ackme
Talented Fool
No real question here. Just a data point for those that like to track these things.
I have a 2017 R1200GS that I bought in Feb. on a fly and ride from Denver to LA and back. The bike had 37K on it and fairly complete sets of maintenance records from New Century BMW in LA. The previous owner had done a number of trips each year up through central and northern CA that ran up the miles. No red flags from either the PO or the records. I put 1400 trouble free miles on it on the ride back and a few hundred more in April and May. The only electrical item I added were a set of skene lights front and back.
I was on a week long ride around the headwaters of the Mississippi and down the Great River Road last week. The first day was pretty much an all day rain and as I pulled into the last rest stop before the hotel the warning light for the battery came on. I did not check the voltage read out before I stopped the bike. I had been running the grip heaters all day so I shut them off and and re-started the bike. No warning light battery showed 12.4 before starting and 14.2 while running.
No trouble the rest of the trip and then on the last day, also in the last rest stop before the hotel, also in on and off rain, the same thing happened. This time I saw the battery reading 12.1 under power. Turning off and restarting made no difference. Since this is a fairly large and organized group ride they had a chase truck with a trailer, we loaded the bike up for the final 50 miles.
In the morning I held out a vain hope that the wet weather was causing some sort of ground short. nope. Then tried a new battery because why not? nope. Then rented a U-haul and drove the bike back to Denver.
BMW of Denver got the bike Tuesday morning and told me that their first actual appointment opening was at the end of July but they would do their best to fit the bike in over the next couple weeks. They called this morning and said they managed to get tested and the alternator is dead. Pretty much the worst case scenario wallet-wise but at least I get the bike back in 2 weeks and they will do the clutch maintenance while it is in.
ack
I have a 2017 R1200GS that I bought in Feb. on a fly and ride from Denver to LA and back. The bike had 37K on it and fairly complete sets of maintenance records from New Century BMW in LA. The previous owner had done a number of trips each year up through central and northern CA that ran up the miles. No red flags from either the PO or the records. I put 1400 trouble free miles on it on the ride back and a few hundred more in April and May. The only electrical item I added were a set of skene lights front and back.
I was on a week long ride around the headwaters of the Mississippi and down the Great River Road last week. The first day was pretty much an all day rain and as I pulled into the last rest stop before the hotel the warning light for the battery came on. I did not check the voltage read out before I stopped the bike. I had been running the grip heaters all day so I shut them off and and re-started the bike. No warning light battery showed 12.4 before starting and 14.2 while running.
No trouble the rest of the trip and then on the last day, also in the last rest stop before the hotel, also in on and off rain, the same thing happened. This time I saw the battery reading 12.1 under power. Turning off and restarting made no difference. Since this is a fairly large and organized group ride they had a chase truck with a trailer, we loaded the bike up for the final 50 miles.
In the morning I held out a vain hope that the wet weather was causing some sort of ground short. nope. Then tried a new battery because why not? nope. Then rented a U-haul and drove the bike back to Denver.
BMW of Denver got the bike Tuesday morning and told me that their first actual appointment opening was at the end of July but they would do their best to fit the bike in over the next couple weeks. They called this morning and said they managed to get tested and the alternator is dead. Pretty much the worst case scenario wallet-wise but at least I get the bike back in 2 weeks and they will do the clutch maintenance while it is in.
ack