How do I start this '03 K1200LT?

milwlandrover said:

Don't you have to worry about starting with a "low voltage" battery?
markw

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The OP installed a new battery.
Hopefully he will return to this thread and let us know if he got it started.

Lee said:

Thanks.
I was guessing reverse was added the same time as the power centerstand and engine upgrade.

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Lee,
I know you had a K1200RS so you might have confused some of the features / upgrades of K1200LT.

For your info, there are 3 generations of K1200LT - these dates below are valid for the USA market only - rest of the world got these changes about 1 year earlier in most cases:
1) First gen from 1999 to 2001 (inclusive): these have non-servos ABS2 system and a 100 HP engine. Reverse is already std equipment on all and will continue to be until 2009. Compare to K1200RS engine, the throttle-bodies are smaller diam , the compression is lower, camshafts are not the same either (hence 100HP instead of 130).

2) 2nd gen from 2002 to 2004 (inclusive): this one came out mainly to implement the Integral-ABS with servos. Besides the noisy ABS modulator, these can be recognize visually as the front brake calipers markings say "BMW" (earlier were stamped with "Brembo" logo). Engine is the same as earlier gen.

3) 3rd and last gen from 2005 to 2009: this is were they did majors changes. New dash, new nose fairing with High-Low beam in separate units. Many engine changes to obtain 115 HP and more torque (throttle-bodies, compression, camshafts).

In this 3rd gen, they offer the Electro-Hydraulic-Center-stand (EHCS) on all K1200LT. Many changes / options related to radio, comm system , nav system...

NOTE that I have NOT listed all the small stuff that was also available as options for some these 3 generations (central locking, alarm...)

Thanks Jean.

milwlandrover said:

Don't you have to worry about starting with a "low voltage" battery? It welds the starter contacts. I don't know on the 1200 but that seems to be an issue with the K75S. If you just bought it and the original owner let the battery get low and then when testing you may have started it and ran it for a few minutes which actually took more out of the battery then put in.
Just a thought. You are asking the right people here! Welcome and enjoy all the help.

cheers!

markw

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Mark,

Welded starter solenoid contacts would result in the starter activating as soon as the new battery cables were connected. OP is getting no starter activation, so this is not his issue. But that is something that we all need to keep in mind. DO NOT REPEATEDLY TRY TO START WITH A LOW BATTERY!

98lee said:

Mark,

Welded starter solenoid contacts would result in the starter activating as soon as the new battery cables were connected. OP is getting no starter activation, so this is not his issue. But that is something that we all need to keep in mind. DO NOT REPEATEDLY TRY TO START WITH A LOW BATTERY!

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The early LT's 1999 to 2001 could weld the contacts in the starter relay if the voltage was low & the relay is under the gas tank not easy to get to. Sometime in 2001 the relay was changed & it would no longer energize if the voltage was to low. If the OP responds with no luck I can ping our LT electrical expert to respond. He doesn't monitor this site very often.

saddleman said:

The early LT's 1999 to 2001 could weld the contacts in the starter relay if the voltage was low & the relay is under the gas tank not easy to get to. Sometime in 2001 the relay was changed & it would no longer energize if the voltage was to low. If the OP responds with no luck I can ping our LT electrical expert to respond. He doesn't monitor this site very often.

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I wonder if the contacts were already welded when the OP purchased the bike.
We don't know if he heard the bike run before buying.

Why are we discussing this welded contacts issue? It does not seem to be an issue for the OP and just adds confusion!

PoorUB said:

Why are we discussing this welded contacts issue? It does not seem to be an issue for the OP and just adds confusion!

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It's possible the bike was that way when he purchased it.
Until the OP returns to this thread we have very little info to go on.

Granted, the OP has not responded, but nothing gives any hint that the starter solenoid contacts might be welded, in fact, just the opposite.

Indeed, a fused starter relay would have engaged the starter when the OP installed the new battery.

It’s been 4 days since the OP responded here; best guess is that the bike has been started and the OP has moved on.

I think we’re at...


Best,
DeVern

I still think he is missing the 2nd cable at the positive post.
In his post #9 it sounds like the extra cables he sees is a battery charger pigtail.

GTRider said:

Indeed, a fused starter relay would have engaged the starter when the OP installed the new battery.

DeVern

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True.

Op

I really don’t see the point of not deleting a thread where there is no resolution from the OP. I’d give it a few weeks then delete it. This is common on many forums and in my opinion very rude to ask a question and never follow up with the result, even if he decided to junk the bike.

I hope this poster, new to the forum, is just traveling for the holidays and not scared off with the complaining about the time it took him to get back to the thread.
OM

I know it seems longer for most of you who have been cooped up with cabin fever, but he was here just 5 days ago on Monday. Some people have their bikes out in unheated snow covered sheds and it's the last place they want to go when they come home from work during the week. And there is this thing called Christmas that tends to change the well thought out schedules of most of us guys.

I am one of the most ardent critics of people that don't follow up (like after 3 weeks) to questions that they pose on this forum during riding season. But, considering the time of year, let's assume the best. He might have more free time on the weekend or after Christmas to follow up with this. After all, family should be his priority during the next week.


MERRY CHRISTMAS and a HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL!

98lee said:

I know it seems longer for most of you who have been cooped up with cabin fever, but he was here 5 days ago on Monday. Some people have their bikes out in unheated snow covered sheds and it's the last place they want to go when they come home from work during the week.

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I agree, I don't like working on the bikes in the winter.
Last week it was 37 F in our unheated garage.

On the 2003 LT the starter relay must have at least 11.5 volts for the starter relay to energize. Below 11.5 volts it will not do anything.

Lee said:

I agree, I don't like working on the bikes in the winter.
Last week it was 37 F in our unheated garage.

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Barbarians! My garage was a balmy 70F yesterday. Plus I had the window and door open a bit because I was painting. I suppose you don't have air conditioning either?

Barbarians I tell ya!!

PoorUB said:

Barbarians! My garage was a balmy 70F yesterday. Plus I had the window and door open a bit because I was painting. I suppose you don't have air conditioning either?

Barbarians I tell ya!!

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I'm too cheap to heat the garage
You need to heat your garage up there because your hand will freeze to the car door handle in the morning

paulie321 said:

I really don’t see the point of not deleting a thread where there is no resolution from the OP. I’d give it a few weeks then delete it. This is common on many forums and in my opinion very rude to ask a question and never follow up with the result, even if he decided to junk the bike.

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I see no reason to delete a post just because the original poster did not respond to the recommended responses. Others can still learn & the post will eventually go out of site anyway.