BMW R1200RT/R1250RT Forum

Hello All,
Three hours ago, I was running an errand for my wife. Always happy to find an excuse to ride, I was off. I had an uneventful ride to the grocery in a nearby town, but as I pulled into the parking space the motor mysteriously went silent. Curious, but I didn't think much of it at the time.
Items are placed in the tailpack, and I climb on and go to restart the bike. Nothing. Check to be sure the run/kill switch is in the proper position. Yes, but I switch it back and forth as couple of times and try again. Zippo. I check to be sure the kick stand has not dropped. Nope, tuck away tightly. But, like the kill switch, I move it in and out a couple of times and try again. No joy.
I go inside the store and call my wife and she comes out and brings my phone. I called the ACP, Auto Clube de Portugal, to see if I am covered for a bike tow. Luckily, I didn't skimp here and they dispatched a flat bed truck to get me home.
So, now that it's here, where do I start. Remove and test kill switch? Kick stand position sensor? Starter solenoid? I have only owned this bike a few weeks and have not obtained a shop manual for it yet.
Your expertise would be much appreciated!
-RepairBill

Update: Today I went out to the garage and removed the rear seat to check the anti-theft module and batteries. I removed the single accessible screw and it didn't want to slide for removal, so as I was about to head back in and check the procedure in the service manual, I thought I would try to start it. To my surprise it did start and then shut off but easily restarted. I let it run at a fast idle for a while waiting to see if it would shut off again. It did not.
The bike was in neutral and on the side stand down (I had already removed the position sensor and had tried it in every position of rotation without success yesterday). The chances of it being in the correct spot to start the bike are slim. I did rotate it while the bike was idling to see if the engine would cut off and it didn't seem to matter.
I am hesitant to take the bike out again until I identify the cause. Until then I will have no confidence in the bike.

And it decided to start again, but it did not last. It didn't cut off, but it failed to turn over at the next attempt. I had bypassed the kickstand switch and it initially started, but then the issue returned.

Hoka Repairbill, I have the same problem as you, on Sunday I stopped the engine with the right red switch and it does not start, the relay clicks under the seat but it does not start, I changed the relay and it remains the same, the starter motor reaches 12 volts and the small cable when you press the starter switch also reaches 12 volts but the engine does not turn, I have disassembled the starter motor, greased it and tested it outside the motorcycle and it turns perfectly, I have reinstalled it, I turn the ignition key, I touch the button to start and it does not move. It is only the click click of the starter relay, I have to say one thing when I turn on the ignition, the fuel pump does not sound that makes me think that the electricity is not reaching the pump today I am going to put direct current from the battery to see if the pump works

solved, in my case the wiring mass was loose, by clamping the negative terminal to the starter motor the motorcycle started by itself

A clue has revealed itself. The instrument cluster does not go through the check sequence when the bike is not going to start. Additionally, when turning the bars all the way to the left the bike initializes properly and will start. It will also cut off when the engine is running and the bars are turned right.
So this morning, I will be concentrating on the harness from the instrument cluster rearward. Stand by.

This was an issue on some Triumph triples. The headstock wiring was too short, and also didn’t move freely enough in the clip/guide which kept the loom together causing chafing in some cases and breaks in others. Be worth getting the bike to a point where you can see that loom as you turn the bars.

Success!!
Following the wiring from the top of the triple-tree I found the bundle that would make and break the connection. I could enable or disable the initialization of the bike. I removed all of the wire ties and began to cut away the loom sheathing to expose the individual wires. There is was. An on-the-roadside-repair that was most likely supposed to be temporary until a better repair could be effected at home.
Well, it is done now. Hope there are no more surprises coming up from other band-aid fixes!
Pics attached.
-Bill