Battery life

[beemerphile]

(I wonder how long a bike will run on a Lithium battery pack...)

The instructions specifically warn against it. If the battery is internally open vs. discharged or weak, then as Paul stated, it will not solve the problem.

Sometimes, as Randy Newman says, "you just got to roll with the punches".

On a trip long ago I had the inevitable rotor failure and bought a cheap car battery at Sears and strapped it to the luggage rack and came home "total loss" without running the headlight. That worked better before EFI and fuel pumps and so forth. A bud and I once stopped every 100 miles and swapped batteries when his charging system quit. After the second adventure, I started carrying full charging system spares in the smuggler's hidey place inside the seat cowl. Of course, the parts were never needed.

Otherwise, you wait it out in situ or wave your Visa card at the UHaul guy and haul its lame arse home.

 

[Omega Man]

Batteries can stop working at a moments notice- https://forums.bmwmoa.org/showthread.php?52968-My-battery-died-yesterday
OM

 

[easy]

I disagree. I have had two failures where a broken internal connector in the battery made it so that once started with jumper cables the bike would NOT continue to run once the cables were disconnected. You cannot count on the bike continuing to run once it has a physically broken cell connector in the battery. Maybe leaving the jumper connected will get you home a few blocks but not the 110 miles from the National Forest campsite to Great Falls, Montana as I once needed to travel to get a battery for Voni's bike.

Good point.

And, if you're like me, while on a trip space is precious - every square inch.

 

[henzilla]

A bump


Took the 2007 12S out to visit daughter and install Christmas lights yesterday. Took the long way and went from twisty two lane near Marble Falls to urban sprawl of Cedar Park/Round Rock area to avoid crossing Austin .This area was rural ten years ago and is still shocking to see the change...I get lost without GPS now

Bike gets rotated on charger and had been on the BMW block charger a few days before the ride.

As I rolled into Cedar Park in the middle lane of a six lane divided mess of Saturday traffic, the S died slowing for the light looked down at dead display and no response to anything I tried before traffic started moving. The fast and furious blew around me and I was waving a surrender to those behind me. Was able to dismount and push up the hill to closest parking lot, a BBQ restaurant. Pushing bikes gets harder with size and age...bikes size and my age. At least breakfast was covered!

No warning, no slow crank, no signs of a fail coming.I had Motolights,GPS,and heated gear on medium and had been averaging 60mph up to this point in the last hour.

Of course, I am on the least equipped for emergencies bike, a rare occurrence for me. Went to get voltmeter from sidecase out of habit and only had tire kit,multitool,and my phone. Across the street was an Autozone which at least gave me hope of troubleshooting.
Bought Torx,voltmeter and a lithium jump pack and began after texting daughter. The display,with key out was sporadicly blinking and had me concerned. I removed positive lead and had 12.47 volts, so out it came to load test at A- Zone, which showed zero charge. I knew they had no battery that size so found a BatteriesPlus near daughter and did the online thing and called her to rescue me. H was working, my rescue trailer on loan and I am fifty miles from home.
Trying to remove battery had me wondering why I did not remember how tight it was and required removing panel screws and spreading..after getting it out I realized this is the OEM battery from 2007! I have never put a battery in this model...The RT,GS and R are cakewalks.


I really HATE Apple phones An Exide BMW logoed relic.

New battery brought everything back to normal and the light hanging off a 30' extension and visit,and the ride home before dark were uneventful. I did not try the jump pack but now added to ANY bike I will be riding.I scolded myself for not having a basic kit on this bike and will remedy today.


.

 

[t6pilot]

Just changed the battery on my 15RT, Rocky Mountain Motorsports delievered a new Yuasa GYZ16H AGM for $99, cant beat the price and piece of mind
I carry a antigravity battery in my topcase, it has started several bikes and cars that needed a boost
In fact all my cars have the antigravity batteries in there glove boxes(gave them to my kids and wife also) just remember to charge them every 6 months or so

Jim

 

[AKsuited]

In the northern climate I live in my motorcycle batteries last six years. The mudroom where my bike winters over is chilly and dry, and I use a good charger to keep the battery topped up over the long winters.

