How Should You Ride Through Water

[Wizard]

Vacuum cleaner hose, I suspect.

 

[Greg Masters]

This one can go very deep.

Erm, the last time I saw that snorkel, it was stuck in quite shallow water!



Greg

 

[Nice 'n' Fat]

I've always wondered what the advantages are of submerging a hot engine and transmission into cold water

 

[Greg Masters]

I've always wondered what the advantages are of submerging a hot engine and transmission into cold water

This came up some time ago in this thread

Greg

 

[HMR]

One detail one should consider before riding with the GS in deep water is the starter. It's a standard car starter made in Poland, it's mounted at the bottom of the engine and it's open for water.

I drove once through 60 cm deep sweetwater. After some time the starter begun to sound bad to I took it apart. I found that all grease was gone from the planet gear and instead it was filled with sand. BMW replaced it on warranty.

Rule 1: After riding through deep water you must take the starter apart, clean it, and grease the planet gear.

Rule 2: After riding through salt water you will have a green starter. Sell the bike as fast as you can!

 

[rdover]

Be warned even the biggest of vehicles can have problems admittedly in water over 4' deep.

 

[rdover]

an interior shot

 

[SpyInTheCamp]

Be warned even the biggest of vehicles can have problems admittedly in water over 4' deep.

That's what you get for buying a one tonnie!

Kai

 

[LiquidLAN]

This came up some time ago in this thread

Greg

Cheers for pointing that one out Greg, I did a search before but couldnt find anything like this.

Putting the thermal shock stuff aside, its an excellent solution, its really simple which is the key to all excellent solutions. I had all kinds of ideas for mods using drysuit wrist seals etc, but this is really cool.

Sorry Blue Sweeper, the smartar*e comment wasn't meant as a personal dig, I'm just really with the simplicity of the mod.

Good one BiG DoM... thats some smart thinking!

 

[Phil Clarke]

I don't think the thermal shock issue is a problem - I've ridden a number of aircooled bikes through very deep water and i have never had any bother. I think cast iron (in the liners) is pretty resistant to this kind of behaviour once it has anealed (probably after only a few hundred miles) and given that the grade used for liners has a similar rate of expansion to the alloy then its unlikely to cause the liner to break away from the barrel.

If it was a problem people would be siezing their bikes everytime they ran through a puddle.

Phil

 

[Gas'd Off]

How Should You Ride Through Water ?

As Fast And Out Of Control As Possible.
But first, check to see if the water is sufficiently muddy and smelly, then line yourself up and give it the berries. If you actually make it through that is OK but it's much better for everyone if you get to the deepest point, stall and fall over. Then stand up looking like the creature from the black lagoon and take a bow to your audience

 

[JohnnyBoxer]

On my Honda XR's I've had it lapping level on the seat in the past (even deeper than the pic below) and never drowned a bike

Airbox up high, naturally

The GS maybe a semi offroad bike, but it's NOT a specifically purpose built off-road bike from the ground up so to speak.

Basically all the 4v boxer engines & bikes have the same airboxes/electrics/fuel injection/drivetrains/frames/wheels/forks..........so despite what we think BMW just give it a few tweaks and a bit of off-road styling for a GS when basically it is a road going BMW bike derivative

Can't really see the attraction of fording on a GS, when potential engine damage/crash damage/self harm through injury is a very realistic probability

I keep mine firmly on Tarmac and polish it in a way that Tarka would approve - feck buying a bike for £10k and throwing through a 2' Ford or muddy rut & rock strewn off road section

Pic below from the Picos was pretty deep,long and with a fast eddy - you'll be pleased to know after a crafty dab I stayed on, didn't drop it and rode through the rest of it feet-up

 

[Mutley]

Is that Fast Eddy on the other bank?

 

[JohnnyBoxer]

Personally I favour the - 'Wheelie through Water' (Keeps your feet dry )

1995 Cambrian Rally below................on cue for the Event photographer

 

[LiquidLAN]

The GS maybe a semi offroad bike, but it's NOT a specifically purpose built off-road bike from the ground up so to speak.

Basically all the 4v boxer engines have the airboxes/electrics/fuel injection/drivetrains/frames/wheels/forks..........so despite what we think BMW just give it a few tweaks and a bit of off-road styling for a GS when basically it is a road going BMW bike derivative

Can't really see the attraction of fording on a GS, when potential engine damage/crash damage/self harm through injury is a very realistic probability

I keep mine firmly on Tarmac and polish it in a way that Tarka would approve - feck buying a bike for £10k and throwing through a 2' Ford or muddy rut & rock strewn off road section

You know what... the more I read that, the more I think you've hit the nail on the head there...

 

[Engineer]

How Should You Ride Through Water?


Simple - don't, it's not designed for that sort of caper!

 

[rdover]

ONE TONNE! That is prime Swedish beef, 4.5 tonne 6x6 truck which has a small bout of hydrophobia.

 

[SpyInTheCamp]

ONE TONNE! That is prime Swedish beef, 4.5 tonne 6x6 truck which has a small bout of hydrophobia.

Oops - sorry. Didn't look properly. Seeing a one tonnie stranded or broken down seems so natural.

Kai

 

[(RIP) Stormchaser]

You know what... the more I read that, the more I think you've hit the nail on the head there...

I agree. There are a hundred reasons why I ride a GS, but drowning it in a river doesn't figure on the list. Another reason I didn't buy it was for enduro plugging round a waterlogged mountain/forest.

The GS is a road based bike that, as we all know, can perform well on gravel tracks (if you have the skills) but it is really a soft-roader at best. Any bike can be taken off-road of course (Sjaak Lucassen and R1). But if off-roading is your thing, why not use a true enduro bike and do it right?

I simply can't see the sense in taking a £10,000 road bike and trashing it. I have a background in competition trials so I think I have the right credentials to comment. That said, I think the limited off-road ability is useful - especially if you find yourself off the beaten track and need to get to where you need to be.

What I have said is a personal view and will likely raise howls of protest - fair enough. But I do really enjoy the photo's of GSs fording and mudplugging - it's just not for me.

PS: Liquidlan, none of this is remotely directed at you mate - I really sympathise with your situation - what a piece of bad luck. I hope you're back on the bike real soon.

 

[2 wheel humvee]

The GS maybe a semi offroad bike, but it's NOT a specifically purpose built off-road bike from the ground up so to speak.

Basically all the 4v boxer engines & bikes have the same airboxes/electrics/fuel injection/drivetrains/frames/wheels/forks..........so despite what we think BMW just give it a few tweaks and a bit of off-road styling for a GS when basically it is a road going BMW bike derivative

Can't really see the attraction of fording on a GS, when potential engine damage/crash damage/self harm through injury is a very realistic probability

I keep mine firmly on Tarmac and polish it in a way that Tarka would approve - feck buying a bike for £10k and throwing through a 2' Ford or muddy rut & rock strewn off road section

[/B]

Johnny and I have discussed this in the past and we share the same view,having both been brought up with a variety of trail/enduro/trial bikes etc.

Hat's off to those who do take their GS's fording/off roading,as long as the bike brings a grin to your face-that's what matters most

And in answer to the original question "How should you ride through water"
if it looks deeper than half way up the wheels find a bridge or another route