacity increase, the cranking current is huge on the lithiums too (990A on the GT and 490 on the S) and they genuinely are maintenance free. You do need a lithium compliant charger (if you ever need to charge them separately) and they are much smaller than standard and the terminals aren't where they are on the standard battery, so you sometimes need to make up joining cables. The 30AH one exactly fits the recess in the 1300S airbox and in the recess in the GT airbox, it leaves a lot of space around it (I fit a switched relay/fuse box and other stuff in there as well).

You do need to get good quaility lithium batteries - some are very poor. I've found Aliant the best (and lightest): https://www.sportsbikeshop.co.uk/motorcycle_parts/content_cat/1937.

The one on the GT has been on for a couple of years and always works vigorously even when left standing with no charging for weeks in mid-winter.

 

[Ausiebeemer]

Good voltage does not necessarily pass a load test.

 

[Duncan Hare]

Good voltage does not necessarily pass a load test.

Agree - Batteries can be shagged but will still present 12.something volts to a meter, as the current draw of a meter is negligible. As soon as there's any real load, the internal resistance of the battery kicks in and drops the output voltage.

 

[Beech]

Those are good weight loss numbers.

 

[Duncan Hare]

Those are good weight loss numbers.

Yeah (though I got the sums wrong on the GT: should've said a 4.75Kg (10.5lb) saving (6.5-1.76kg..doh). Think its the single biggest thing one can do to shed weight on these (silencer comes next I guess, then wheels, then headers then carbon bits and pieces).
The battery on the S (which I've only just bought) wasn't that old and normally I don't replace stuff that's working OK, but the bike felt top heavy, so I spent the £ on the Aliant and could immediately feel a huge difference, so am glad I did. When these batteries arrive, the box is so light you think they've forgotten to put a battery in there!
I put the HP forged wheels on the GT (standard on the S Motorsport of course) and the saving is less than a Kg per wheel - though, since it's rotating mass (and unsprung), you can feel the effect.

 

[Corkboy]

That's some weight saving all right. I replaced the stock exhaust, and that is around 14lbs. But the battery, being so high up, would make a bigger difference. I will definitely go for one when the current AGM battery, which is 6 years old, dies.
Now if only I could lose the weight as easily.

 

[Duncan Hare]

That's some weight saving all right. I replaced the stock exhaust, and that is around 14lbs. But the battery, being so high up, would make a bigger difference. I will definitely go for one when the current AGM battery, which is 6 years old, dies.
Now if only I could lose the weight as easily.

Yeah, I saved that sort of figure on the GT by replacing the bazooka with a small titanium can weighing 1.7Kg (decent power gain too) and you can feel it, but as you say, you can feel the 10.5lb saving on the battery much more due to its height.

N.B. the one thing you have to be careful of with Lithiums is not to discharge them completely. If you do they don't recover. Hence, get one that can cope with the longest period you'll leave the bike standing with no power or put a (compliant) trickle charger on it. Lithiums self-discharge much slower than lead-acid so can be left for longer. I bought the 30AH Aliant for the GT because it was only 100g heavier than the 18AH (matching the standard one) and gives me plenty of capacity for camping etc. Mind you, lead acids aren't anything like they used to be in terms of coping with deep discharge - it used to be good for them; nowadays they aren't designed for it and any lead-acid battery over 3 years old tends not to recover from it.

 

[EricK1300GTSE]

Valuable info there, thanks for sharing 👍👍