Recovering a drowned GSA1200 (2016 model)
 

Hello fellow BMW riders,

I am planning a trip from Brisbane to Tasmania (Australia) and there are a few creek crossings for me along the way.

Thinking about the worst and should I happen to go down in a water crossing and believe that water has passed into the air intakes and/or exhaust, then how do I recover the bike before starting it?

I know I would have to remove the spark plugs somehow but is there anything else I should do? What about removing the exhaust? Or is water that accumulated in there going to be blown out?

Would most of you take a few litres of oil because if there is water in the oil then we would have to drain and replace the whole lot right?. How does one achieve this?

Also - not related to the above but on a long journey are you carrying tire irons and tubes with you or just a tire plug kit. Tubes and tire levers add a fair bit of weight and I would have to say that most people I've spoken to get away with just using a tire plug kit so chances of using it would be perhaps 2%.

Thank you in advance


Ben

I have tubed tyres anyway and I always carry tyre irons and tubes on trips, I even took them to use on my rental bike in Thailand. They are only light weight and fortunately I have not used them yet

Wayne

G'day Lonerider

Thanks for your response.

Were you travelling on a GS1200? and if so what type of tubes did you carry with you?

Would you not recommend taking a patch of tube say 4 by 4 inches, glueing it to the area required from the inside to save weight?


Ben

Are you riding ALONE? Perhaps a buddy running tubes can carry tire irons. But I would ALWAYS carry tubes in case of side wall slice or big hole too big to plug.

The first thing to remember with a drowned bike is:
1. Shut off engine ASAP after you fall. A running engine will SUCK in water fast.
2. Get the bike UPRIGHT immediately. Once it's UP again you can rest and get help to get her across to dry land.

3. Once on dry land, pull plugs, lean bike over on each side, open air box, drain water out by laying on it's side. With help, stand bike UP on back wheel to allow exhaust pipes to drain.

If you do all this quickly, chances are good oil will be OK, and even if it turns baby poop brown, you can run it quite a distance without damage if not TOO diluted with water. But if it's badly diluted ... change it ASAP. NO ... I would not carry extra oil. Main thing is ... DON'T fall off into water! :nuke:

This is all different if bike is totally submerged with engine running. NOT GOOD.
Also, if it's Salt water ... much more serious problems exist.

But ... if minor, then ...Once all water has been drained best you can (as described above), dry out air filters best you can if wet. Leave plugs out while drying.

Once dry and all water drained, with plugs OUT and filters OUT, crank engine over to expel any left over water. Hold throttle WIDE OPEN during this part. Run starter in 5 second intervals, waiting 30 sec. in between cranking.

Once all water is expelled, filters fairly dry, re-install plugs, blowing out plug connectors, re-install air filters and air box covers. Fire her up. After 5 minutes, check color of oil. It may be discolored ... baby poop brown ... if not too bad, ride on and change at first opportunity.

Pick your line carefully and watch buddies who go before you. Be aggressive, but no need to ride super fast, just be smooth and steady on power. Look way ahead of where you want to go ... and don't "Death Grip" the bars.
Never hesitate once you start.
bier

Mollydog,

Thanks very much for the reply. That was a really good response and I'll take that piece of advice with me on the ride.

Now I just have to figure out how to get the air filter out and spark plugs etc.

Would you not just carry a patch of tube to put over the torn side wall rather than putting a whole tube inside the tire? Maybe even a patch on top of another patch then the air inside the tire could hold it in place. What do you think of that?

Thanks for responding

Hi Ben

My bike is a XT600e and the hire bike was a CRF250L. I prefer to carry tubes for both front and rear, both heavy duty

Never even thought of that, but think I would still prefer tubes

Wayne

http://www.morocco-knowledgebase.net/photos/e23065.jpg
R1200GSA with tubeless TKC80s

After 250,000 miles on various BMWs with TKC80 tubeless tyres without a puncture I was bored one day and seeing as the back tyre needed changing I used an electric drill to puncture the tyre so I could test my skills with my virgin unused tubeless repair kit. At which stage I found it was a POS.

So if I'm riding a tubeless-equipped bike I now carry a 'Stop 'n Go' tyre plugger plus electric pump.

