Baby powder

[Marvey]

It's a good trick, but I didn't come up with it. Heard it from a bike mechanic ages ago and used it myself today.

An oil leak developed on the GS1100GK here about a week ago. After tolerating it for a few days, it needed to go. I knew it was on the front of the motor, so I had the general location down.

Degreased the whole motor, dried it, put baby powder on suspect areas, took it for a short spin and there it was.

The leak showed itself redhanded.

The fix was easier than I imagined it would be before the diagnosis, during the "what if" stage, and I rode it home and have confirmed success.

Spray the powder off with water after victory. Burning baby powder smells funny. Not as funny as burning oil...

 

[Nessism]

Good suggestion. Athletes foot spray is reputed to work well also.

 

[bwringer]

I used foot powder spray to diagnose a failed Vesrah base gasket & o-ring. My hatred for Vesrah now knows no bounds... upon disassembly, I found that several other gaskets and o-rings had also failed after one year of use. The cam chain tunnel o-ring literally crumbled to dust. Vesrah sucks. Hard. I hate them and everyone else should too.

Foot powder residue also smells really bad when it gets hot...

 

[Matchless]

This is an excellent tip! Thanks. Everytime I learn something new it makes me realise how much there is to know!

 

[Marvey]

... I hate them and everyone else should too.

Not making light of your frustration, but that statement is funny as all hell.

 

[tkent02]

Vesrah sucks. Hard. I hate them and everyone else should too.

I hate Vesrah as well!
Thanks for saving me the heartache of learning to hate them myself!
Vesrah SUCKS!

Also Ridenow sucks, I hate them and everyone else should too!

 

[jimcor]

I used foot powder spray to diagnose a failed Vesrah base gasket & o-ring. My hatred for Vesrah now knows no bounds... upon disassembly, I found that several other gaskets and o-rings had also failed after one year of use. The cam chain tunnel o-ring literally crumbled to dust. Vesrah sucks. Hard. I hate them and everyone else should too....

So what's the answer? OEM? Other after market?

Now hating Vesrah in KY.

 

[bwringer]

So what's the answer? OEM? Other after market?

Now hating Vesrah in KY.

OEM is the only answer.

You can add Cometic to my List of Hate, too -- I replaced everything in the top end with stock gaskets and o-rings, which are working great, but I installed a Cometic head gasket. I could tell at a glance that it was a low-quality hunk of hateful, wavy, crud, but I was in a hurry. So I cleaned up the mistakes as best I could with a Dremel and installed it anyway.

Guess what's leaking now? It's only leaking a little, but I'm sure it'll get worse.

I think Cometic is known to make OK gaskets for the GS1100E and 1150E, but I can tell you right now that their GS750/850 head gasket is not worth a nickel. I was stupid to go ahead and install it.

 

[NATEO]

I hate Vesrah as well!
Thanks for saving me the heartache of learning to hate them myself!
Vesrah SUCKS!

Also Ridenow sucks, I hate them and everyone else should too!

ride now does suck. at least in Phoenix. and they are buying other sucky dealers (namely, Metro Motorsports). their reputation just keeps sinking. which is great for my shop!

 

[earlfor]

I've had no problem with Vesrah gaskets and "O" rings. 30,000 miles later on my 1150, she leaked not a drop anywhere.

Earl

 

[Marvey]

Ridenow, Town and Country, AZ powersports group.

All one in the same, terrible folks. Basically the Van Tuyle of the two wheeled world. Stunting bikes while in service, incorrect setup of new machines, r**ing buyers of new machines, etc.

The only way to do business with these guys is to know what you're doing. If you have experience in the sales realm, particularly automotive sales, you'll do fine (this means new machines AND PARTS). Don't take guff, check your numbers (price and PART #'s), etc.

If you're green and hoping for a friendly helping hand through the process, go somewhere else, these guys know what they're doing and will tear you up.

Don't take your machine there for service.
Buy a new machine there only if you're bitter and seasoned. (I nailed them on the R1..)