BMW G650X Issue Log (xCountry, xChallenge, xMoto)

[August West]

Originally Posted by Butters

It's been awhile since I inspected mine, but I thought it just snaps together. I used a couple flathead micro screwdrivers to release the tabs and then it separates. At least, that's my recollection. My wires/solder joint were fine.

Thanks Butters you are right. I am pretty good at breaking little plastic things so I wanted to be careful. One wire is completely separated, no wonder it didn't want to respond!

[Geoffster]

Originally Posted by tenfive0

Turns out I replaced the battery the next day after needing a pickup truck to get the bike home. After replacing the battery the bike seems to be running smoother with more balls. Got on the bike this morning in a hurry and took off without stalling. It appears the new battery chased the gremlin away.

Congratulations on solving your dilemma and getting back on the road!

The G650X is VERY dependent on its battery! If you review this and all related threads, you'll find that many agonizing and perplexing problems have been solved with a new, high-quality battery.

[August West]

I soldered the disconnected wire and now it runs through the pre-sequence MOST of the time, not all the time. That's confidence inspiring. I'll head out and hope it lasts....

[Butters]

Originally Posted by daytona

I can't find the recall on the battery on the web! was it supposed to have a yuasa ytz installed instead of the one I find in it today Exide with the BMW label and a tag with 06/09 on it! the date the bike was sold. I called the service man, got phone slammed on me, called and spoke to the mgr! said he'd look into it! call next week. Any comments on what I can do? This stallin thing is getting unbearable not to mention UNSAFE. Thanks for lettin me rant! I feel better anyway!

Although I doubt the battery has anything to do with the stalling (at least until the battery actually fails). But I would not trust that Exide battery one bit! There's a reason they went with Yuasa, Exide just couldn't fix the issue. This was a couple years ago, so maybe the newest Exide is OK. But having been stranded by a failed Exide already, I would swap it out if even at my own expense.

[DRONE]

Originally Posted by daytona

I'm crushed! No call from stealer!! This is so not what the BMW logo stood for IMO. Just have to keep the RPM up when riding this fine bike. I will see what motorrad has to say about the rip off on warranty they did. (any have a way of getting to someone that cares?} Is this world F'ed up or what?

What country are you from?

[jtw000]

Originally Posted by daytona

I'm crushed! No call from stealer!! This is so not what the BMW logo stood for IMO. Just have to keep the RPM up when riding this fine bike. I will see what motorrad has to say about the rip off on warranty they did. (any have a way of getting to someone that cares?} Is this world F'ed up or what?

You know, it's often not changing the battery that fixes these little gremlins. For instance, mine plays up occasionally, the other night she kept stalling but what you need to do is stop the bike and then turn on the ignition. Once the lights have finished flashing open the throttle all the way and the close it again. Then turn off the ignition and turn it back on again. This resets the computer and normally fixes everything. That might be why swapping the battery fixes the gremlins, you're effectively resetting the system but the throttle trick is a built in reset you can do whenever you feel like it.

[jezuar]

Originally Posted by jezuar

Same here else, I think it's the sensor temperature in the radiator

That makes me think that the warning light check high temperature multifunction display does not light in the pre-ride check.

finally with battery changing all the problems were solved

[mikecbrxx]

Originally Posted by jtw000

You know, it's often not changing the battery that fixes these little gremlins. For instance, mine plays up occasionally, the other night she kept stalling but what you need to do is stop the bike and then turn on the ignition. Once the lights have finished flashing open the throttle all the way and the close it again. Then turn off the ignition and turn it back on again. This resets the computer and normally fixes everything. That might be why swapping the battery fixes the gremlins, you're effectively resetting the system but the throttle trick is a built in reset you can do whenever you feel like it.

I think what you are actually doing is resetting the throttle idle point. Mine often fails to run correctly/stalls and over time it seems to be caused by the throttle not being in its normal rest position when starting the engine or starting the engine too quickly after putting on ignition and not allowing the throttle to reset itself correctly.
In my case, sometimes I forget to unscrew the throttle lock when I stop the bike.