I never carried a spare tube or tyre levers/irons on a tubeless setup. My preference nowadays is for mousses—don't need to carry anything at all.

No way to effectively patch a sidewall ... especially on the side of the road. It will never hold. Even a big hole can be hard to put a plug in or patch.

A tire shop MIGHT be able to fix the tire ... but when traveling ... a tube in the tire is your best option. Its what we do. It works.

Be SURE to check and clean inside tire for sharp debris before installing your new tube. Often times bits of nail, screws or staples are hiding in the tire. You won't see it ... but can FEEL it with your hand. (Use caution)

I would go over your owners manual to learn how to remove plugs and air filter and such.

Go to owners forums to get other experiences on drowned out GS's and how the owners handle it. Many do the WRONG THING ... and RUIN their engine ...
HydroLoc is always a danger if engine fills up with water ... and then crank it over. (It will bend a rod ... RUINED!)

Guys also ride with too much water in the oil .... and never even know it ...
once again ... RUINED ENGINE.

If crossing really deep water, have friends standing by to help or let a more experienced rider take the bike across the water. I rode a friends R1200GS out of a very tough area in Mexico's Copper Canyon. He had fallen 5 times ... and finally was exhausted. He rode my Vstrom out ... which he found much easier.

Practice at home taking things apart, doing basic services: Oil and filter change, Air filter change, Spark Plug change. Practice also removing wheels from bike, learn where all the spacers and bits and pieces go.

bier

Never had to do it myself - even in my wing, prayer and no money early biking days, but I have seen African bus drivers stitching rips in tyre sidewalls with a large "needle" (looked something like an awl) and string.

The idea was to hold the two sides together so the tube wouldn't bulge out of the gap when it was inflated. I've no idea how far you'd get like that but one bus was in the desert at least 50 miles from the nearest town so it had better have worked.

Agreed about checking the inside of the tyre for sharp bits. It doesn't take much to put (another) hole in the tube. It's best done with your bare fingertips - but very carefully. If there is something sticking out it'll rip your fingers as easily as the tube. :(

Thanks mate.

:clap:

:thumbup1:

I have several times over 250k miles on various motos, including BMW tubeless. I get flats all too often and I'm good at fixing them on the side of the road. If you carry a SnG kit, do also carry the gold gummy worm style plugs plus a plug insertion tool. I found the SnG plugs did not seal on several occasions, and on the advice of a small moto shop here, made the switch to the gold gummy worm plugs. When you ream out the hole and then insert the plug, make a twist with your insertion tool to form a "knot" in the end of the plug to hold it in place inside the tire. Not bashing SnG or TC, but my experience with SnG is such that I won't depend on it.

Plus One on negative experience with Stop & Go plugs. Maybe LD and I are doing something wrong? But I've tried to fix two moderate holes with the Stop & Go ... and both failed! doh

I've never had such issues using the sticky worm plugs ... done many repairs ... mostly for friends and even strangers. All good. I have the Stop & Go kit but will GIVE IT AWAY to the guy who buys my Tiger 1050! I can't use it.

There is some technique in installing the worm. Use LOTS of glue, double it up going in, twist and pull tool back out and this should UN-HOOK the worm from the insert tool, leaving worm securely in the hole.

If in doubt, practice doing this on an old tire off the bike. Bring
extra tubes of rubber cement. (not big ones as they'll get punctured and make a mess). Lots of small tubes best. (or a big jar maybe?)
bier

I've seen the Mexicans patch in similar way with big side wall rips. They stitch and then VULCANIZE it, setting the whole mess on fire! Really toxic but damn if it doesn't work. I saw this on a truck tire. (expensive). A friend on a Baja ride had his side wall repaired in a similar way, I never saw it, just heard about it later. He made another 1000 miles of tough terrain. If the tube BULGES out, it's likely to get popped at some point. HD tubes stays in the tire better. Soft tube, not so much. The Mexican Llanteros are absolute wizards at this sort of improvisation ... but it's a dying art as nearly everything, everywhere there is now paved over (not good for riders!).

Apologies, but can only contribute an educational video under the heading: How to recover a drowned Honda Transalp xl600v (1988 model)

https://youtu.be/6maYFQEnokk



Please persevere beyond the first 10 seconds that some viewers might find amusing :D

Autographs can be signed on request. Any comments regarding the actor's shorts, please address to his mum. :blushing:

OMG.

