R1200RT fumes kick back

[LOS]

I have a new R1200RT and I have noticed that I'm getting a sore throat every time I go for a ride. I have had various bikes in the past and I didn't experience this riding those bike. The RT is the first sit up bike I had K1200ST and Ducati ST3 and with the RT I seem to be getting kick back exhaust fumes going down the road from either the car ahead of me or a back draft from the exhaust coming out of the bike itself.

 

I looking to see if anybody else has experienced this. Is it the wind shield that's causing this. I have noticed that there are a couple of wind shield replacements out there that have cut-aways in the windshield to improve air flow.

 

I bought the RT to improve the riding position, and know I have to deal with breathing car fumes!

 

I would be interested in you thoughts.

[Mike05]

Hi & Welcome to the Board!

 

First thought I have is be sure your gas cap is completely closed; fumes can and will escape if it isn't snapped shut.

 

It may look like it's sealed but if not, you may experience smells like you're describing.

 

Never had any issue with exhaust coming back so no help there.

 

Good luck finding a cure, it's a great Bike.

 

[Twisties]

I've never heard of anything like this. I would suggest having the dealer check for an exhaust leak, just in case.

 

When the windshield is high it will create a backdraft against your back, but as I say, in three years on this board and going to bmw events I've never heard of this complaint.

 

So, it sounds like something is wrong to me.

[Exploreinman]

I've never heard of anyone complain of this in 4.5 years of riding an RT and reading this website.

[hopz]

Welcome on board. You might consider filling in your Profile and location. You will likely find someone in your area with experience.

 

Like the others have said... I do not recall ever hearing anything like your question before. And, as Twisties said (Jan)... the windshield on high will create quite a bit of back draft... that might be part of the issue.

 

Every rider rides their own ride here so there is no "right" answer. I like to keep the shield just below my line of sight- not looking through it, but just over it. I am short and I still get some suck-back of the air... but have not noticed road fumes.

 

Welcome on board.

[Bullett]

Welcome to the Board.

 

There is an audible and palpable "click" when the filler cap on the gas tank latches. It can look latched, but may not be latched. I have noticed a gas fume smell when I fail to properly close my gas cap. Go push on it and see if it clicks.

 

 

[drzep]

I haven't heard of a sore throat from petrol fumes. Usual symptoms are headache, dizziness, nausea, occasional double vision, and eventually mild confusion / disorientation after extended exposure. Not saying that it can't happen, it just seems a little odd.

 

What type of helmet do you wear? Do you actually smell petrol when you ride? Maybe to test your theory, drop the windscreen all the way down and go for a ride. This should reduce back-flow from the exhaust up into the area where your head is. Even better, maybe remove the screen for a ride?

 

Keep us posted. Sounds like a curious problem.

[XTrooper]

The Solution

[tallman]

Welcome.

K1200 ST?

Fumes?

While moving, not when stopped?

I'd have someone esle ride it and see if they expereince that too.

The only time I've heard of smelling gas fumes was from overfilling gas tank, QD not fitted or broken and gas leaking as a result.

Did you get something plastic trapped under the bike, like a plastic bag?

Good luck.

[Yuro]

Hi & Welcome to the Board!

 

First thought I have is be sure your gas cap is completely closed; fumes can and will escape if it isn't snapped shut.

 

It may look like it's sealed but if not, you may experience smells like you're describing.

 

Never had any issue with exhaust coming back so no help there.

 

Good luck finding a cure, it's a great Bike.

 

The note above is correct. There may be something else going on too. There are better windscreens for this bike. The flip-up kind from CeeBaileys is great. I used one for 3 years and just changed to a California Scientific which seems to be good, but not really better than the Cee Baileys. The Cee Baileys broke my windscreen supports until I bought aftermarket supports for it from someone on this forum. Look around and you'll find it.

 

If you have a newer RT, I think the supports have been improved.

 

I always get paranoid about a new bike when I'm getting acquainted. My '05 RT is the best bike I've ever owned. I'm going to ride the wheels off it.

 

 

[CoarsegoldKid]

Not saying you are unusual but the two times I inquired about an issue I was experiencing I was told they never heard of it. I guess some of these bikes are unique. Not likely. Once on the second fill up with my RT I didn't get the gas cap down properly. I smelled gas for about a mile. The cap was covered by the tank bag so I didn't see it right away. Never has that happened again.

Welcome to the gang. Take two aspirin and write us in the morning.

[LOS]

Thanks everybody for the all the quick responses and recommendations. "Xtrooper" with his gas mask picture isn't far from what I going to go with going forward. I don't know if it the wind shield that I need to change like a CalSci wind shield that is vented or putting something over my mouth to keep the pollen out. So I found a company called respro from the UK http://www.respro.com/products/sports-leisure/road-racing-touring/bandit_mask/

 

I used a bandana the other day and I didn't get the sore throat that I previously gotten, so' I'm going to give it a try instead of spending $250 plus.

 

I also took several strips of a plastic reflective tape and taped it to the my riding jacket and a couple on the area around the instrument panel and the tank to see how the air was moving, and then moved the wind shield up and down at various road speeds...and their is certainly a back pressure scenario going on. The streamers directly in front of me on my jacket and on the tank and fairing where all pointing in the direction I was moving towards and not in the direction pointing behind me.

 

I don't know what's going on exactly, but I guess if can block out unwanted car flumes the better I will be.

 

 

 

 

 

[Twisties]

I used a bandana the other day and I didn't get the sore throat that I previously gotten, so' I'm going to give it a try instead of spending $250 plus.

 

Speaking as environmental chemist with training in industrial hygiene/safety and toxicology: You may not have gotten a sore throat, but it was not a result of the bandana affecting your inhalation of pollutants. That bandana did absolutely nothing with respect to any fuel or exhaust components you may be breathing. Fact.

 

The sore throat might be from dry air, and the bandana may have helped keep your throat slightly more moist... maybe.

 

As for the product you link... it's complicated. I won't tell you that it won't help. It may or it may not. Their website actually has a pretty fair listing of the problems. They just haven't convinced me the problems are all solved by their product. If the mask is effective, it will be difficult to breathe through, and hard to wear all day. Note also the 69 hour filter life. Just sayin'.

 

On the other hand, if you have a problem with exhaust or fuel exposure I would say that you should fix the problem, not put a band-aid over it. The mask is a band-aid, at best.