Speed Rs Keyless Shenanigans

Hi All . . . looking for a little advice from those with keyless ignition. I've never had any issues with mine and it has always worked fine . . . likewise, I've never had a flat battery as the bike is only 2 years old, although still only low mileage - the last time I rode it was two weeks ago.
Last night I decided to reset the service reminder with DealerTool but when I attempted to switch on the ignition the bike remained totally dead - no response at all. As I suspected a flat battery, I checked the voltage in situ and found it to be 12.45v. Clearly the battery was rather low and I assumed that perhaps the bike has a voltage cut-off below which it won't respond to the smart key. I charged the battery whilst still installed in the bike and after an hour or so went to check on progress - the bike responded to the key and I reset the service reminder and all seemed well. For good measure, I left the bike on the accumate overnight and decided that I would monitor the battery over the next couple of weeks to make sure it was holding charge.
When I went out to the bike again today, once more it wouldn't respond to the key - I placed it on the seat so that range couldn't be an issue but it didn't want to know. Battery voltage was 12.95v as the bike had only just come off charge.
I went and got one of the passive keys, placed it on top of the rear shock (as per the manual) and the ignition switched on fine. I removed that key from the immediate area and once again, attempted the "Smart" key and the bike switched on and off fine with the key in my pocket.
I have since repeated the exercise several times using both keys and using the Smart key and have identified the following
1. The bike always turns on if the smart or standard keys are used passively by placing above the rear shock - the issue seems to be down to comms between the "smart" key and the bike.
2. If I switch on power (minus ignition) to the bike with either key (using the smart key remotely or the standard key over the rear shock) and then play around in the various menus, the bike will randomly shut down after a couple of minutes as though I have switched it off but will switch on again if the power button is briefly pressed for a restart as normal. I have never noticed this before . . is it normal?? Clearly, I am concerned because if I am riding and it suddenly switches off and the engine dies, it could be dangerous. Is this a built-in protection circuit - ie if you switch on power but without the ignition, the bike shuts down after a period of inactivity after "assuming" that you have parked up and forgotten to switch off??? I haven't tested this issue with the ignition on . . just power on. I guess if I take a local ride, I should find out soon enough if the thing suddenly dies on me!!!!!!!

2. In the two years I have had the bike, I have had to change the keyfob battery once - I now switch it off after riding to conserve the battery but wondered if maybe the issue with not starting remotely could be due to a duff battery in the keyfob. When I changed the battery previously, I had done so having received a display warning on the bike that the keyfob battery was low - no such warning this time. I removed the battery and found 3.075V which should be OK? - these things are deemed to be spent at 2.7-8V. Nonetheless, I replaced with a new on at 3.324V.

Anyone have any light to shed on this. Have you experienced anything similar or have any suggestions?
Investigation ongoing

Thanks in advance

 

in fairness, I think the amount you use the bike will make very little difference.
The key is permanently in “standby mode” waiting to hear a “squawk” from the bike when you hit the power button. As such there is a permanent drain on it anyway.
I think 18-24 months is about what you can expect unless you switch it off. I think it’s a good habit because it stops someone scanning your key if it’s powered off and makes it less likely the bike will get nicked.
I changed the battery and thus far, the bike has woken up every time I’ve tried it and so it could be the battery was low but 3.075 Volts should have been OK - still doesn’t explain why it was randomly shutting down whilst I was going through the menus - can’t do any more than keep an eye on it. I’ve never heard of this and in fairness, didn’t really feel it was a “battery save” function but suspect a fault/glitch somewhere and it’s probably tied in to it not responding to the smart key which I’m expecting it will do again.
It’s a waiting game and a watching brief for now then!

 

Yeh, thanks for the thought.
I went to the garage this morning and checked voltage - it was showing 12.6v.
I powered on without the ignition and switched to LED DRLs so as not to unduly discharge the battery. I came indoors and set a reminder for 3 minutes - as this pinged, I went straight back outside and the bike had switched itself off.
I repeated the exercise three more times whilst standing with the bike and timing it.
I switched the bike off on each occasion as it didn’t trip off. Open circuit voltage after that little lot is now 12.54.
I have bought a new battery which arrive this morning with 12.98v from Edinburgh Triumph. Will install it but I don’t think the battery is at fault.
My main concern is if this happens when I’m riding - will speak to my dealer but plan on a ride out tomorrow to see what happens - will stick to the back roads.
Meanwhile I will check Dealertool and see if there are any error codes m, perhaps check the various battery/earth cable connections for security and then last thought is a random short in the on-‘off switch which is switching the bike off??

 

Will check out that link later and reply - just going out.
The bike boots off normally just like it’s been switched off - hence my thought about the switch. I assumed if it was a sudden loss of power, it would have an instant off?!!

 

That's interesting . . . . it's one explanation for the bike not turning on but of course . . . doesn't explain its tendency to switch off when it feels like it. The two things might not be related of course and so definitely worth bearing in mind

 

yeh . . sorry. You had already stated that in your first post and I hadn't twigged that both posts came from you.

 

Well . . . I installed the new battery after charging it fully. Last night I switched the bike on several times and it failed to switch itself off and so I was starting to think the issue was down to some weird psycho battery in the bike but . . . . I left the bike on the Accumate overnight and then tried again this morning, switched the power on with only the DRLs running and sure enough, after 3m 30 seconds of feverish anticipation . . . Speedy checked out and said goodbye.
Buggerations!!!
A mate came over this afternoon and we went for a ride of about 50 miles total. We stopped en route every 10-15 miles so that I could switch the bike off and then back on again and continue the journey . . . not one power cut and so although not yet conclusive, it does seem this issue occurs when the bike has power on but no ignition.
When I arrived home I checked the battery voltage and the Fluke was showing 13.1 and so the bike is very definitely charging OK. I powered on and left her for 5 minutes but the power stayed on. In my mind is the fact that the original battery dropped off to 12.45V after standing for only two weeks and so I'm questioning in my mind if part of the issue could be a drain on the battery and so I'm going away now for a few days - will leave on the Accumate and when I get back on Monday, I will try powering up a few times to see if the problem is still there . . .
I rang my Triumph Stealer and they came out with all the stuff you might expect . . "bring it in and we will run diagnostics" . . "have you had a software update and when was the last one done?" In the end, they did at least confirm it isn't a problem they have ever heard of and suggested that maybe if I take it for a spin and run the engine, it might just go away but then . . . . .it might not!!
Will keep folks posted on this one but no more riding now - sorned today

 

I thought this was a possibility and certainly it makes sense . . much like your tv asks after a few hours if you're still watching prior to switching itself off. The thing is . . . no one else is reporting it and the Stealership is denying it's a feature of the bike, it's not mentioned in the owners handbook (that I've yet found!!) and when I time it, it happens after a varying amount of time from 3-5 minutes or not at all . . . it's weird for sure.
Went for a ride today and at least it doesn't seem to happen either with the ignition on and/or engine running . . . so far anyway!!!
By the way, if anyone with a Speedy RS is game to research this then it might be helpful to switch your bike on (power switch only without the ignition on - ie one forward press on the power switch) but leave it in the DRL setting so that battery drain is minimal. If it hasn't switched off after 5 minutes, I suggest it isn't going to - 5 mins is as long as I have tried mine.

 

good call . . . yes - it's the only reference to it that I found