I love my bike

[kroberts]

I wanted to try my hand at longer rides with some unimproved roads thrown in so I bought an 1150GS a couple months ago. I like the look of the older GS's with the fat, exposed fuel tank (and I couldn't afford a new GS). It hasn't been a very cooperative machine, quite temperamental actually, but I stuck with it and, this morning at 8:15 I left for a big ride up into Colorado and NM.

It ended 58 miles later like this...



My R11S has NEVER even coughed. Aside from the impending demise of the transmission it has never even sputtered. Plus it's a beautiful machine.

I am quite disgusted right now. If I wasn't three Stellas into an angry afternoon I would load up the S and go for a ride. I really love that bike.

[ckcarr]

When things like that happen to me I attribute it to an intervention. Where I might have ran head-on into a Peterbilt otherwise...

Stella's sound good right now.

[flatbutt]

krob, that sux much, sorry man. On the brighter side I see that you have a nice blue sky for a change. Race weekend in Austin sure was crap.

[wswartzwel]

Sorry for your bad experience. Try to cheer up, now you have the opportunity to get to know the GS better as you go through it and make it reliable.

[CoffeeGuy]

When things like that happen to me I attribute it to an intervention. Where I might have ran head-on into a Peterbilt otherwise...



Stella's sound good right now.

What ckcarr said. There are many ways it it could be worse. I know that's not true consolation. Still- that very much sucks.

[kroberts]

Originally Posted by wswartzwel

Sorry for your bad experience. Try to cheer up, now you have the opportunity to get to know the GS better as you go through it and make it reliable.

I spent nearly a month going thru the bike in anticipation of this trip. That's why I'm so gutted by the situation. I'm just going to walk away from the bike for a few days. I ordered some fuel tank o-rings yesterday. When they come in I'll get to work.

[1100s nut]

I guess the good part is, it happened 58 miles from home instead of at the end of your trip in Colorado where you made the turn. Bummer either way. If it was up to me FI bikes and cars would have a 2 pump system, assuming that is the problem. Good luck.

[jccdkc]

Be sure to check the curved fuel line inside the tank. Mine developed a hole on the back side of the curve, and proved hard to find. Good luck.

[metropolis2k]

Given they're pretty similar bikes mechanically there's no reason your GS should be less reliable than the S! Maybe you just have more history and certainty about the condition of the S, inside and out. Really feel for you, such a sad sight to see on a beautiful sunny day.

[wiggledbits]

Originally Posted by jccdkc

Be sure to check the curved fuel line inside the tank. Mine developed a hole on the back side of the curve, and proved hard to find. Good luck.

Just replace it while you're in there. Beemer Boneyard had a nice kit with enough material to do both bikes.

[kroberts]

I should be embarrassed to admit this but, well, you gotta be me to really understand.

I discovered that when I had last installed the fuel tank pump plate I "clocked" it incorrectly. Instead of being way down in the sump, the fuel pump strainer was up about mid-tank. The bike ran out of gas with almost three gallons left in it.

Sometimes being me is exhausting

[wswartzwel]

I would have kept that to myself…. Glad you are back on the road!!

[CaribooBC]

Oh that's almost as bad as calling a tow truck when your kill switch has been turned off. Had a similar experience with my quad. I always turn my quad off with my key, we were out on a club ride having lunch, a buddy wanted me to move my quad a few feet so he could turn his around. I said just move it yourself, he moved it and when he shut it down he hit the kill switch. Fast forward about an hour and a few hot dogs, every one is ready to leave except me, my quad won't start! We actually got my quad hooked up to tow out when buddy said to me "did you turn your kill switch on?" DOH!!!!

[metropolis2k]

Originally Posted by kroberts

I should be embarrassed to admit this but, well, you gotta be me to really understand.

I discovered that when I had last installed the fuel tank pump plate I "clocked" it incorrectly. Instead of being way down in the sump, the fuel pump strainer was up about mid-tank. The bike ran out of gas with almost three gallons left in it.

Sometimes being me is exhausting

That's easier to do that in sounds. There's supposed to be a mark on the tank so you know where the 'flat' side of the plate goes. There wasn't on my S so I was terrified of getting it wrong! Fortunately I took a bunch of pictures.

I bet you won't make that mistake again!

[squall_line]

Originally Posted by CaribooBC

Oh that's almost as bad as calling a tow truck when your kill switch has been turned off. Had a similar experience with my quad. I always turn my quad off with my key, we were out on a club ride having lunch, a buddy wanted me to move my quad a few feet so he could turn his around. I said just move it yourself, he moved it and when he shut it down he hit the kill switch. Fast forward about an hour and a few hot dogs, every one is ready to leave except me, my quad won't start! We actually got my quad hooked up to tow out when buddy said to me "did you turn your kill switch on?" DOH!!!!

"Funny, I Never Even Checked!"

(MSF instructors should get that joke. )

[tic105]

I've had more than my fair share of "embarrassing" mistakes. But if the plate is mounted in the wrong orientation, wouldn't the hard lines for the rubber fuel supply lines be in pointed in the wrong direction? Maybe the GS is different.

[kroberts]

Everything still fit just fine because I only mislocated the plate by one hole but 60 degrees makes a helluva difference in terms of where the fuel pickup ends up. AMHIK

[ckcarr]

It's OK.
To be one of the guys you have to admit a screw up once in a while!