My F800GS concerns addressed.

[springfish]

I love my 800GS. Like we say in the downhill mountainbike world…

"Shut up and Ride."

[mikewillsmith]

Just for the sake of those who are considering a F800GS I'd like to say that mine has none of these issues. A slightly touchy off idle throttle, but nothing bad, and nothing tjat I didn't get used to after a few miles. So much gets built up on internet rumors that I just wanted to say that, at least on my bike, there are no issues. No stailling, runs fine in heavy rain and deep puddles, no clunks, nothing.
I'm going to shut up and ride now! :)

[bxr140]

Originally Posted by Motoriley

Maybe the water is affecting a sensor or wiring connection. That would explain why some people have it and others don't.

Yep.

That's exactly the point I try to make anytime this comes up. There's much speculation but little analytical troubleshooting. SO unfortunately, the *true* cause of the problem has yet to be found.

[The Griz]

Originally Posted by bxr140

Yep.
SO unfortunately, the *true* cause of the problem has yet to be found.

Actaully Gus cured his with new spark plug caps. I wouldn't jump to the conclusion that this isn't the cause.

Let's keep our minds open here. The cause could be anything, even if you aren't the one to find it, bxr140!

I'd like to see if some one else can cure it up with new spark plug caps. If there are so many cases of this, and they all try this cure and it works. Problem solved. And the fact is that Gus is the first person to actually solve the issue with something that actualy seems feasible IMHO.

[WoodWorks]

Originally Posted by The Griz

And the fact is that Gus is the first person to actually solve the issue with something that actualy seems feasible IMHO.

It's certainly worth investigating, Griz. But Gus cured his problem with his Suzuki, not his BMW. So we're still a bit short of "solving" this particular problem, no? That said, how hard would it be for someone with "the problem" to hose down the spark plug caps while running the bike in the driveway?

David

[Motoriley]

Are there drain holes around the spark plug? Had a problem on my old Goldwing with a plugged hole letting water pool.

[tmex]

I don't think the plug cap explanation fits the symtoms that well. From what I have read, cycling power on a stalled F8 seems to return things to normal. How could a plug cap short produce a symptom like that? The short would not be cleared by power cycling. It would take quite some time for water in that area to dissipate even if the engine were very hot. My bet is still on a combination of sensor inputs which puts the ECU map in unknown territory. The reason not all bikes exhibit the symptom is that not all sensors are the same - there are manufacturing tolerances involved.

[The Griz]

I understand. I thought Gus cured it on his F800GS. I need to read better!

Interesting, tmex.

I'm just not buying the "ram air effect" case. I don't know why?

[gus]

Sorry if I misled you. I had this problem on my DR 650. It was tough to find. I rode it in the rain the first few times OK. Then it died while riding it in a hard rain. It got to the point riding on a wet road after a rain it would die. I sealed everything with silicone. I tried to drown it at home with the water hose and it wouldn't die. I knew I could not take this problem to a shop because it could only happen riding in the rain. And you had to ride it a ways and it was unpredictible when it would happen.It would sputter a few times and quit like you turned off the ignition switch. No one else had had that problem. The Tech at Ridge Motorsports in Batesburg SC suggested the spark plug caps. They had got a service bulletin from Polaris about a similar problem. My caps showed no signs of damage. I bought a pair of NGK caps and the old DR has not missed a beat no matter how hard it rains. And I ride in the rain a lot. BTW I also checked my sidestand, kill, and ignition switch too. I thought it may have been sucking water through the carb overflow hose.

Good Luck, Gus

I just wanted to offer you guys another possibility. I don't think there is any design flaw in the F8. Plug caps never crossed my mind but it was cheap to try and it worked for me.

[bxr140]

Originally Posted by tmex

My bet is still on a combination of sensor inputs which puts the ECU map in unknown territory.

Indeed. From the beginning I've thought it was *some* type of electrical issue rather than the more mechanical water-in-the-airbox. The symptoms *I've* experienced were mostly as if the timing advance went flat and stayed flat...what you might expect if the bike was reverting to some "safe mode" mapping. However, every once in a while while underway there'd be a chugga-chugga type quick cutout, and at idle it would always barely stumble and keep running...or just die.

On a brighter note, I just picked up my bike with the new fuel sensor. Glad to get off that Tiger loaner.

[The Griz]

Originally Posted by bxr140

Indeed. From the beginning I've thought it was *some* type of electrical issue rather than the more mechanical water-in-the-airbox. The symptoms *I've* experienced were mostly as if the timing advance went flat and stayed flat...what you might expect if the bike was reverting to some "safe mode" mapping. However, every once in a while while underway there'd be a chugga-chugga type quick cutout, and at idle it would always barely stumble and keep running...or just die.

On a brighter note, I just picked up my bike with the new fuel sensor. Glad to get off that Tiger loaner.

Glad you got your 8GS back, bxr140. I can't imagine living without my 8GS for too long! Let us know how the new fuel sensor works.

BTW, I just got back from another decent ride. I love this bike.

[on2wheels52]

" I know that they come mostly from a street riding background, and are not used to riding with fingers over the (brake) levers at all times."
ehhhhhhhh
I come from that proverbial street riding background, and unless it's a reeeaaaly wide open road I'm going to have a finger or two on the brake lever. Can one stay alive and not?
Jim

[WoodWorks]

Originally Posted by bxr140

On a brighter note, I just picked up my bike with the new fuel sensor. Glad to get off that Tiger loaner.

I just dropped off my bike for its 6K service, radiator hose recall, and to have the fuel sensor checked. Given my history, I'm fairly confident that my dealer's going to get the faulty resistance readings. So I'm very interested in your experience now that you've had the "fix" done, bxr140. Keep us apprised, willya?

David

[bxr140]

Originally Posted by The Griz

I can't imagine living without my 8GS for too long!

Well, I think it was a total of 6.5 hours...though to be fair, they called me 3 hours after I dropped it off.

Rode the Tiger a total of 5 miles. Like I said, glad to get off that bike...

[Lost Rider]

I just remembered another detail about riding in rain for extended periods with loss of power and stalling.
I have seen water pour out of my charcoal canister's drain tube numerous times. Once the day after a rainy ride while I was packing the bike about a cup of water (I checked) drained out. Other times were more random, but an equal amount of water. I have also opened up the air box to find water in it.

This was before I took my GS up to the intakes in a river if any of you saw that video of mine...
I'm not sure what it means, so I figured I'd throw it out to here what all the experts say.