Gina's BMW in Iowa City has taken over new ownership and will also deal with Triumph motorcycles...Gina and Julius are retiring...wish them much happiness
Gina's BMW
- Thread starter Reniram
- Start date
junglejim
Site Supporter
That place sounded familiar. I gassed up across the road last year and saw the motorcycle shop as I was pulling out of the gas station. I just couldn't get my NT to turn onto the highway and it headed straight across the street to the BMW shop. Nice people. I kicked the tires on a R1200RT and talked to a guy who just bought a new K bike. It was a nice gas stop that turned into a rest stop.
I guess I needed a rest stop at that point too, because I thought I was already in Illinois at the time. That is what too much time on I-80 will do to you.
I guess I needed a rest stop at that point too, because I thought I was already in Illinois at the time. That is what too much time on I-80 will do to you.
Uh oh - I did the same thing in Houston recently. That could be dangerous .
(I do NOT need a new bike. I do NOT need a new bike. I do NOT need a new bike.)
junglejim
Site Supporter
Just exactly which "thing" did you do?
Wander into a motorcycle shop on a whim or forget what state you were in?
I think one is more dangerous than the other, but I'm not sure which.
Both !!
"Test riding" a bike at a dealership is dangerous - but then, its very dangerous to ride in Houston traffic.
Fortunately, I managed to escape both.
bicyclist
Guest
I'd heard good things about Gina's, too. I stopped in when I was having stalling problems with my F800ST. They were no help and weren't interested in looking at it. <shrug>
BMW of Atlanta, on the other hand, dropped what they were doing, took the bike into their shop, and tried to determine the problem. No solution, unfortunately, but I give them credit for making an effort. BMW of Denver, BMW of Missoula and BMW of Boise all made an effort, as well, with no success. Bob's BMW finally fixed it after I figured out the problem and proved it.
BMW of Atlanta, on the other hand, dropped what they were doing, took the bike into their shop, and tried to determine the problem. No solution, unfortunately, but I give them credit for making an effort. BMW of Denver, BMW of Missoula and BMW of Boise all made an effort, as well, with no success. Bob's BMW finally fixed it after I figured out the problem and proved it.
George, you've probably told us before, but what was the problem you figured out?
bicyclist
Guest
Fuel pump failure when hot.
Did a new fuel pump eliminate the problem?
bicyclist
Guest
Yes. The early bikes also had idle air hoses which could become kinked and cause stalling. They were replaced with pre-formed hoses that eliminated the problem (another example of BMW using their customers as beta testers). There was a tendency to blame fuel pump controllers on the F800s because of controller failures on the GS models, a known problem. However, on the GS models, the controller was exposed and subject to corrosion, but that was not the case with the F800 and there were few actual failures although a lot of controllers were replaced on suspicion. Another cause of stalling is that the bikes are tuned very lean at idle to meet emissions standards. That problem can be improved by fooling the intake air temperature sensor to think that the temperature is colder than actual which causes the controller to richen the mixture.
Getting the pump replaced took over a month of down time because there were no parts in the US and the pump assembly had to come from Germany. Several world travelers, stranded in far off places by the pump trouble, wound up bodging up repairs by cutting the Bosch pump off the assembly and replacing it with whatever they could find. There are several small car pumps that will work.