Fuel strip poll

[Alfred02]

No such conclusions should be drawn from an unscientific sampling.

The poll was done out of interest to see a trend.
Nobody is trying to prove/disprove Einstein's theory of relativity.
I don't think we need a peer review.
At the beginning the numbers were very low, but as people keep adding their failures/none failures, the trend has been consistent.
It's just an out of interest poll.

[tmwilmotte]

Ref my previous 10-30-2012 post. I just replaced the replacement. Original failed at about 7,000 miles. The first replacement never worked properly from the get-go. The dealer replaced it last week at 7400 miles (again under warranty). The 2nd replacement is working, but not nearly as accurate as the original -- it registers full on a full tank, but drops to 3/4 full after only 30 miles and the low fuel level light comes on at only 170 miles. Frustrating. I'm going to run a few more full tanks through this one and if it still doesn't register accurately, take it back to the dealer again for another replacement under warranty (until Feb 2013).

[lbarbee]

FWIW, my dealer said methanol additives etch thru the strip where the air/fuel level meet in tank. I am not a chemist. He said always store bike full. I.e. strip not exposed to air. No failure since.
This is a scientific sample size of 1.

[lbarbee]

And ethanol production in us ramped up dramatically around ....... Wait for it........ 2007

[lbarbee]

Ref my previous 10-30-2012 post. I just replaced the replacement. Original failed at about 7,000 miles. The first replacement never worked properly from the get-go. The dealer replaced it last week at 7400 miles (again under warranty). The 2nd replacement is working, but not nearly as accurate as the original -- it registers full on a full tank, but drops to 3/4 full after only 30 miles and the low fuel level light comes on at only 170 miles. Frustrating. I'm going to run a few more full tanks through this one and if it still doesn't register accurately, take it back to the dealer again for another replacement under warranty (until Feb 2013).

Mine was funky on the first couple of tanks. My dealer did say they have to calibrate by draining the fuel, put in a known volume, etc. maybe they botched the calibration?

[roamingbeemer]

Just reading thru this thread again to see the updates and I realized I may have voted incorrectly since it appears I do not have a fuel strip. I just saw the note regarding the 2011 models being only applicable to the R12R model. I have the 2011 GSA. Is this correct that I do not have a strip?

[b25bsaboy]

No for me for the 2009 BMW R12RT with 114,000 kilometre's registered.

Knock wood!

[yonderbob]

Mine's a 2012, not listed in the poll, but the fuel strip went bad almost right out of the box. Dealer replaced it and no problems since, about 5,500 miles ago.

Bob

[cooptroop]

'05 R1200RT with 30k, no failure yet.

[davesbmw]

OK
The fuel strip survey tells the story most of us that have lived through the plague of multiple strip failures already knew.

The bikes from 2007 and newer have crappy strips and continue to have trouble even when replaced.

The way to solve this issue once and for all is to quit complaining to BMW about them (it falls on deaf ears anyway) and to take the course some of us have chosen

Get rid of the bikes and do not purchase anymore that have this issue.

Until we as consumers stop sending BMW our hard earned money they will continue to provide us with CRAPPY replacement strips

It is sad that such a small issue but so frustrating has caused a lot of us to go elsewhere for our riding enjoyment

Dave

2007 1200R sold
20081200GS sold
2008 1200R still own on the seventh strip
2008 motoguzzi norge no strip problems
1983 R80 RT no strip problems

[wellston]

Number 5 installed this week. Maybe this one is the one.

[GeoffBH]

The good news is this is the first one that failed FULL . The yellow triangle stays off so I'm just going to keep it (at least for another year and a half until the part warranty expires).

[R1200RClassic]

2012 Classic R... no fail (yet), but accuracy leaves something to be desired.

[stphnchnr]

All is well with no signs of failure.
S

[k12lts]

2009 RT replaced when bike was near new. Replaced again about 20k. That one is still fine one year and 8k later.