How to baffle the Rocketman?

[oilheadron]

P.S. I got a '98 BMW R1100R 75th Anniversary back in the Spring. What a great bike this is, my favorite so far of all. But ONLY after doing a tubular bar conversion (to get rid of the too high and too far back standard cast bars) and adding an F-15 sport shield.

[Rocketman]

Rocketman's Woes MAY be over (finally!)

My '82 GS850L has been at the shop for the past two weeks (mostly because it was so freezing out, I didn't have the onions to go pick it up!). Bike was road tested, dyno tested, etc. Remember, header #1 was freezing cold in relation to the other 3 cylinders. Results: Compression check Cylinder# 1,3 & 4 tested at 145; cylinder #2 at 120. Mechanic says a 10% +- differential is OK, and attributes it probably to long term storage & winterization, and crud build-up on valve. Doesn't think any issues with cylinders. Fuel feed screws seem to have been the culprit. Upon inspection, Screw #1 was only turned out 1/2 a turn, and 3,4 & 5 were turned out 6 turns (almost like not having screws in at all, I guess!). Can't imagine who did it, why or when, although the first mechanic I saw this past summer drilled out the factory plugs and did whatever he did. Who knows after that. Still kind of doesn't explain why all 4 cylinders and plugs were running so lean, and plugs were powdery white to tan in color with 3 cylinders turned 6 times out, but after all were re-adjusted 2-1/2 to 3 turns out now, all four cylinders are once again firing like new, no bogging down, stuttering or hesitation on acceleration, header temperatures are equally hot across the board and all (seems) okey-dokey. If all continues well into the Spring, only dilemma will be...do I ride the Zuke to the West Virginia Rally, or the new BMW R1200C? I feel obligated to take the Zuke after all the help and advice you all gave me, but time will tell. Later. Larry.

[Kabonkie]

Great news Larry!

Decisions, decisions. I've seen the pics of the GS, and I've seen the Beemer up close. Either one is pretty.

Good Luck.

[Rocketman]

Hey man...good to hear from you again. Thought you might have been buried under the snow. Heard winter in Denver has been brutal so far. See, if you lived on Long Island you might never see 14,000 foot peaks, and you'd certainly have your choice of salad dressings anywhere you'd go out to eat (Yes even Chili's on Long Island has Thousand Island dressing), but at least you'd avoid 3 foot snowfalls. We've had a very mild winter here so far. No accumulating snow at all, just a powdery dusting, not even measurable. Coldest day supposed to be coming this Friday, expected 20 degree high, with 10 degree "real feel" factoring in wind chills. Last weekend went to the Jacob Javits Center with Eric for the Int'l Bike Show. It was in the 20's out with 50 mph wind gusts. Can't say how it felt, but it took our breath away. Hope all is well with you and your family, and that winter ends quickly and quietly for you. Be well.

[Kabonkie]

Sure, rub it in. I'll remember this when it's 80 degrees outside and I'm out on the bike running up and down over 11,000 foot passes with all the twistys.
I'll be thinking of you when it only takes me 20 minutes to reach a great canyon run. And I can run that one up for a good run of about a half hour and take a totally seperate one with either great twists and turns or take the great sweepers and be home in either a hour or take all day to ride these kind of roads.

Okay, enough day dreaming... We've had 5 straight weekends of snow. I have a pile of snow that's at least 3 foot tall, it'd be taller except there has been some melting between snow falls.
The GS is sitting still in the back of the garage. I did get it started long enough to get some Sta-Bil in it. But with temps not above freezing for almost all of that 5 weeks, I haven't spent much time in the garage. In fact that truck we're doing for my daughter hasn't progressed in this time either.
What I have done is bought more toys. A 4X4 truck for my middle son, bad title, so I've been trying to get that straightened up and have finally been in contact with the original owner. I bought a pop-up camper for my bigger truck, or should I say stole one. Just about as good of a deal as the GS.
And of course getting of exercise, at least a good workout almost every week shovelling snow.

I really am glad to hear the GS is running well and it really wasn't a major issue causing the problems.
The pics of your son are great, looks like you guys had a great time.

So if you really miss the snow, feel free to fly back out. Or you can have a truck haul you some out. I'd even bet you could take the snow and ice that are still on the street in front of my house for free. And if that wasn't enough, there's at least a covering of 2 feet in my front yard you can have as well. Bet even the neighbors would throw some in free of charge.

Roger