 

[BC1100S]

WARNING! Total thread hijack ahead.......

Mr. Henson, the main body of those bags look larger than the ones on my K12S. Do you know if they'll fit that bike? An issue might be the cut out for the right side muffler on it so I may have answered my own question.

To make this post thread-compliant, I could probably fit a spare battery in the luggage.

 

[Omega Man]

Just changed the battery on my 15RT, Rocky Mountain Motorsports delievered a new Yuasa GYZ16H AGM for $99, cant beat the price and piece of mind
I carry a antigravity battery in my topcase, it has started several bikes and cars that needed a boost
In fact all my cars have the antigravity batteries in there glove boxes(gave them to my kids and wife also) just remember to charge them every 6 months or so

Jim

In my case (thread below), bike would not take a jump. OEM Battery had to be removed from the circuit for the bike to run.

Batteries can stop working at a moments notice- https://forums.bmwmoa.org/showthread.php?52968-My-battery-died-yesterday
OM

OM

 

[t6pilot]

Omega man
That’s one of those gotya moments, internal short and it’s over
Any off-road bikes I would be inclined to odyssey type battery, less chance of internal short
I just wish they made one for RT

 

[Omega Man]

A bump


Took the 2007 12S out to visit daughter and install Christmas lights yesterday. Took the long way and went from twisty two lane near Marble Falls to urban sprawl of Cedar Park/Round Rock area to avoid crossing Austin .This area was rural ten years ago and is still shocking to see the change...I get lost without GPS now

Bike gets rotated on charger and had been on the BMW block charger a few days before the ride.

As I rolled into Cedar Park in the middle lane of a six lane divided mess of Saturday traffic, the S died slowing for the light looked down at dead display and no response to anything I tried before traffic started moving. The fast and furious blew around me and I was waving a surrender to those behind me. Was able to dismount and push up the hill to closest parking lot, a BBQ restaurant. Pushing bikes gets harder with size and age...bikes size and my age. At least breakfast was covered!

No warning, no slow crank, no signs of a fail coming.I had Motolights,GPS,and heated gear on medium and had been averaging 60mph up to this point in the last hour.

Of course, I am on the least equipped for emergencies bike, a rare occurrence for me. Went to get voltmeter from sidecase out of habit and only had tire kit,multitool,and my phone. Across the street was an Autozone which at least gave me hope of troubleshooting.
Bought Torx,voltmeter and a lithium jump pack and began after texting daughter. The display,with key out was sporadicly blinking and had me concerned. I removed positive lead and had 12.47 volts, so out it came to load test at A- Zone, which showed zero charge. I knew they had no battery that size so found a BatteriesPlus near daughter and did the online thing and called her to rescue me. H was working, my rescue trailer on loan and I am fifty miles from home.
Trying to remove battery had me wondering why I did not remember how tight it was and required removing panel screws and spreading..after getting it out I realized this is the OEM battery from 2007! I have never put a battery in this model...The RT,GS and R are cakewalks.

View attachment 71596
I really HATE Apple phones An Exide BMW logoed relic.

New battery brought everything back to normal and the light hanging off a 30' extension and visit,and the ride home before dark were uneventful. I did not try the jump pack but now added to ANY bike I will be riding.I scolded myself for not having a basic kit on this bike and will remedy today.


.

In an interesting aside, the pictures are fine on the iPad, quarter turn on the Mac

 

[Omega Man]

Omega man
That’s one of those gotya moments, internal short and it’s over
Any off-road bikes I would be inclined to odyssey type battery, less chance of internal short
I just wish they made one for RT

Hate to say, the F800GS is not really a "dirt" bike. It's a great "off pavement" bike. I don't know who saw it....but I'm in agreement-
"There is no such thing as a quarter-ton dirt bike" Some may disagree. I don't think any will disagree that "finding" and "getting at" the battery on the F800GS is less than convenient, especially on the side of the road.

 

[henzilla]

WARNING! Total thread hijack ahead.......

