2011 BMW R1200RT Alternator Replacement Question
Posted: Tue Jul 01, 2025 9:47 pm
Bike in question is the RT. 130,000 miles. This is literally the first thing to ever go wrong with it other than a ripped swingarm boot and burnt out bulbs.
I live in a very rural area. Last Sunday, rode it into town. Hung out for about an hour and headed back. Blink...triangular red warning light comes on and shows that the battery is not charging. It's about 15 miles back to the house so I decide to take a chance and see if I can make it back. About halfway home, the light goes off...evidently it starts charging the battery again. I get home and put it on the charger. After it shows a full charge I start it up....no problems, no warning lights.
Today I decide to take it to the store about 15 miles away. I start it up, no warning lights. After I come out of the store, blink!.....no battery charging. I decide to take another chance on riding it home.....I BARELY make it this time (the light did not go off this time). I put it on the charger for a couple off hours. This time the batt. light is on and stays on.
The Question:
I have no problem switching the alternator out. The Tupperware comes off, the gas tank comes off, etc., etc. This style of alternator has the regulator built in to it as a unit also. My main concern is that I have read a couple of forums that state there is a fuse or some other components that could fail and give the indication that it is the alternator. I looked at the schematic and procedures in the manual, I cannot find another component that would cause the charging system to fail. Battery is 2 years old and not perfect but by no means is worn out.
Euromotoelectrics has this for sale for $175...definitely not cost prohibitive. But I would not want to spend the money and tear my bike down if this won't fix it.
Thanks in advance.
I live in a very rural area. Last Sunday, rode it into town. Hung out for about an hour and headed back. Blink...triangular red warning light comes on and shows that the battery is not charging. It's about 15 miles back to the house so I decide to take a chance and see if I can make it back. About halfway home, the light goes off...evidently it starts charging the battery again. I get home and put it on the charger. After it shows a full charge I start it up....no problems, no warning lights.
Today I decide to take it to the store about 15 miles away. I start it up, no warning lights. After I come out of the store, blink!.....no battery charging. I decide to take another chance on riding it home.....I BARELY make it this time (the light did not go off this time). I put it on the charger for a couple off hours. This time the batt. light is on and stays on.
The Question:
I have no problem switching the alternator out. The Tupperware comes off, the gas tank comes off, etc., etc. This style of alternator has the regulator built in to it as a unit also. My main concern is that I have read a couple of forums that state there is a fuse or some other components that could fail and give the indication that it is the alternator. I looked at the schematic and procedures in the manual, I cannot find another component that would cause the charging system to fail. Battery is 2 years old and not perfect but by no means is worn out.
Euromotoelectrics has this for sale for $175...definitely not cost prohibitive. But I would not want to spend the money and tear my bike down if this won't fix it.
Thanks in advance.