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Has the gas tank on your F650GS/F800GS twin cracked?

POLL: Has your F650GS/F800GS twin gas tank cracked?

160K views 194 replies 76 participants last post by  Fang 
#1 ·
The purpose of this poll it to determine how widespread the gas tank cracking problem is for the BMW F800GS/F650GS twins, and if the problem might be related to the charcoal canister emissions system used on USA bikes.....

If you have modified your USA/Canister equipted bike:

Please vote as "canister equipted" bike unless you have removed BOTH your canister AND the pressure relief valve from your bike.
 
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#37 ·
It's raining in L.A. so not really worried about riding. I was asking what is taking so long.. apparently they take pictures of the gas tank and verify that the gas tank is really crack. When this is verified then BMW approves the changing of the gas tank.
I'm in no rush to get my F800 and with the raining weather conditions I can still wait as I don't have any urge to ride my F800 [uhoh]
 
#39 ·
Welcome to the "club" ... now bend over .... [SQ]

Dang, I love that color blue....

If any "club members" get news of the rumored "Revision 3" gas tank becoming available please post the news, and if possible ... the freaking part number!
 
#41 ·
[SQ]
If any "club members" get news of the rumored "Revision 3" gas tank becoming available please post the news, and if possible ... the freaking part number!
Whatever revision, I found out that BMW did make new molds for the gas tank and aware of the problem. Previously I posted that my gas tank is still in Germany. I found out it is still in Germany because it is made from the newest mold and will be sent to the U.S.

I don't know what revision as this is my first tank replacement. It seems some others on this forum have already had a couple tank replacements. This is the newest revision coming from Germany. I don't know what number and I guess no guarantee that even if this is the 3rd or 2nd revision that it won't crack after being install [?].
 
#40 ·
I have decided not to look at my tank anymore. The last time I looked it seemed fine. I figure that it will stay that way if I don't look again. [uhoh]
 
#42 ·
The "second revision" has a more gentle radius at the cornor where cracking occurs and is easy to identify vs. the original.
Once you get yours maybe there will be unique features that will help the rest of us ... I'm not sure ...
 
#44 ·
Nobody can give you a definite answer to your questions Wayne - hence the Poll. There has been speculation that either Ethanol in fuel causes this, over pressurisation of Cannister equipped bikes or even the hot sun. Either way, nobody yet has come up with a satisfactory answer and even though a lot have suffered from the problem of a cracked tank - many haven't as can be seen from the above survey/poll. And yes, the crack appears on the outer shell so there's no taking things apart involved.
 
#45 ·
I just checked my tank again on my 2009 F650GS, which was built in June of 2008. No cracks visible. I guess the early tanks were made of a better plastic - or something. :confused:
 
#46 ·
Well my dealership ordered a replacement gas tank - should be here next week. I can't say that I'm thrilled with the idea of them tearing my baby apart to change out the tank. Nice folks, but attention to detail by the service guys hasn't exactly been their forte lately. Yesterday when my bike was in for the brake disc recall, they also did the fuel lines recall (ya know the one where water was getting into the system). They had zip-tied the line from the cannister to the T junction so that it was resting up against the chain. Good thing I checked the bike before driving it off.

More to follow...
 
#47 ·
Just a note - BMW recommends filling with the bike on the side-stand.
Just for grins I filled as specified, then closed the lid and put the bike on the center stand.
With the bike on center stand the fuel level was within roughly an inch of the top of the narrow portion of the fill/dip tube.
That is to say it is "scary close" to the top.
I think most folks filling the bike on the centerstand would stop before they go the tank as full as it "normally" gets with a side stand fill.
 
#49 · (Edited)
I need to clear something up...
I had been told that the non-USA bikes did not have the pressure/vacuum valve in their tank vent line.
Based on a recent post on ADVRider here:

http://www.advrider.com/forums/showpost.php?p=15327741&postcount=30

That appears not to be true - the non-USA bikes still have the valve, they just to not have the canister.

OK so ... now I'm back to my original question ... why does it appear this problem seems focused on the USA-bikes?
Maybe that's not correct either... [:I]
 
#51 ·
After having just had my third gas tank fitted this last week, I just have to say.........who cares anymore.

FYI, there is now another new gas tank part number in the system. This part number is currently NOT available until such time as the current supply of updated, new tanks is exhausted. This is factual information passed from BMW Corporate in New Jersey. It is not just some dealer conjecture.

So, let's see..............

Front axle inspection due to manufacturer defect
Rear wheel bearing inspection due to manufacturer defect
Radiator hose recall
Fuel sender recall
Stalling recall
Air filter defect
Steering head bearings
Out of round rims from new (TADT)
Chain and sprocket recall
Three (3) gas tanks
Defective water pump gears
Leaking valve cover gasket service bulletin

Hmmm, what's next? Now, that is a question to ask!!!!!
 
