New Owners - Stupid Questions Thread

Thanks, good to know the feature is still there as a safety backup just in case I forget to cancel the signal myself, that's what I wanted to confirm.

Sounds like a great time to read your owners manual!

Read it the other day but didn't pick up this point . . that's why I did the search in here and tried Googling for the answer before posting (not my first rodeo) . . but I do appreciate your sarcasm ;-)

Really I'm just jealous cause I'm on the other side of the country in near flatland with freezing rain. And my bike is an '09.

I'm sure the 700 software is similar in that you can adjust your signal cancelling preferences with the BMW computer. When it's in for first service you can ask them to change it since it'll be hooked up anyway to change your service reminder. Should be a free change. It can cancel on time or distance and with a few different selections within each.

......and I'd rather be a smart ass then a dumb ass I always say.

. . . hey Reaver, I'm right there with ya on that last point :) . . and thanks for contributing your knowledge and expertise, much appreciated . . now if this friggin rain would just go away so I can enjoy this enjoy this beautiful new bike and the great mountain and lake riding terrain I have at my doorstep . . cheers!

Lol . . ok . . don't know where you're 'in transition from/to' in Ontario but I lived in Manotick for a few years and there is beautiful riding country around there and in the Gateneau, although I didn't have a bike at the time.

Not even that lucky. Just Google "Busiest Highway in North America" and you've found me. I'm biking to LA this fall for a break on traffic.

I did a vinyl wrap on mine myself. It has lasted about a year, at it is starting to show some signs of wear. I got the vinyl for very cheap. I had never wraped anything before, and managed to get it covered. Its not very pretty in spots.

I did get a quote form a vinyl shop to do it for $150. A lot cheaper than paint, plus it protects the paint, and you can just peel it off when you want to sell the bike. It would probably help the resale a bit keeping it a stock color.

Ryan

Thanks Ryan , I'll look into that. Do you have some pictures, including some with the wear?
Leo

http://www.advrider.com/forums/showpost.php?p=18366641&postcount=24


I don't have any recent pictures. And like I said, that was a first attempt. Ill probably have a shop do it next time. I was really short on time when I did it, and i couldn't get anybody to do it in time. Like it was 2 in the morning the night before a trip... Shop around for a shop as well. One shop I went to said it was impossible to wrap a motorcycle, and if the could do it, it would cost $500. Another I went to said they wrap bikes all of the time and ti was $125 if I pulled the plastic off for them.


Ryan

I was riding the wifes 650 twin around yesterday, and was shutting off the ABS to screw around a little.

Anyway, later in the day, i notice that it was off when i started the bike. No typical flash, and then off of the light. Just solid on (ABS off) so i though huh, abs must be broken...

But holding down the button turns it on, and it functions....

And now every time i start the bike the ABS is off, and I have to manually turn it back on....


Thoughts??

Ryan

By default the indicators switch off after approximately 300m. The only issue is when riding in places like certain parts of France where it's customary/common practice to keep indicating while passing (even on the motorway) - not a problem for 1 or 2 cars, but if you're passing for much longer you need to reactivate them a number of times.

Why not ride it in the wet? Isn't that like the Mediterranean/East Asian tradition of keeping the packing plastic on a new sofa until it perishes? ...postponing the inevitable? 400 miles from Leeuwarden NL to London, and then 330 from Lands End to London last year, both trips in absolute downpours - these bikes are fantastic in bad weather. If you're worried about bits corroding, get yourself some ACF-50.

I believe the ABS is off (light on) when the bike starts and once you are riding it activates (and the light goes off). This is normal -- you don't have to activate it --- it "calibrates" or whatever it does, and then is functional.

Seems to happen to people randomly. It will stay like that for a while and then all of a sudden, it goes back to normal.
There's been several accounts of it over the years but no one seems to know why it happens. Worse yet, it never stays that way!

The default "OFF" would be the best configuration if you ask me!!

Ryan

I got multiples of the "$500ish" in response to my request of local shops for vinyl wrap. A couple folks told me the angles on the GS bikes would be too hard. Glad to hear it is possible and I too will consider it.

So a 5'x4' sheet?

I used more than I thought I would. We had a bunch of left over from doing the 4x4s and the trailer, so i wasn't paying a ton of attention to how much, but probably a 5x6. It definitely turned out better doing 2 pieces of vinyl on the really curvy parts, rather than trying to do it in one shot as you can see by the pics. All of the nicer looking pieces were done with 2 pieces and a seam.

Also, I didn't do and of the black area. That part looks pretty tough to do as it has TONS of angles, So i just left it black.

Ryan

Well not a new owner at all but a "stupid question"... Mostly I didn't want to create a new thread for this since we have enough of them hanging around already:

I did some intense watercrossings today involving sand and rocks. The whole watercrossings did last for about 30 minutes. The problem now is that my rear feels heavy has hell and the bike won't go forward until I push it to 4000 rpm, and I really mean WON'T move until that. My first thought is that something got into my rear brake pads and is blocking my rear break. The clutch and the lever are fine. When I put it on centerstand the wheel spinning feels fine. Since it's not ride by wire I can't imagine that electronics are being an issue.
I cleaned the bike after the whole day and let it dry. Since it's dark outside I won't mess with the bike until tomorrow morning. My first step will be the take off the rear brake pads. Any other suggestions?

Thanks in advance,

Loutre -Tom

Just how deep was that water?