A solution to a knackered fuel strip (sort of)

Bendy toy

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Ive got used to the yellow warning triangle caused by the non working fuel strip. But I'm fed up with having to always brim fill the tank and the trip is so annoying how it defaults to total miles at seemingly any excuse. Ive now run out of fuel 2 x. Very annoying when the tank holds near enough 35 litres.

So I've got myself a Givi Tan-01 2.5 litre fuel carrier. It's narrow enough to fit inside the GSA right side case frame and clear the tyre.

This is the bracket. 2mm aluminium folded at the corners and bolted to the side case mounting lugs. It sits flush with the frame tube outer face so the luggage fits fine.

aeba3cca-9b3e-4c45-a186-4f50b4695942_zps1tvqeoxq.jpg


This is the bottle from underneath. plenty of tyre clearance and being well back the FD is also safe.

9dde05e9-2188-4431-8e76-051f139fb4c6_zpsjamzpzol.jpg


I'm using velcro backed webbing straps to hold the bottle in place like this.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2-x-VELCR...hash=item2a2dcc539a:m:mNanwC49h4lbNlT9NZWYrqg
 
DrFarkoff said:
Ever hear of resetting the trip every fill and refueling at say 150 - 180 miles? :aidan
Click to expand...

It's an adv,I'd push it to 260-290. And it's only a little button to press if it defaults to total miles.:blast
 
DrFarkoff said:
Ever hear of resetting the trip every fill and refueling at say 150 - 180 miles? :aidan
Click to expand...

Obviously I use the trip, but its pain in the arse how it resets itself to total miles when you don't let the ECU fart about at each engine start. It's also virtually impossible to press that silly little button while moving. A sure way to crash if you ask me. It wont reset to trip display until the button is pressed. Highly annoying poor design by some software bloke.

At my current mileage a full tank gives more than a month's use of the bike. If it only held 10 litres I would always be filling up so no issue.

I'm also fed up having to brim the tank when do so few long runs. Now, rather than run about with 30KG of fuel aboard (that I mostly don't need) I'll fill with 1/2 that. I'll now have the back up for when the bike uses more fuel than expected (as it usually does).

What's wrong with a reserve tap? Now that really would be too easy. Sadly, I can't see any way to arrange a reserve fuel tap.

Why don't I sell the bike for a standard GS? Because, the fuel bottle cost me £20
 
Bendy toy said:
Obviously I use the trip, but its pain in the arse how it resets itself to total miles when you don't let the ECU fart about at each engine start. It's also virtually impossible to press that silly little button while moving. A sure way to crash if you ask me. It wont reset to trip display until the button is pressed. Highly annoying poor design by some software bloke.

At my current mileage a full tank gives more than a month's use of the bike. If it only held 10 litres I would always be filling up so no issue.

I'm also fed up having to brim the tank when do so few long runs. Now, rather than run about with 30KG of fuel aboard (that I mostly don't need) I'll fill with 1/2 that. I'll now have the back up for when the bike uses more fuel than expected (as it usually does).

What's wrong with a reserve tap? Now that really would be too easy. Sadly, I can't see any way to arrange a reserve fuel tap.

Why don't I sell the bike for a standard GS? Because, the fuel bottle cost me £20
Click to expand...

How long does the start sequence take? Less than 5 seconds? - turn the ignition on before you put your gloves on. I can't believe you think this is poor design.

If you can't be bothered to wait 5 seconds after turning on the ignition and before starting the engine - press the little black button once before putting your gloves on.

Its easy for you to calculate your fuel consumption based on your use. Simple maths. Use your trip properly as above.
 
Until the engine stalls in traffic as these bikes often do or the starter gets buttoned a moment too soon. The frustration is the default odo setting made F-all difference to the programmer but he still set it up to be as annoying as possible.

I do all of the above but sods law dictates than when something can go wrong, sooner or later it will go wrong. 1x a year with no fuel is 1x too many. I also don't see why I have to bend over to accommodate some designer's whim when the whole issue is down to poor software design and poor quality product (fuel strip).

Obviously I would like to fix the fuel sender but £200 for something that will fail again (perhaps within weeks) is just too much cost and too much hassle.

Ive been looking at fitting an entirely new fuel level sender unit and gauge. There are reliable solutions. Just need the right one for the bike.
 
i've had 2 x hexhead GSAs and can't say i've ever experienced the trip resetting because i've skipped the pre start check :confused:
 
cookie said:
i've had 2 x hexhead GSAs and can't say i've ever experienced the trip resetting because i've skipped the pre start check :confused:
Click to expand...

