Loss of power / surging going up a hill.

Having Problems with your BMW R1200RT/R1250RT? or have some Maintenance and Service questions?
Panman40
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Loss of power / surging going up a hill.

Post by Panman40 »

Just aqquired a 2019 1250RT, first ride out I was about 4 miles in and on my usual circuit when going up a steepish hill under load it suddenly lost power as if it was short on fuel, I held the throttle steady and it came back then a series of on off surging started. I stopped then pulled off again, I got a little annoyed at this so ended up giving it some stick for a mile or so, for the rest of the journey all seemed well.
The bike has covered 8,500mls and has full bmw service history.


Any ideas what it may have been ?. I’m going to fill the tank with fresh E5 99 and a shot of injector cleaner and see how I go.


Thanks.
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Re: Loss of power / surging going up a hill.

Post by michaelc2710 »

Hi Panman
It's not fuel related, it's the electronics on the bike cutting in and out.


Dependent on the incline, the riding mode your in and amount of the throttle you had open the bike will cut the throttle in and out to stop the rear spinning or the front end lifting up.


Mine caught me out a few times at the beginning.
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Re: Loss of power / surging going up a hill.

Post by Panman40 »

michaelc2710 wrote: Hi Panman
It's not fuel related, it's the electronics on the bike cutting in and out.


Dependent on the incline, the riding mode your in and amount of the throttle you had open the bike will cut the throttle in and out to stop the rear spinning or the front end lifting up.


Mine caught me out a few times at the beginning.

Hi, thanks for the reply!, it was bone dry so no chance of a wheely or wheelspin!. It wasn’t that steep to be honest but obviously going above sea level up onto our hills.
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Re: Loss of power / surging going up a hill.

Post by GvG »

Did you see a light flashing on the dash? Orange one is from the traction control I think. Maybe the bike was in rainmode?
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Re: Loss of power / surging going up a hill.

Post by sakm »

Do you have gear shift assist pro on the bike? AKA quickshifter
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Re: Loss of power / surging going up a hill.

Post by simbo »

Panman40 wrote: Just aqquired a 2019 1250RT, first ride out I was about 4 miles


Any ideas what it may have been ?. I’m going to fill the tank with fresh E5 99 and a shot of injector cleaner and see how I go.


Thanks.

Probably stale fuel or a bit of water in it, What you've planned on doing should sort it. Let us know how it is once you've run a fresh tank of the good stuff through? I wouldn't bother with the injector cleaner as the good stuff is supposed to have that sort of stuff in it from the pump.
The GS 'is' the better bike :-)
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Re: Loss of power / surging going up a hill.

Post by Panman40 »

GvG wrote: Did you see a light flashing on the dash? Orange one is from the traction control I think. Maybe the bike was in rainmode?
No light I noticed on the dash and I was in Road mode, or the RT was 😂
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Re: Loss of power / surging going up a hill.

Post by Panman40 »

sakm wrote: Do you have gear shift assist pro on the bike? AKA quickshifter
Hi, no not on this one.
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Re: Loss of power / surging going up a hill.

Post by Panman40 »

simbo wrote:
Probably stale fuel or a bit of water in it, What you've planned on doing should sort it. Let us know how it is once you've run a fresh tank of the good stuff through? I wouldn't bother with the injector cleaner as the good stuff is supposed to have that sort of stuff in it from the pump.
Hi, well I put the cleaner in as I already had it on the shelf leftover from my Pan1300, filled up with 99 e5 and did the same route… on that hill I thought it was about to do the same again but I opened the throttle a little more then changed into 3rd and all seemed well. I had a few spirited moments in places to try and circulate the fresh fuel ⛽️, for the rest of the circuit I rode steadily and apart from some mild on/off throttle ( a bit like the pan) all seemed well. When I got home I took the wife out for a short ride as she’s not been on pillion yet, the bike seemed very smooth and the wife has oven it a thumbs up 👍.



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Re: Loss of power / surging going up a hill.

Post by burridge01 »

sakm wrote: Do you have gear shift assist pro on the bike? AKA quickshifter
Whats the story behind this?
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Re: Loss of power / surging going up a hill.

Post by sakm »

Panman40 wrote: Hi, no not on this one.
burridge01 wrote: Whats the story behind this?

The quickshifter works by cutting the ignition when you change gear and its being known that if you are touching the gear lever and applying slight pressure then it can activate and cut the ignition causing exactly the same symptoms


Anyone who has a quickshifter and has messed up a gear change will know all too well how they it seems as though the bike has just died then come back to life
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Re: Loss of power / surging going up a hill.

Post by burridge01 »

sakm wrote:

The quickshifter works by cutting the ignition when you change gear and its being known that if you are touching the gear lever and applying slight pressure then it can activate and cut the ignition causing exactly the same symptoms


Anyone who has a quickshifter and has messed up a gear change will know all too well how they it seems as though the bike has just died then come back to life
Thanks for that sakm,i have the quick shift and get what feels like surging(big like panman)some times. Will check were me foot is next time,cheers.
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Re: Loss of power / surging going up a hill.

Post by Panman40 »

sakm wrote:

The quickshifter works by cutting the ignition when you change gear and its being known that if you are touching the gear lever and applying slight pressure then it can activate and cut the ignition causing exactly the same symptoms


Anyone who has a quickshifter and has messed up a gear change will know all too well how they it seems as though the bike has just died then come back to life

That’s interesting but I’m sure my 2019 LE doesn’t have the quick shifter, however I was used to slightly ‘pre loading’ the shift lever on my pan European before changing up a gear.



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Re: Loss of power / surging going up a hill.

Post by sakm »

Panman40 wrote:
That’s interesting but I’m sure my 2019 LE doesn’t have the quick shifter, however I was used to slightly ‘pre loading’ the shift lever on my pan European before changing up a gear.

Its easy to check


You can ride the bike and hold the throttle wide open (do not close it at all)  and just change gear if it changes you have gear shift assist pro


Or you can use a vin code decoder which will tell you


Or have a look at the gear linkage and if it attaches to item number 15 as pictured below then you will have it
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Panman40
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Re: Loss of power / surging going up a hill.

Post by Panman40 »

sakm wrote:
Its easy to check


You can ride the bike and hold the throttle wide open (do not close it at all)  and just change gear if it changes you have gear shift assist pro


Or you can use a vin code decoder which will tell you


Or have a look at the gear linkage and if it attaches to item number 15 as pictured below then you will have it
Looking at that image I do seem to have that box with wiring attached to it. Now I just need the balls to try it !
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