Mr. Henson, the main body of those bags look larger than the ones on my K12S. Do you know if they'll fit that bike? An issue might be the cut out for the right side muffler on it so I may have answered my own question.

To make this post thread-compliant, I could probably fit a spare battery in the luggage.

Same bags from the Ks, my funny was going to ask if those bags make my S look too big

They don't look as out of place on a K12S as they do on a R12S

 

[mlytle]

WARNING! Total thread hijack ahead.......

Mr. Henson, the main body of those bags look larger than the ones on my K12S. Do you know if they'll fit that bike? An issue might be the cut out for the right side muffler on it so I may have answered my own question.

To make this post thread-compliant, I could probably fit a spare battery in the luggage.

no. won't fit...the issue is the cutouts on K12/13S bags for the body panels, the pillon hand grips AND the right side muffler.

 

[henzilla]

Omega man
That’s one of those gotya moments, internal short and it’s over
Any off-road bikes I would be inclined to odyssey type battery, less chance of internal short
I just wish they made one for RT

Had a 07GSA with 3K and almost two months on the clock give up a battery on River Road along the Rio Grande, luckily by the teepee rest stop..nothing but a truck and four ranch hands worked. Dead cell.
Was late to game on the power packs as we are typically together to provide the jump and 98% ofthe time I have a set of Yuasa cables.I see the value now.

 

[henzilla]

no. won't fit...the issue is the cutouts on K12/13S bags for the body panels, the pillon hand grips AND the right side muffler.

Your gonna make me walk out and look at those again

edit: took a stroll to see the cutouts are definitely different. More space lost on the K version.

 

[BC1100S]

Same bags from the Ks, my funny was going to ask if those bags make my S look too big

Well, now that you mention it........

Thanks for the response and thanks to mlytle for spoiling my day. Just kidding, mlytle!

 

[greenwald]

Not much of a consensus here, so I guess no harm in throwing in my experiences.

I've gotten the same advice from multiple dealers (BMW, Honda, Kawasaki, Suzuki) - after 4-5 years of age (it's not about miles or months used) - do yourself a favor and get a new battery.

I too have taken my bike in for other service, and wondering about my battery health, had it checked. Problem is, as mechanics I trust explain, that 'test' is only a snapshot of that moment in time. Sort of like taking your blood pressure or ocular pressure - it's just a value for that moment.

As batteries are expensive, we tend to run them into the ground, replacing them only when stranded by a complete failure. For that reason, I keep the Batteries Plus apt in my phone. Find any store, and they are likely to stock a battery that fits your motorcycle.

If you're taking a proactive preventative approach (or a long tour) - after 4/5 years of ownership - replace the battery, and be on your way.

 

[henzilla]

I typically, or used to, keep on top of batteries. Replace at first sign of poor performance or about every four years. Somehow, this bike got past that standard as it is probably the least ridden in the rotation with lowest miles. I have done yearly services on it, but the battery never red flagged me for some reason.

Funny now, but at 9:35AM in traffic yesterday, it was not.

 

[easy]

I know there is no real answer to my question but I am hoping for "an order of magnitude" result. I have operated with many "rules of thumb" such as change your oil every 3000 miles. Now my Toyota needs changed at 10,000 miles. As such I realize many of my old rules are outdated.

So, here goes. How long should/could my motorcycle battery last. I am riding a 2015 R1200RT with 40,000 miles on it. The battery is original and as such is 40 months old to me. If there is a date stamp on it I don't know as I haven't pulled it out to look. Would it be foolish to keep the original battery and go on a long ride in the back country of Mexico in October?

I would appreciate input and advice.

Thanks
Dale

ps I ride the bike at least once a week year around and often everyday. I just now, "finally", was able to search for a thread answering this question, sort of, but decided to let this one float anyway.

It depends on your level of tolerance. If you don't mind taking a chance, or being broke-down on the side of the road replace it every 4 or 5 years, or more. If you do mind, or go on frequent long trips replace it every 3 or 4 years.

E.

 

[pglaves]

My experience has usually been that the battery lasted only one day, or maybe just part of a day longer than the moment I should have replaced it for maximum convenience.