I think what he means is that if you have Trip 1 showing when you switch the bike off, it should power back up to Trip 1 showing when you switch the bike back on again. In my experience, it always does that if you let the bike go through all its prestart checks which takes a couple of seconds or so. It's not the trip itself that's resetting - just which one of the three options are being shown. Even if you don't let it go through the checks all you have to do is press that little black button once on the instrument console. I've been doing the same in my car for years and never run out of petrol and without a reserve too. Haven't run out of fuel either on the GSA using the trip.
 
Pay for the dealer to fit the new strip and you will get 2 years warranty with it. Yes it's a crap design, no you won't find an alternative as many have tried. So with all that said it is what it is and you either deal with it or sell up. As to a reserve tap, hell no not on a fuel injected bike. There is no warning like carbs, it's running or its stopped. Depending on what gear your in that could be lethal on these big bikes.
I think your solution is a bit extreme but it is workable if that is what you are happy with. Personally I filled mine and used the trip with the mpg readout but each to their own.
 
Beemerman59 said:
I think what he means is that if you have Trip 1 showing when you switch the bike off, it should power back up to Trip 1 showing when you switch the bike back on again. In my experience, it always does that if you let the bike go through all its prestart checks which takes a couple of seconds or so. It's not the trip itself that's resetting - just which one of the three options are being shown. Even if you don't let it go through the checks all you have to do is press that little black button once on the instrument console. I've been doing the same in my car for years and never run out of petrol and without a reserve too. Haven't run out of fuel either on the GSA using the trip.
Click to expand...

oh, i see now. many thanks :)
 
My Garmin satnav has a 'fuel reminder'. You reset it each time you fill up and at the mileage you have set it at it pops up with a reminder on the screen. It replaces the requirement to use the bikes tripmeter as a fuel reminder.
 
Surely there is someone with the necessary technical wizzardry and nous to make a viable alternative to this problem. Has no-one on one of the foreign forums come up with a workable soloution? G.
 
This thread is amazing.

King Key said:
My Garmin satnav has a 'fuel reminder'. You reset it each time you fill up and at the mileage you have set it at it pops up with a reminder on the screen. It replaces the requirement to use the bikes tripmeter as a fuel reminder.
Click to expand...

Do you guy have the sat nav attached to the bike 24/7?

Obviously I use the trip, but its pain in the arse how it resets itself to total miles when you don't let the ECU fart about at each engine start.
Click to expand...

Wait two seconds.
Or press the rubber button to go back to TripI/II display... it is not that hard. :D

My strip has been dead since last year almost. Put fuel in the bike counting liters... check mileage. Easy.
Gonna replace it soon though. As stated above, there is warranty on the spare parts, and most fuel strips will die before the warranty runs out...
 
I detest shoddy workmanship. It was just as easy to get the trip system working sensibly but the programmer could not be arsed.

The fuel strip is fundamentally badly designed. Same issue shoddy design but BMW bodged it up and walked away.

I'm sick of either filling the tank to the brim and suffering a heavier bike than necessary so I've provided a back stop option.

Would anyone put up with this shit on even the cheapest car? Of course not. So why do so many find every excuse under the sun to let lazy BMW designers off the hook.
 
Bendy toy said:
I detest shoddy workmanship. It was just as easy to get the trip system working sensibly but the programmer could not be arsed.

The fuel strip is fundamentally badly designed. Same issue shoddy design but BMW bodged it up and walked away.

I'm sick of either filling the tank to the brim and suffering a heavier bike than necessary so I've provided a back stop option.

Would anyone put up with this shit on even the cheapest car? Of course not. So why do so many find every excuse under the sun to let lazy BMW designers off the hook.
Click to expand...

You bought a GSA and are now complaining that it's a heavy bike?

Would you prefer it if the software chappie decided to do the ABS brake checks last then?

The trip system works fine as it is - no need to change it.

The reliability of the fuel strip is pants granted, but the design is an excellent idea :D
 
"I'm sick of either filling the tank to the brim and suffering a heavier bike than necessary so I've provided a back stop option (of carrying a can of fuel)."




Surely carrying an extra can of fuel will equate to the same weight issue? :nenau
 
Nippy Normans supply Touratech, Wunderlich, Desert Fox and many other makes of accessories.
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