Opening the throttle as you describe simply has the effect of ensuring the throttle is in its correct position when you turn the ignition on the next time so allowing the bike to correctly set that as the idle position.

Mike

[snooker]

Originally Posted by daytona

I'm crushed! No call from stealer!! This is so not what the BMW logo stood for IMO. ...

What logo?

[snooker]

Originally Posted by jtw000

... the other night she kept stalling but what you need to do is stop the bike and then turn on the ignition. Once the lights have finished flashing open the throttle all the way and the close it again. Then turn off the ignition and turn it back on again. This resets the computer and normally fixes everything. That might be why swapping the battery fixes the gremlins, you're effectively resetting the system but the throttle trick is a built in reset you can do whenever you feel like it.

Here is Drone's "gold standard" of XCountry procedures to reset the throttle positioning sensor (TPS) or idle or whatever the hell it is doing to try and minimize the cold stalling issue:

Originally Posted by DRONE

key off
key on
throttle wide open
throttle full close
throttle wide open
throttle full close
key off
key on
start engine with no throttle
allow engine to find idle without touching throttle
once it settles into an idle, key off
you're done.

From: http://www.advrider.com/forums/showp...postcount=5702

[mikecbrxx]

Originally Posted by snooker

Here is Drone's "gold standard" of XCountry procedures to reset the throttle positioning sensor (TPS) or idle or whatever the hell it is doing to try and minimize the cold stalling issue:


From: http://www.advrider.com/forums/showp...postcount=5702

I'm not trying to be picky but the TPS position is set EVERY TIME the ignition is turned on so parts of this 'gold standard' are redundant.

Mike

[maltese]

Model: xChallenge
Year 2007
ABS: no
Mileage at time of issue: 14000
Date of occurrence: 9/13/2012
Modifications (if any): Remus Exhaust, uniflow filiter, rg tail tidy
Description of Failure(s): I was riding along the freeway at about 70 mph and the motor cut. After getting to the side of the road, I was able to start it again, but the second the engine was under power, it would die. Then I got it to idle for about 5 min, and it died on its own. Then after getting it started one more time, when I shook the bike around it would die the further it was leaned ot the right. Also, when leaned to the right one time the over heat light came on while trying to start the bike.

The bike is new to me and never had a real problem of starting, had one time i can recall abotu amonth ago where the bike stalled on its own, and it may have been a little slow to start that evening, but that was about it.

Resolution (if any): Swapped out the battery, now using a Full Spectrum Power Pulse 2 battery (A123 type) I'll let you know how it goes!
Reference Thread

I am asusming it is the battery, but do you have any other recomendations?

[August West]

Battery in top condition is a must. I was saved enormous effort on my X when I read on one of these threads that 90% of electrical gremlins can be traced back to faulty ignition switch.
The solder joints are prone to failure. They allow intermittent operation for awhile causing (me) great puzzlement.
I bypassed the key switch entirely with a rocker switch and all of my previous symptoms have disappeared.
Hope this helps. An inspection of the switch mechanism is worth doing IMO.

[daytona]

Anyone know if these (Shorai LFX14A4-BS12) help or have a bad reaction in a g650x? The Yuasa YTZ10S makes it run better but won't last if it doesn't start right up!

[FinnDuro]

Originally Posted by daytona

Anyone know if these (Shorai LFX14A4-BS12) help or have a bad reaction in a g650x? The Yuasa YTZ10S makes it run better but won't last if it doesn't start right up!

My Shorai is a "summer battery", both of the two that I've sampled. Soon as the temps go anywhere near cold let alone freezing point, problem arise, and it seems to take forever for the battery to really wake up and start the bike. Takes like 15mins or so, and I do know the drill required. Unfortunately, cannot promote Shorai for Xchallenge.