Bike Quits in rain

[Jody746]

Please Help, Bike instantley died when I ran it through heavy rain. Is this a Hall Sensor problem or an Ignition Switch problem? Any advice would appreciated. 1996 R1100rt

[jhelming]

My experience is strictly with airheads, but I seem to remember reading of a similar problem on newer Beemers with sidestand ignition interlocks. When a faulty sidestand switch gets wet, it can cut the juice to the ignition, even with the stand up.

I dunno...:dunno

John H.

[Jody746]

The sidestand switch has been by-passed. Thanks...

[kbasa]

Kinda hard to tell from here. The only way to know is to test them, I think.

Have you tried hosing down the bike in selected spots to see if it dies? You could aim a hose at the spot where the Hall Sensor lives and see if that kills it. If it doesn't, douse the ignition switch and see if that does it.

:dunno

[Jody746]

Hosing it down, Yes that may be the best way to really check this. I have the Hall sensor off and I see no visable sighs to show its bad. I,ll put it back on and see if it cranks. When the bike quits, all lights and gauges are not efected and the bike still spins over. Just no spark at the plugs. Thanks

[Beemn]

My CLC is in the shop for the same problem...this is the 3rd time in. The first two times they hosed the bike for 30-40 minutes and could not get the problem to happen but when I was out in the rain for a long ride it would quit. It was always when it had been raining fairly heavily and there was a lot of water on the road.
This time in they found a crack in the wiring harness before the Motronic and they found moisture inside the harness...so the thinking is that is where the problem was. So far it seems to be working, they had it out for a long rainy ride the other day and it didn't quit.

[Sue]

Check your Hall Sensor. They are notorious for failing. Brian had the same thing happen to him in a downpour, on his 1996 R1100RT. Next day, it started okay.

After that it failed several times at random.

Hall Sensor.

Good luck... Sue

[Jody746]

I got the bike started and pulled on the wire that goes to the hall sensor. The bike missed a couples of times then died. Moved the wire again and got it started. While motor was running, I sprayed water on it and it died instantley. I took the hall sensor off and cut open the insulation just to see what causes it to stop. The heat from the bike deterioated the rubber insulation on the individual wires. You could scape it off with your fingernail. The wires would touch each other and cause it to short out. HEAT and time does it. I really don,t know what the water has to do with it. This outside insulation was OK , so what about this water business?????

[Jody746]

I not complaining about my bike, Its been a good one. I was 50 Miles away from having 100,000 miles on it when she quit. Maybe I need to trade it for a Harley or something. Thanks.....

[LICK MY BRICK]

yeah, good luck with a Harley

[Big Blue]

I had similar symptoms on my 95 R1100GS.
I replaced the ignition sensor & have had no further problems.

http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=38071&page=1&pp=15


Chicago BMW online - the ignition sensor could be had for $222
my local dealer was going to charge retail of $279 but came close to Chicago BMW when I told him I would order on line because of the price difference

good luck

[CustomSarge]

Distilled water has very high resistance, average tap/rain water has enough mineral ions floating around to allow it to easily bridge the hall sensors' signal. The ignition units' input is fooled into seeing a constant "on" state instead of timing pulses. I'll have to log this situ for older/high mileage bikes. At +$200. I'd be tempted to rewire the feed with some good high temp wire & put it back in.

[lorazepam]

the Hall Sensor is a recall item on some of the new Boxers. Mine was one and they got it at the first service.