A funny thing happened to my R1250RT....

[Elkinell]

It's a 20 plate 1250RT bought from a Motorrad dealer end of January with one previous owner,nearly 10,000 miles. The weather here oop north has been awful so I didn't ride it for about a month. I have been taking it out of the garage and running it up to temp like you do. I get on it to ride it back into the garage but side stand is down so when I put it into gear it cuts out. Still with it in gear and with the clutch pulled I press the starter and the whole thing goes blank. No power to anything. Nothing. I take it out of gear, turn it off and on, still nothing.
I put it on the centre stand and move the sidestand up and down thinking its the switch still no power to anything. I switch it off and on and off again and go to make a brew to think about it. come back 10 mins later and still no power. This time I switch it on and start pulling and tugging at stuff, same result so I start pushing buttons and when I pushed the flasher button the power came back on. WTF? I ride it back into the garage and phone the salesman at my local dealer where I bought it. Bring it in he says and we'll plug it in. He puts me through to servicing who can't look at it for three weeks so I book it in.
Weather gets better so I start riding it and have done about 90 miles on it with zero problems. I took it in on Tuesday and they can't find anything wrong with it other than it needs a software update,could take about six hours. I tell them to do the update at the service in september and If i have any probs I'll let them know.
Went to go out on it yesterday morning, put it into gear again with sidestand down again. Silly me. Pressed starter button and everything goes off again and won't come back on. No power to anything.Plug it into their fancy BMW branded Canbus charger and it says no battery. You can imagine my phone call to the dealer. They picked it up in about an hour and I'm waiting to hear from them.
Thoughts and opinions gentlemen?

[David.]

With intermittent faults, IMO, the best course of action is to get the bike recovered by BMW Motorrad Roadside Assistance whilst the fault is present. BMW usually can't diagnose and fix a problem which doesn't exist at the time. Get them to sort it out and deliver the bike back to you. All done from the comfort of your own home.

[Elkinell]

With intermittent faults, IMO, the best course of action is to get the bike recovered by BMW Motorrad Roadside Assistance whilst the fault is present. BMW usually can't diagnose and fix a problem which doesn't exist at the time. Get them to sort it out and deliver the bike back to you. All done from the comfort of your own home.

This has been done and is ongoing, The delivery driver from the Dealer it came from was fairly near so he came for it. He seemed quite surprised commenting that he had only recently delivered it. How we laughed. No doubt they will use the Motorrad policy. The driver agreed the bike was completely dead when he collected it.

[David and Sally]

Sounds like a software issue. Maybe the update would have helped?

[Elkinell]

Sounds like a software issue. Maybe the update would have helped?

Maybe so I'm still waiting to find out. If the sofware was that old it would have been nice of the dealer to update it before it was delivered. Can anyone confirm if it's possible to start a 1250RT in gear with the clutch in?

[David.]

Can anyone confirm if it's possible to start a 1250RT in gear with the clutch in.

From the Rider's Manual.

"Select neutral or, if a gear is engaged, pull the clutch lever."

[Elkinell]

From the Rider's Manual.

"Select neutral or, if a gear is engaged, pull the clutch lever."

Thanks I was sure I'd read it somewhere. So summat's not right.

[Doctor T]

Wont start with the side stand down

[Old Foxy]

Mine will start with the side stand down, but cuts out as soon as you engage gear (DAMHIK)! Also 2020 R1250RT, but never had your issue (touch wood). I keep mine on a battery tender when off the road for more than a week - perhaps it is a weak battery? Starting up and then running for a short while will not put back the juice used. Do it often enough and it might just affect the battery. Then again, that should have been an easy spot for the dealer!

Good luck anyway - once it is fixed and the weather improves, you will be able to put this behind you and just enjoy the ride.

Old Foxy

[Doctor T]

I was informed by Oxford products and Optimate that a charger/tender shouldn't be left on all the time. You should charge your battery for 3 to 4 days at a time then disconnect it for 4 to 5 days. This way the battery can stabilise itself better and last longer.

[David.]

I was informed by Oxford products that a charger shouldn't be left on all the time.

"It can be left permanently connected to provide guaranteed long-term battery care."

https://www.oxfordproducts.com/motorcyc ... nt_system/

[David.]

I was informed by Optimate that a charger shouldn't be left on all the time.

"OptiMate 4 is totally safe for months-long connection."

https://www.optimate.co.uk/products/opt ... #more-info

[Elkinell]

Mine will start with the side stand down, but cuts out as soon as you engage gear (DAMHIK)! Also 2020 R1250RT, but never had your issue (touch wood). I keep mine on a battery tender when off the road for more than a week - perhaps it is a weak battery? Starting up and then running for a short while will not put back the juice used. Do it often enough and it might just affect the battery. Then again, that should have been an easy spot for the dealer!

Good luck anyway - once it is fixed and the weather improves, you will be able to put this behind you and just enjoy the ride.

Old Foxy

It could indeed be a week battery as when I was taxing it on line it came up that the SORN had expired in September '22. It may well have been sat in a showroom of another dealer since then. Not the dealer I bought it from, I know where they got it as I wanted to know if it was ex demo or similar but it's all part of the wonderful "Motorrad approved scheme". A member of staff on the servicing counter half whispered to me that they see a lot of the TFT keyless models that do funny things if the battery isn't kept on a tender. Hopefully I'll hear from the dealer in the coming week.

[Elkinell]

Wont start with the side stand down

Agreed but you should be able to pull the clutch in and get it going without taking it out of gear.Pretty sure my old K1600 could do that.

[Nick Evans]

Pulling the clutch in won't help, the engine must stop if a gear is engaged with the side stand down.