Good work getting it going.

I think I would have sat down in the :rain: , had a few beer and gone :taz:

Was it wrong that I just kept watching the first 15 secs over & over until I laughed ? :rofl:Nice shorts too !
I think we have all been guilty of drowning a bike or two:mchappy:
Have never failed to get it going again :scooter:
Bad day well documented chris, thanks :thumbup1:

Most need only one watching :innocent:

Every so often the video pops up on social media and the diatribe of liquid faeces being spouted by armchair "experts" and other "persons" about what I shoulda/ coulda/ they woulda done or not done is highly amusing. Also, Moritz, the guy who filmed it it, gets a lot of rap from the assorted keyboard heroes for not helping me...

The whole event lasted about 2.5 hours. Of those 150 minutes, the video is 4 mins 36 seconds at its final edit. The other 145 minutes and 24 seconds he was a huge help (except the bit where he's filming himself draining the water out of his boots... :D ). It didn't occur to said wacky racer types that he can't hold a camera and lend a hand simultaneous, except the for the bit where his helmet cam is on his head or set up to film us while he's helping.

One clown even posted I should have just pressed the go button and the water would have just shot out of the exhaust and I could have ridden away without the whole fuss... doh

Glad the shorts are popular! :rofl:

yeah, mousses would be nice if only they were indestructible. Unfortunately they're not, they can overheat and get damaged so still carrying a tubes and strong zip ties is essential for longer rides in remote areas. Also, mousse are still freaking expensive for what it is.

You did a fantastic job at getting it going. The only learning outcome would be to stand and keep both feet on the pegs. I only started doing this after a mate who is an endure champion schooled me on it. Here is a great link;

https://youtu.be/BBEXt1V6E2g


He makes a very good point at the 3.00 minute mark.

Please don't take it as a criticism.

Another shoulda woulda coulda!

The following video is just as useful as an aid as the one suggested.



Probably best just to laugh at the comedy value of me falling over and my shorts. And how to remove the water from the motor and various orifices.

The next morning the oil level was an inch over max and milky. Did oil and filter change around the back of the hotel car park. Didn't ask hotelier if I was allowed to do it there as I might not have liked the answer.

Sorry Chris I was being polite in my post and gently suggesting a more suitable way of riding. Perhaps not for you but for others watching the clip.

Had you ridden correctly you most probably would not have been washed over. This means standing on the footpegs so you can balance the bike by placing your weight as low as possible on the frame.

Your weight was solely on the seat which means that your ability to counter balance was zero as you only have your butt cheeks to control the bike.

If you doubt what I am saying youtube enduro riders. I would be amazed if you found any of them with their feet dangling by the side of the bike on a river crossing.

I take it my gentle criticism is similar to other comments that have been made?

Will withdraw from this dialogue. Happy riding.

really, you behave like a cocky kid...LOL
:thumbdown:

A computer on wheels is probably the worst bike to cross rivers with. With all the known problems with nonsence electronics and kardan failure

http://reisemotorrad.eu/small/bmw_1200gs_021.jpg


the last thing i woul worry about are tubes. You cant even put them in because the valves are special if you have the air pressure sensor (wich has to be replaced every few years for ca. $200 + Tax + Laber because BMW weldet the battery in so you cant change it HAHA).

http://reisemotorrad.eu/small/bmw_1200gs_019.jpg

Not talking about the loss of value per Kilometer of a BMW compared to a lets say trustfull, old Honda...

Your Utube link is not showing up in your last post above, but I was able to click the link off notification post to see it.

Great stuff! Those guys worked well together to get the bike out of water and going.

I AM surprised the GS took in SO MUCH water as it was only on it's side for a few seconds before they got it upright and pushed it out of river. Maybe the bike was running when it went into water and water was sucked in?
Dunno! Glad he made it out! :thumbup1:

Not sure what i did wrong with the youtube link.

The GS air filter is in a poor position IMO so it probably just sucked it in. There is some wisdom in pushing bikes across deeper water if you have other riders with you. Can save some huge headaches. :rain: