Smokey 1150 - asking for a friend

Engineer · May 17, 2022

I have a work colleague who is new to the GS world. He has a 2001 vintage 84,000 mile 1150GS.

He has an issue that he is trying to get to the bottom of.

Sometimes, BUT not always, to quote him, 'It smokes more than a Afghan taxi driver'

on starting.

The bike is normally parked on the side-stand.

Anyone got any idea what this could be?

Tristafarian · May 17, 2022

Oil gets past the rings and burns off at start. From what I understand this is normal occasionally if kept on side stand. My 04 GSA does it.

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buellzebub · May 17, 2022

They all do that, Sir.

Rich C · May 17, 2022

My 96 1100 with only 14k on the clock also does this. Seemingly randomly but certainly worse if left on side stand. Started it yesterday and no smoke at all after two weeks on Centre stand, I could go to it today and it would smoke. It used to stress me out but I've decided not to worry about it and treat it as character, rightly or wrongly.... it doesn't smoke when moving along either under hard acceleration or on the overrun and the oil consumption isn't excessive for one of these.

ThreeDawg · May 17, 2022

When I started selling BMWs for a 'living' I arranged all the bikes in the showroom neatly on their side stands (as we often did selling Japanese bikes at a well known chain of dealers) in a herringbone pattern only to be told to stick the lot back on their main stands otherwise they'd smoke like bastards when started. Funny bikes.

DrFarkoff · May 17, 2022

Engineer said:
The bike is normally parked on the side-stand.

Anyone got any idea what this could be?

2 things .... Park it on Centre stand But Also Tell him NOT To keep topping up the oil level!!!

I used to have this problem on my 1200 the solution was a moment of clarity When a BikerMate told me how his R100GS paralever burned a lot of oil if he topped it up and It stopped when he let it get down to about a third from the low to the top mark, at this stage It near enough stopped burning oil !!!

As I said to him, "That would be to do with two 1/2 litre paint cans slapping up and down the bores and smashing the schite out of the oil!"

Basically Once its down to "It's own level" it stops pulverising the schite out of the oil and getting sucked through the induction and burning off

So with my 1200 after a good run out I leave it on the sidestand for 5 or 10 mins to allow the oil cooler to drain down (thermostatic valve) while I get my gear off and then I go out and parked it in the garage on it's centre stand Check it then or before riding off

I check in the sightglass and as long as it is 1/3rd full I am content

It used to use a litre plus between services as I nanny'd the fucker topping it up to full

Once I realised what a twat I was and stopped topping it all the way to full! It basically nearly stopped burning off oil completely

Engineer · May 17, 2022

Thanks, great information, I'll feed it back to my work colleague.

fox889 · May 18, 2022

On the very odd occasion I've put mine on the side stand, I've s*** a brick & put it back on the main stand....huge amount of weight on one pivot point.

Nando654321 · May 18, 2022

DrFarkoff said:
2 things .... Park it on Centre stand But Also Tell him NOT To keep topping up the oil level!!!

I used to have this problem on my 1200 the solution was a moment of clarity When a BikerMate told me how his R100GS paralever burned a lot of oil if he topped it up and It stopped when he let it get down to about a third from the low to the top mark, at this stage It near enough stopped burning oil !!!

As I said to him, "That would be to do with two 1/2 litre paint cans slapping up and down the bores and smashing the schite out of the oil!"

Basically Once its down to "It's own level" it stops pulverising the schite out of the oil and getting sucked through the induction and burning off

So with my 1200 after a good run out I leave it on the sidestand for 5 or 10 mins to allow the oil cooler to drain down (thermostatic valve) while I get my gear off and then I go out and parked it in the garage on it's centre stand Check it then or before riding off

I check in the sightglass and as long as it is 1/3rd full I am content

It used to use a litre plus between services as I nanny'd the fucker topping it up to full

Once I realised what a twat I was and stopped topping it all the way to full! It basically nearly stopped burning off oil completely

This was very interesting for me to read as oil burning is something that I have been worrying about! So what we are essentially saying is “don’t worry, this is normal for these bikes”

As to your theory on 1/3 of oil level, mine continues to burn below that so I’m going to play it safe and keep my level fairly high as I want my bike to last many years yet!!!

Two wheels good · May 18, 2022

Engineer said:
Thanks, great information, I'll feed it back to my work colleague.

And drain the airbox. Plug on left side near gearbox mount.
Unlikely to be the cause but worth a look.

DrFarkoff · May 18, 2022

Nando654321 said:
As to your theory on 1/3 of oil level, mine continues to burn below that so I’m going to play it safe and keep my level fairly high as I want my bike to last many years yet!!!

Does the rate of loss decrease?? or stay constant ??

When you are down to the bottom of the sight glass there is still approximately 3 litres of Oil in reserve!

Are you riding it like Rossi or Marquez and Hoofing it along on the back wheel ???

If not it will be fine!

Bem · May 18, 2022

When I had an 1150 it was a part-time smoker up to about 15k. As DocF says, I became less interested in keeping it topped up at every occasion and the oil consumption improved to about half litre per thousand miles. Happy to let it go for a song at 31k.

ahebron · May 23, 2022

A mate has a Leyland Panther house bus fitted with a Leyland TL11 flat 6 turbo engine.
When he parks it outside his house for a few months after returning from christmas holidays the first start up is like a heavy oil scented fog has descended on the neighbourhood.

MotoRevive · May 23, 2022

fox889 said:
On the very odd occasion I've put mine on the side stand, I've s*** a brick & put it back on the main stand....huge amount of weight on one pivot point.

Not really. Most of the weight is on the wheels. Assuming a flat surface. This is why 300KG bikes can have spindly aluminium side stands.

Smokey 1150 - asking for a friend

Engineer

He/Him - Guitar Student and Electronics Engineer

Tristafarian

Registered user

buellzebub

Maximum Mayhem

Rich C

Well-known member

ThreeDawg

Registered user

DrFarkoff

Grumpy Ole Git!!!

Engineer

He/Him - Guitar Student and Electronics Engineer

fox889

Member

Nando654321

Active member

Two wheels good

Well-known member

DrFarkoff

Grumpy Ole Git!!!

Bem

younger than some, older than others

ahebron

Well-known member

MotoRevive

Well-known member

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