Low idle, runs poorly

[papadog]

Hi all,

I have a 2000 R1100R. I replaced my battery yesterday. While I had the tank off, I had it turned on its side enough for it to start leaking a little gas. Also, I checked the air filter, and found that the bikes former owner had put some (poisoned?) rat chow in the air box, presumably to keep rodents out of the wiring. It is possible that some got into the air intake while I was inside. Anyway, having said all that, the bike now idles below 1k, stalls unless I have the choke on, and jumps/bucks like mad, especially in the first 3 gears. I last rode the bike in November, and it was fine. I'm guessing I did something, but don't know what. Or, maybe the gas went south over the winter. I checked for kinked fuel lines already, and put some injector cleaner and 1/3 tank of fresh gas in the tank, then ran it on the highway for about 20 miles (all I could stand with it running that poorly - scared of getting stuck in the boonies). Haven't checked the plugs, as I just found out I need that special BMW plug wrench. Any suggestions as to what else to check for? Thanks.

[Wooster]

Assuming bike ran better prior to your recent mechanical encounter, problem should be the result of something you did, i.e., new battery ? Not likley to cause low speed running irregularities. Rat chow in air box ? Certainly something to not do yet, this doesn't seem like culprit. Tank on its side ? I think that's the source of present problem; you may have "stirred up" tank sediments which now clog fuel filter. Solution may be to replace fuel filter. These are my thoughts; no guarenttee implied.

 

Wooster w/one less motorcycle

[AZBaldur]

I have a 2000 R1100R. I replaced my battery yesterday.

What about resetting the Motronic, don't the 1100 models need that any time the battery is disconnected?

 

1) Switch the bike on, but don't start.

2) Turn the throttle from closed to wide open a couple of times.

3) Switch the bike off.

 

This gets the Motronic reacquainted with the voltage values from the throttle position sensor.

[flat_twin]

I suspect the previous owner put out some rat poison somewhere else and the rats or mice put the poison in the airbox. Anything look like it's been chewed on under the tank? Maybe you should check for an obstruction (mouse house) in the air snorkles

[Jim Moore]

Check and make sure your throttle cables have not been pulled out of their adjuster sleeves at the knurled knob down by the throttle body.

[gratefulJED]

My money is on Jim...rat poison??!!

[Stan Walker]

What about resetting the Motronic, don't the 1100 models need that any time the battery is disconnected?

 

No, the 1100's don't need this.

 

Stan

[SWB]

Anyway, having said all that, the bike now idles below 1k, stalls unless I have the choke on, and jumps/bucks like mad, especially in the first 3 gears. I last rode the bike in November, and it was fine.

 

Check and make sure your throttle cables have not been pulled out of their adjuster sleeves at the knurled knob down by the throttle body.

 

Yep, this is the FIRST thing you should check, particularly since it worked "fine" before you took the tank off. If one of the cables are "hitched", i.e. caught up on the top of the adjuster knob rather than seating down into the knob, the result will be that your throttles are out of sync. Your bike will run like a six cylinder truck missing a couple of cylinders. It was the first mistake I made when I started working on my RT.

[papadog]

Thanks Guys- You all rock!

 

It turned out there are no rodent colonies under the tank, but, as was suggested by a number of you, the throttle cable. the right-side cable housing had jumped out of the adjuster sleeve above the throttle pully. I popped it back in, and WALLA, good as new or at least as good as it was. Thanks again for helping out the newbie.

 

-Dennis