GSA'07 battery replaced today;

[Polarbear]

Only 7 months old and the battery went south! It still started the bike, but ever so slowly. BMW warranty'd the thing aok. FYI; The load test the dealer did to check it(out of the bike), showed it GOOD, but it clearly was a slow starter in the bike. New battery, all is good. One more thing! The fresh battery sure made a difference in the way the bike runs. It is clearly a more powerful,HP bike now and my BMW Mech says its just the computer reprogramming after being disconnected from power source. Wierd. I've not come across this before, but the bike has more HP than before, with the weak battery:). Hmmmm? Hope thats good:) Randy:thumb :usa

[BMWRich58]

On my '07 GSAdv,the battery died 3 days before the 1 year warranty was up.
She always started fine, then after a brief stop a few miles from home...*bing* thats all she wrote! No early warning signs of hard starting... no nuthing!
Bright headlight and all but "No Start", just clickity click and then the EWS screen.
New battery installed under warranty but no known additional power increase as far as I can tell/feel.
Bike still starts and runs great just as new!

[108625]

I've commented on this before, the OEM Exide batteries in both of our bikes died without warning, like fuses or light bulbs. Hers actually started the bike in the morning, then decided to leave her stranded mid-day. Mine lasted two years, my wife's less than one. We replaced each with an aftermarket model. I can't believe how short lived the things were, and I think the way they fail without warning is dangerous.
I'd like the bean counter responsible for continuing to buy these POS things to be left unable to start his bike after dark, without cell phone reception, on a back country road, preferably in bear country. Maybe then BMW will change suppliers.

Bob

[MechanicSavant]

Yup my batt. died in the middle of a ride w/o warning (11mo. old R1200r)
don't worry about a bean counter getting stranded "out there" I suspect most of them aren't type-A personallity's & wouldn't expose themselves to the elements!!
OK lets hear it from the bean counters among us!!!:jester

[PAULBACH]

Darn - makes one wonder where the battery will die?

Did any of you folks keep it on a Battery Tender?

[108625]

Darn - makes one wonder where the battery will die?

Did any of you folks keep it on a Battery Tender?

Yep, a BMW one at that.

[riders]

My battery on my 1 year old 800S just died as I was riding. I had never heard of a battery quitting while the engine was running. I was sure it was a computer problem and didn't think of it being the battery and had the bike towed ($432). They replaced it under warranty but I am wondering if I should put an aftermarket battery in it???

[tburk]

I'm having the same problem, apparently. 07 GSA, <6K mi., stored in my garage most of the summer on the high-$ BMW battery charger - the "proper" one that works with the can bus. My dealer is 90 mi. away, and told me to call roadside assistance. Haven't brought it in yet, but how does a 1 1/2 y/o battery fail when it's either in use or on the conditioning-type charger? (The battery on my 1998 GS - beginning to wish I had it back - only lasted 7 years.) Interestingly, there is plenty of voltage coming from the battery, but it only clicks when the starter button is pushed. Lights are bright, etc., and all connections are tight. Dealer said they'll replace the battery under the warranty.

[aaaaaa]

Can these bikes be jump started?
robert

[108625]

Can these bikes be jump started?
robert

Yes, but it won't always work. You have to use proper jumper cables direct to the battery terminals. Do not try anything through the power/charger socket.
I was able to jump my bike, but my wife was not so lucky. Hers absolutely refused to start, even though we were trying to lump it with a good samaritan's one year old full sized truck with a 975 cca battery in it.
I suspect it was similar to the extreme cases I've heard about, when the battery dies while someone's riding and shuts down the bike. Imagine what could happen if you're riding an '06 or older model with the servo assist brakes, and lose all electrical power while at speed, approaching an intersection, or sharp bend?

Bob

[sfarson]

Just to add to the chorus, the '07 GSADV battery lasted just a little over a year then out of the blue, wouldn't start one day. Kept on a tender whenever not ridden. Curiously, the '05 K1200S after over three years is just fine, as is the RT after two years.

[Wallowa]

Ok..the batteries died a premature death..

What battery did you replace them with so that it would last a few year?

[PAULBACH]

I feel your pain (http://www.bmwmoa.org/forum/showthread.php?t=30209).

[MonkeyBoy]

Can these bikes be jump started?
robert

I've jumped my bike on a few occasions, but if the batt. is really dead it can kill it altogether. My new favorite jump method is the old drop clutch start. you may need a passenger for weight and a few willing strangers to push, but what a way to make friends!

[108625]

I've jumped my bike on a few occasions, but if the batt. is really dead it can kill it altogether. My new favorite jump method is the old drop clutch start. you may need a passenger for weight and a few willing strangers to push, but what a way to make friends!

What year is your bike? I'm curious if the old "bump start" would work with the CANBUS-EWS equipped bikes.

[reimerdavid]

Bad Batteries, Final Drive failures, and EWS too boot, Why did I buy a BMW ??? BMW may be getting Q.A advise from AMF when they almost ran Harley Davidson into the ground.

[chfite]

My 3/05 OEM battery is still going strong, 50,000 miles. No battery tender.

[tburk]

My 3/05 OEM battery is still going strong, 50,000 miles. No battery tender.

As it should. I think they may have just gotten a bad batch of batteries. AGM's have many advantages, including no leakage, even if broken, and deep cycle capability. They are expensive, however. My dealer asked me to bring in the BMW charger for inspection too, so maybe they've had some charger problems. I can't take it in for a week or so, but will know soon.

[marchyman]

What year is your bike? I'm curious if the old "bump start" would work with the CANBUS-EWS equipped bikes.

I think it depends upon how dead your battery is. The fuel pump and injectors need power. If there's no juice there's no fuel. I've started my GS with a not-dead-but-not-enough-juice-to-spin-the-starter battery by rolling down a hill. I believe that is true of ALL fuel injected bikes, CANBUS or otherwise.

// marc

[henzilla]

I lost all battery power on my '07GSA with 3K on clock while in remote canyon of Big Bend on TX170 last May. Had pushed started it twice with a minimum effort right before that. Thinking I had a bad connection and had tightened problem, I rolled on. We stopped for a picture and would not refire. We tried pushing,rolling down a hill several attempts , and jump starting with a dual battery diesel...NO fire at all. After getting it back to Lajitas,local wrench found completely shorted out battery with his tester .Installed another AGM style...cannot remember the brand:scratch and had no other issues since with electrical system.

[donhoge]

i've got an 07 gsa with 12,000 on it, and haven't had a lick of trouble out of the battery. never on a tender, but always in the garage.

[Polarbear]

My battery change has "dramatically" affected my mpg's for the worse:(. No clue why! Was getting 42-45 and now lucky to get 35 and mostly below that around 30-33mpg, the last several tankfuls. This is sooooo poor, its kind of getting me really PO'd. I already called my dealer and he said i could reprogram the bike(roadside), by a disconnect of the battery(5 minutes+) and reconnect it, open throttle to full with "key on", not running, "three times" and turn key off....Thats it. Nope. did not work on my GSA'07. Runs like a banshe, like a garden hose is supplying the gas and the mpg's are suffering a lot. Well, another computer driven fuel system gone aray, imo. This thing is not user friendly. Any clues, anybody??? Randy. PS; Bike runs very well, too well.:usa

[gulfcoastbeemer]

It may not make much sense to some people, but I have found that some battery tender/chargers can cause premature battery failure by overcharging a battery, warping the plates and causing a "short".

These relatively small motorcycle batteries -- particularly gel or AGM batteries -- can be easily overwhelmed by a HIGH rate of charge that they can't readily absorb.