UPDATED! 2006 K1200S Stranded me; diagnosis questions.
UPDATE post below dated 8.2.18, short version of which is it appears I have the old 2d gear transmission dog issue, piggybacked onto the fueling issue which I now fixed.
Yes, if you're all over the K forums, I've posted this elsewhere, but without luck. I paid to join this forum, because from looking around it seems ya'll are the smartest and most helpful bunch around, flattery, flattery, etc., etc.
I'm afraid this will be the equivalent of Murphy's law 201(A)(3)(b): A broken object will work perfectly when demonstrated for the repairman.
My K12S is fairly new to me, but have put a couple tanks through it with no issues until Saturday on a ride way out in the TN twisties. Started noticing slight, quick off/on surge (like throwing light switch on and off) in gears 3-5 at about 6-7k rpm. Ride on 15 miles, and it’s now in all gears and at nearly all rpm and getting worse. Bike dies the first time headed up the side of a mountain on switchbacks. Get it restarted several times and to top of mountain. Figure it might be one of the heat-related issues with this model bike, since it’s the hottest and most humid day I’ve had the bike out yet (although just high 80s at this point, but climbing). Wait 15-20 min. Still won’t start for more than a few seconds. Slowly coast 9 miles back down mountain (no servo issues with my bike at least, since I lived through the experience). Stop and start with at least 5 min. wait at least 10 more times, including having to push the bike out of several intersections (decided to go back home through civilization, in case I got in real trouble). Despite the ambient heat, however, water temp never gets any hotter than I've had it up to previously, which is 3 bars above the bottom line, or smack dab in the middle of the temp gauge. Turning the starter on and off makes no difference, either. Finally, battery dies, and that's it. Call for help.
Possibly relevant info? BMW newer hydraulic cam chain tensioner installed (Abe Lincoln stovepipe hat). BoosterPlug installed (and routed to a suggested location, next to the right air snorkel; I never had the extent of stalling or surging or idling noise or other throttle issues some did, but put it on anyway. To be honest, never noticed any difference, better or worse, since installing it). Hottest and most humid day bike ridden so far, as mentioned above, and problem got worse as day got hotter. Only things done since last ride: top off with no ethanol gas, and throw in a can of the much beloved Liqui-Moly 4T racing fuel additive. In case one of those was the issue, I stopped at a gas station on the way back, and topped off again to dilute any ill effects of either the newer gas or additive, but it just kept getting worse. Dash never showed a code, until the engine actually stopped running, at which time I got the dreaded red triangle (well, thanks, bike; I kinda noticed you quit running!).
The way the engine was behaving, no way an injector was clogged, or spark plug had come loose. It feels like any spark and/or fueling issues were coming from the computer/electrics, not anything mechanical.
On Sunday, went down to the garage and...after Opti-mate back on all night and battery recovery, she started right up at first touch. Only abnormal thing was for less than a second, the cam chain sounded louder than I've ever heard it, before the fluid got in the tensioner (not merely loud, but like rocks-in-the-case loud), but went away a split second later and never returned. That part made me wonder if all that dropping it into 1st while revving the engine to try to keep it from dying on Saturday may have stretched out the cam chain somehow. I let her run, repeatedly rolled on and off the throttle, dropped her into 1st gear and revved it with the clutch in, held it at 4k for an extended period of time with no fueling glitches, and heated the water up to the same temp as when it just wouldn't go any further Saturday, and of course, everything ran just fine. Into what malfunctioning electronic sensor hell have I fallen? Oh, well, I suppose I'm far too old to have never experienced the shame of a running H-D'er riding past me as I push my BMW out of an intersection, so the motorcycle gods punished me for my insolence.
I do a lot of riding alone, and I'm now afraid to ride it more than walking distance away from home. Any help anyone can give me on a diagnosis plan decision tree, simplest to less so? Something easy I was too dumb to consider?
UPDATE post below dated 8.2.18, short version of which is it appears I have the old 2d gear transmission dog issue, piggybacked onto the fueling issue which I now fixed.
Yes, if you're all over the K forums, I've posted this elsewhere, but without luck. I paid to join this forum, because from looking around it seems ya'll are the smartest and most helpful bunch around, flattery, flattery, etc., etc.
I'm afraid this will be the equivalent of Murphy's law 201(A)(3)(b): A broken object will work perfectly when demonstrated for the repairman.
My K12S is fairly new to me, but have put a couple tanks through it with no issues until Saturday on a ride way out in the TN twisties. Started noticing slight, quick off/on surge (like throwing light switch on and off) in gears 3-5 at about 6-7k rpm. Ride on 15 miles, and it’s now in all gears and at nearly all rpm and getting worse. Bike dies the first time headed up the side of a mountain on switchbacks. Get it restarted several times and to top of mountain. Figure it might be one of the heat-related issues with this model bike, since it’s the hottest and most humid day I’ve had the bike out yet (although just high 80s at this point, but climbing). Wait 15-20 min. Still won’t start for more than a few seconds. Slowly coast 9 miles back down mountain (no servo issues with my bike at least, since I lived through the experience). Stop and start with at least 5 min. wait at least 10 more times, including having to push the bike out of several intersections (decided to go back home through civilization, in case I got in real trouble). Despite the ambient heat, however, water temp never gets any hotter than I've had it up to previously, which is 3 bars above the bottom line, or smack dab in the middle of the temp gauge. Turning the starter on and off makes no difference, either. Finally, battery dies, and that's it. Call for help.
Possibly relevant info? BMW newer hydraulic cam chain tensioner installed (Abe Lincoln stovepipe hat). BoosterPlug installed (and routed to a suggested location, next to the right air snorkel; I never had the extent of stalling or surging or idling noise or other throttle issues some did, but put it on anyway. To be honest, never noticed any difference, better or worse, since installing it). Hottest and most humid day bike ridden so far, as mentioned above, and problem got worse as day got hotter. Only things done since last ride: top off with no ethanol gas, and throw in a can of the much beloved Liqui-Moly 4T racing fuel additive. In case one of those was the issue, I stopped at a gas station on the way back, and topped off again to dilute any ill effects of either the newer gas or additive, but it just kept getting worse. Dash never showed a code, until the engine actually stopped running, at which time I got the dreaded red triangle (well, thanks, bike; I kinda noticed you quit running!).
The way the engine was behaving, no way an injector was clogged, or spark plug had come loose. It feels like any spark and/or fueling issues were coming from the computer/electrics, not anything mechanical.
On Sunday, went down to the garage and...after Opti-mate back on all night and battery recovery, she started right up at first touch. Only abnormal thing was for less than a second, the cam chain sounded louder than I've ever heard it, before the fluid got in the tensioner (not merely loud, but like rocks-in-the-case loud), but went away a split second later and never returned. That part made me wonder if all that dropping it into 1st while revving the engine to try to keep it from dying on Saturday may have stretched out the cam chain somehow. I let her run, repeatedly rolled on and off the throttle, dropped her into 1st gear and revved it with the clutch in, held it at 4k for an extended period of time with no fueling glitches, and heated the water up to the same temp as when it just wouldn't go any further Saturday, and of course, everything ran just fine. Into what malfunctioning electronic sensor hell have I fallen? Oh, well, I suppose I'm far too old to have never experienced the shame of a running H-D'er riding past me as I push my BMW out of an intersection, so the motorcycle gods punished me for my insolence.
I do a lot of riding alone, and I'm now afraid to ride it more than walking distance away from home. Any help anyone can give me on a diagnosis plan decision tree, simplest to less so? Something easy I was too dumb to consider?
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