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74 R60 Dead Battery

ARC8ECT
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74 R60 Dead Battery

Post by ARC8ECT »

Morning. My motorcycle started it perfectly at 5am this morning, parked for an hour came back and no green light. Wouldn’t start. Kick starts right away.

I would have noticed if I left the light in it was pitch dark and the battery is brand spanking new. What could have possibly gone wrong?

Not charging ? Only rode it few minutes!!!

Didn’t turn key all Way and removed it at wrong position ??

I did notice rear brake light remained on as an indicator of low battery if I am correct once I parked it again and turned it off the second time.

What should I check?

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srankin
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Re: 74 R60 Dead Battery

Post by srankin »

Please clarify a couple of things.
You parked for an hour, had a dead battery, kick started the bike and no green light? Do you mean no red charging light when the bike is running? The green light is turn signal or neutral indicator.

Did you charge the new battery to full charge before riding? Sometimes from the factory they are not at full charge.

The rear brake light should not be on unless the key is on and the brake switch is activated. It being on with the key off is a drain on the battery.

So getting back to the red charging light on the instruments. Is it lighting up at all? In order for the charging system to work the bulb for that light has to be in the circuit and good. If it is burned out, the charging system won't work. If it is on all the time at rpm above 2000, you have a charging system problem.

So if the Red charging bulb is not lighting, that is the first thing to check, make sure the bulb is good. Also, the bulb holder and its contacts to the bulb. St.
Owner of a 84, R80RT and 78, R100RS

ARC8ECT
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Re: 74 R60 Dead Battery

Post by ARC8ECT »

I have not seen the red light on at all. I will be on that first thing.

As of the green light. After riding it starting and riding successfully at 5am, I parked it for an hour and came back to start it and the only thing that cam eon was an orange light if I recall. And of course the bike did not start. So I kick started and rode right away.

The battery I purchased Is Mottobatt and it states on their website not to charge it upon receiving it, I find it odd but its states that.

As of the Red rear brake light i noticed that i remained on after i turned off the key and thought perhaps that is an indication of a low battery from my understanding.

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srankin
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Re: 74 R60 Dead Battery

Post by srankin »

When you turn the key to the run position, there should be a orange or red light for oil pressure, a red light for charging system and if the bike is in neutral, the green light should come on. IF these lights don't come on, I suspect a problem.

Can you take a picture of the instrument lights with the key on in the run position with the bike not running, and then with the bike running, in neutral for both.

The tail light should not be on for any reason with the key off. An indication of a low battery is just plain it won't start or turns over slow.

You bought this bike second hand if I recall, I am hoping you don't have a case of previous owner's disease infecting it. St.
Owner of a 84, R80RT and 78, R100RS

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Re: 74 R60 Dead Battery

Post by ARC8ECT »

Switch turned bike not started yet. Green and oil
Light on.

Engine started only green light in

First picture the engine is on and running. 2nd the engine off and switch turned to on
Attachments
5FD02C7A-3F30-4FA6-A56D-0C55CAA4510C.jpeg
1145CCE0-6C37-46B7-8BF5-0D21744BD785.jpeg

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cbclemmens
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Re: 74 R60 Dead Battery

Post by cbclemmens »

The green light is the neutral position indicator and is on when the bike is in neutral. The engine will not turn over unless the bike is in neutral. If the bike does not turn over at all, it might be the neutral indicator. Shift the bike into and out of gear a couple of times and try again.

The oil light is off with the engine running, and on when the engine is off. That appears to be correct. The red light is the alternator indicator and, like the oil light, should be off when the engine is running and on when the engine is off. That does not appear to be working and should be repaired immediately.

My R 90/6 had the rear brake light wired directly to the battery (previous owner disease?). When the rear brake pedal was out of adjustment, the light would sometimes come on when the bike was off. The weight of the pedal would move the rod far enough to turn the light on, without engaging the brake. That could drain the battery.

Check these things out - good luck. Let us know how things turn out.

Craig

ARC8ECT
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Re: 74 R60 Dead Battery

Post by ARC8ECT »

Very helpful. Thank you. I will check all the above

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srankin
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Re: 74 R60 Dead Battery

Post by srankin »

Everything looks as it should except when the key is on and the bike is NOT running the light below the green neutral switch or the red Gen light should be ON.

When the bike is running at idle or less than 2000Rpm, the red Gen light should also be ON and should go OFF as revs increase above 2000rpm.

What I am seeing in the two pictures is most likely at best case a burnt out bulb, at worst a bad bulb socket. This is a common and annoying problem with BMW airheads.

The bulb has to be in good working order and light when it should for the charging system to work.
If the bulb is burned out the charging system will not charge the battery. Good luck St.
Owner of a 84, R80RT and 78, R100RS

ARC8ECT
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Re: 74 R60 Dead Battery

Post by ARC8ECT »

Ok. Found the info of the bulb. See attached schedule

I am going to start with the bulb then and go from there.

I am going to search the form for this topic but if possible can someone share the link to where you purchased your bulb or the info of the bulb to search.
Attachments
lights.PNG

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schrader7032
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Re: 74 R60 Dead Battery

Post by schrader7032 »

You might want to start with Snowbum's article on troubleshooting the alternator rather than just throwing money at the problem:

https://bmwmotorcycletech.info/trbleshootALT.htm

He discusses lamps in this section...look in the section titled "Small Lamps" a little over half way down the page:

https://bmwmotorcycletech.info/lamps.htm

He has another article which can add a resistor to bypass the charge bulb in unusual situations:

https://bmwmotorcycletech.info/genlampresistor.htm
Kurt in S.A.
'78 R100/7 '69 R69S '52 R25/2
Fast. Neat. Average. Friendly. Good. Good.

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