BMW R1200RT/R1250RT Forum

Have you taken it for a short spin looking at my manual I had similar lights flashing cause mine has been laid up for a couple of months with regular starts and warm ups but the manual suggested it hadn't completed the abs checks which it does when you move off

In the multifunction display, there are three of a possible four warnings being displayed. The top one being the key symbol, above the tyre pressure & ESA fault.
The key symbol means that the EWS (Engine Won't Start) is active.

Key appears on the display.

Possible cause:
The key being used is not authorised for starting, or communication between key and engine electronics is disrupted.
Remove all other vehicle keys from the same ring as the ignition key.
Have the defective key replaced, preferably by an authorised BMW Motorrad dealer.

2017 RT under OEM warranty. Just get onto the dealer/warranty folks, surely, and talk to the mechanics after they’ve sorted it out?? Why on earth do you want to faff about with a fully warranted bike, or have I missed something in the original post?

Try the spare key.

Electronic immobiliser
EWS
The electronic design of the motorcycle allows it to access data stored in the ignition key by means of a ring antenna located in the ignition switch/steering lock.
The engine control unit will not permit the engine to be started unless the key is identified as “authorised”.

Over the last two weeks, has the bike or key been in contact or near to any extraneous electrical equipment (e.g. magnets) which may have had an effect on the data stored in the key or the ring antenna. It has been known for someone to pull up at a filling station, switch the bike off, fill the bike, return to the bike only to find that the EWS has come on. The electronics are very sensitive.

Try moving the bike out of the garage, or at least a short distance from its present location
Others have reported electronic interference not allowing bike to start
Here in the US certain gas stations have a fast pass system, my 15 keyless doesn’t like them and I have to push bike away from pump before it will lite off
Good luck and happy new year

Is the bike on the centre or side stand, try pulling the clutch in before hitting the start button.

Based on the above, this is unlikely to solve the problem but worth a try.

Thanks everyone. I think I have done enough fault-finding at this stage, as suggested above: this is why we get a warranty. Hopefully it will be a quick fix with the dealer and I'll post up with the resolution when I know what it is.

It all sounds like the electronics has got itself into a mess. As the bike is still under a full BMW warranty which should include a 24/7 recovery, I'd call them now and get it sent to the dealers. They have to prioritise one that comes in under a warranty recovery as I discovered with mine.
Not a great start but at least as mentioned earlier it's at home and not on the road somewhere.
Useful if you can update when you find out the cause.

BMW technician turned up today with his 'box of tricks'. Plugged in via the OBD-II port and couldn't get any response from the bike. He tried to connect to the old 'round' diagnostic connector but his plug wasn't compatible with the socket on my bike (seems they must have changed it recently). His final diagnosis was 'possible control unit failure' and the bike is being picked up within the hour for delivery back to the dealer.


The technician was just as mystified as the rest of us, having never seen anything like it before. I guess I will wait and see what the dealer have to say when they have had a chance to look at it.

Update today from the dealer - I got the short version but apparently they identified a broken wire as the cause of the issue. Seems like a bit of an odd one - I can't honestly say I have ever heard of a wire 'breaking' on a new bike before but I also can't see any reason why they would make something up. So it's all fixed but they are hanging on to it to replace the swing arm under warranty due to some minor bubbling next to the rubber seal at the articulation joint (I asked them to have a look at that while it was in). I have also asked them to apply any software updates while they have got it, to see if it helps with my ongoing issue with the Nav V talking to the audio system.


They reckon the new swing arm will be fitted early next week so I should get the bike back after that.

Paggers wrote:They reckon the new swing arm will be fitted early next week so I should get the bike back after that.

Meanwhile, they've given you a loan bike.

David. wrote: Meanwhile, they've given you a loan bike.

No, but in their defence when I rang to tell them that BMW were shipping the bike back to them the first thing they asked was if a loan bike had been arranged by BMW. I said I was fine being stuck without a bike for a few days. (If I go into serious withdrawal I can always go out for a spin on my lad's YS125 - it's a complete hoot.)

I'd take up there offer and get an R9T Urban just for the hell of it, but get one with a small windshield.