R1150GS x3 Questions

Hi All,
Having owned the GS for only a short while I have been meaning to ask he following questions if anyone can advise.
1) I have always used normal unleaded fuel. Do these run any different on Super unleaded?
2) Some old boy recently told me I should be parking it up overnight on the centre stand and not
leaving it for any length of time on the sidestand as the oil all runs into the left cylinder head? I
guess this is a load of **** and it does not harm the bike at all otherwise why put a sidestand on
it?
3) Does the fuel filler cap really let water in as someone also told me that the 1150 does and thats
why the tanks on these rust out from the inside? Or is this also a load of old ****?
I guess there will be the usual piss take answers from some but also some genuine ones
P.S. Really enjoying this bike and there is something really addictive about wanting ride
this machine. I think I could be keeping it for some time to come.
Chapperz

Dont know the answer to the first question but...

2. Yes it seems to be the norm to leave it on the side stand for a while then put it up on the centre stand, if anything i do it to keep the weight off the side stand.... i do remember there being a thread for checking the oil level in the window... you need to leave it on the the side stand after it been on a run then put it on the side stand to check the level....something to do with oil getting trapped in the oil cooler pipes or something like that...... i also think there is some weight in the oil running into the chamber when you start up you get a big whoomp of blue smoke after its been running hot ... maybe thats just mine?

3. The oil filler cap can let water in although i think its primarily due to the little drain hole getting filled with crap... after a while the groove fills with water as its not draining.... hey presto you open the filler cap and whoosh the water runs into the tank...... over time if it happens regular enough youll get a fair amount of water in the bottom of the tank..... i used a footy pump to blow up the outer tank breather and had a lump of crap pop out.... i check it regularly.... just make sure you identify the right breather ask me how i know......

hope this helps... i sare say someone will be along with a different or additional view...

dusty

Chapperz said:

1) I have always used normal unleaded fuel. Do these run any different on Super unleaded?

Click to expand...

Yes, or no. Mine does, and as well as better efficiency (MPG) I also get more power available, and it runs better (tickover, smoothness)
If my bike is due for a service/tweak up though, the use of super or standard makes no difference......in my case, the extra few pence per litre is probably cancelled out by the increased MPG when I#ve got the bike properly balanced and sorted, but I'm not anal enough to bother even resetting my odo very often let alone running a frigging spreadsheet like some sad fuckers here do

Chapperz said:

2) Some old boy recently told me I should be parking it up overnight on the centre stand and not
leaving it for any length of time on the sidestand as the oil all runs into the left cylinder head? I
guess this is a load of **** and it does not harm the bike at all otherwise why put a sidestand on
it?

Click to expand...

The sidestand is to get off the bike....the centre stand is to leave it parked up.
Leave a boxer on the sidestand overnight and you'll get a good puff of smoke on startup the next day......these old things are the best bikes for real world use, but they are based on ditch pump engines, so the manufacturing tolerances are less accurate than more modern bikes.
If possible, leave it on the CS if you're away from the beast for more than a couple of hours.....plus being on the CS means you can get on it by climbing up the pegs and swinging over rather than hoiking a leg up to shoulder height then trying to lift the fekker up against the camber on one leg

Chapperz said:

3) Does the fuel filler cap really let water in as someone also told me that the 1150 does and that's
why the tanks on these rust out from the inside? Or is this also a load of old ****?
I guess there will be the usual piss take answers from some but also some genuine ones

Chapperz

Click to expand...

No, it doesn't.......or actually, yes, it does.

BUT, the drain tube that is fed from the tiny weeny hole in the flat ring of the filler neck gets shitted up so easily that unless you keep it poked out clean {thin strong wire etc} it will stop dripping the excess fuel and water that gets in under the cap down through the outlet tube behind the footpegs, so when you open up the fuel filler cap, you'll see a teaspoon of water waiting to drip into the tank as you fill her up.

Keep that little hole cleaned out and the tube it leads to flushed out and no water will get into your tank from under the filler flap

Chapperz said:

Hi All,
Having owned the GS for only a short while I have been meaning to ask he following questions if anyone can advise.
1) I have always used normal unleaded fuel. Do these run any different on Super unleaded?
2) Some old boy recently told me I should be parking it up overnight on the centre stand and not
leaving it for any length of time on the sidestand as the oil all runs into the left cylinder head? I
guess this is a load of **** and it does not harm the bike at all otherwise why put a sidestand on
it?
3) Does the fuel filler cap really let water in as someone also told me that the 1150 does and thats
why the tanks on these rust out from the inside? Or is this also a load of old ****?
I guess there will be the usual piss take answers from some but also some genuine ones
P.S. Really enjoying this bike and there is something really addictive about wanting ride
this machine. I think I could be keeping it for some time to come.
Chapperz

Click to expand...

Not worth wasting time and effort answering the first two pointless questions. Those that have answered have just added drivel, white noise.

The third question is a genuine problem and has a very simple answer. Your fuel cap drain hole is blocked = unblock it.

FFS........

Enjoy the bike Chapperz..... lots of info on here..... great bikes

Dusty the driveller/white noise creator!!!!!!

Steptoe said:

Not worth wasting time and effort answering the first two pointless questions. Those that have answered have just added drivel, white noise.

The third question is a genuine problem and has a very simple answer. Your fuel cap drain hole is blocked = unblock it.

Click to expand...

Thanks Steptoe. I guess answers that then. Looks like I will take your advise and just keep running it on unleaded fuel and parking it up on the sidestand As for the third question, I have learnt something now to keep my eye on in the future should I get a blockage!!
Oh, and yes Dusty, you are right. I will just carry on and enjoy this great bike.
Thanks all,
Chapperz.

Chapperz, Spray some WD40 down the hole and it should drip out the pipe bottom is a decent telltale.

flatdog said:

Chapperz, Spray some WD40 down the hole and it should drip out the pipe bottom is a decent telltale.

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Ah yes, but what if some WD40 overflows into the fuel tank.....

Is there another proprietory substance we could spray down the pipe instead?

I like the football pump - I have been using an airline (carefully) - but even then, if you get the wrong pipe it shoots a lovely fountain of fuel all over the garage's workshop roof.
Keep it clear with regular blow throughs is the best idea, rather than unblocking a blocked drain - don't let it block up in the first place.

Chapperz said:

Thanks Steptoe. I guess answers that then. Looks like I will take your advise and just keep running it on unleaded fuel and parking it up on the sidestand

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That's the way... keep it simple for a simple bike. .

Spot on Steptoe.

I put mine on the centre stand as its neater.....

twizzle said:

I put mine on the centre stand as its neater.....

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Parallel with the pavement, or at 90-degrees?

King Rat said:

Parallel with the pavement, or at 90-degrees?

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90 Degrees always.....

twizzle said:

90 Degrees always.....

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90? Not 45? I'd never leave it just sticking out into the road like that (I mean the bike).

To that end I've always thought bike bays are a bum design, along with the Boris bike bays. They should be at an angle, pointing favourably with the traffic flow. I must either be a bloody genius or those town planners aren't . Saves space, means if something is 'touched' by passing traffic it has a chance of staying upright and is easier to park into whilst causing less interruption to the traffic whilst doing so. Other countries have worked this out...

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