#52 ·
I don't know, Phil. I guess that it's all in how you look at it. I've experienced all but the cracked tank and out-of-round rims, but not one of them has inconvenienced me in any way. They were all taken care of at no cost to me by my dealer in the course of regularly scheduled services. In fact, some of them saved me a little money, since they could check the valves in the course of fixing the leaky valve cover, and I got the chain and sprockets replaced after using up the first set (at 24,000 miles) for free! I knew I was buying a first-year bike, and expected that there would be bugs still to be worked out. These are complicated machines, and I'm actually kind of pleasantly surprised at how well BMW did right out of the chute.

I'm guessing that you probably don't share that appraisal, but when I look at the miles and miles of great times I've had on this bike, it just makes me smile.

David
 
#53 ·
David, as always you bring a good perspective from which to view these issues. Yes, I certainly have benefited from BMW issues and reducing my cost for maintenance (valve cover and water pump issue at valve check service interval). But, quite frankly, I hardly think that qualifies as a plus to vehicle ownership.

In all fairness, I do have a different perspective having just gone through the repurchase of my 2009 BMW K1300GT due to the inordinate issues related to this vehicle. It became a comedy how I would ride one bike in for recalls/warranty repairs while picking up the other for its repairs/warranty. I reduced these trips by one third after selling my wife's 2009 F650GS. [:0][:0][:0] Excepting the out of round rims for obvious reasons, hers faced all the same issues as my F800GS.

I fully expect and am willing to accept a greater potential for issues when dealing with a first year vehicle over a proven multi year platform but BMW has really pushed that envelope beyond anything remotely considered as reasonable, IMO.

After having owned 8 BMWs over the years, I can honestly say that they don't make them as they used to. Not even close!

It is really unfortunate though as I so love this bike....when it works. I just wish it worked more than it didn't.
 
#54 ·
Picked up my bike from the dealership with its new fuel tank now installed (my first new tank). I can tell a difference in the construction where the old fuel tank was cracking. The new tank doesn't have any sharp corners like the old one did. These corners are noticeably more rounded. Is this the new version fuel tank I wonder?

Looks like my fears about the dealer's workmanship quality were unfounded. I checked my baby over thoroughly and it looks like they did okay.
 
#55 ·
Picked up my bike from the dealership with its new fuel tank now installed (my first new tank). I can tell a difference in the construction where the old fuel tank was cracking. The new tank doesn't have any sharp corners like the old one did. These corners are noticeably more rounded. Is this the new version fuel tank I wonder?

Looks like my fears about the dealer's workmanship quality were unfounded. I checked my baby over thoroughly and it looks like they did okay.
Sorry Talon Six, But my new (rounded edge) tank is cracked also. This is the outer shell and does not yet effect the fuel. Will have Iron Horse install the third tank latter this spring.

Jack F650GS (twin) 09
 
#56 ·
Has anyone studied if there are regional environmental factors contributing to this condition? In other words, are we getting more cracked tanks from hot, dry, and sunny climates than moderate, humid, and overcast, etc.?
 
#57 ·
That would certainly be of interest and another avenue of exploration. I do know it is happening in Europe, Africa, Australia, New Zealand besides the US. I am not sure it was this forum or another but this information appeared before. I would be a lot more upset if it were the inner tank and fuel were leaking!

Jack
 
#58 ·
Well crap - I've had the new tank for a week and it's already starting to show that telltale white pre-crack discoloration right below the gas cap. The discoloration kind of looks like what happens when you bend a credit card back and forth a bunch of times. No crack yet, but it's clearly coming.

The charcoal cannister's coming off tomorrow...
 
#59 ·
Warning: speculative comment follows:

I started this thread and I'm confused ... :confused: ... the data seems fairly compelling ... the problem seems to overwhelmingly affect USA bikes.
Yet non-USA bikes apparently have the same pressure-vacuum check-valve in the vent line as USA bikes.
With a properly working canister system there is the possibility that a slight vacuum could be applied to the tank but it would be very slight (post recall) unless the canister was plugged or damaged. The charcoal canister has been around since the 1970's ... so we have had the opportunity to enhance the design for some ~40 freaking years ... could the design still be so infantile to be tragically flawed? It seems unlikely.... but possible. If flawed the tank of USA bikes would be exposed to more pressure/vacuum cycling. Yet on my bike I've never noticed a vacuum condition when refueling...

Is it E10? Since there is an inner liner to the tank, it is not obvious to me that E10 would cause the outer shell to crack as a result of "casual" interaction with vapors while fueling?

Maybe Revision #3 will fix us up...

:confused:
 
#60 ·
<sigh>

So, I go out to the garage where the bike has sat for quite some time due to it's warranty work, horrendous weather, and my being at work. I start looking over the newest tank, looking at the bike as we all do, and hoping to go for a ride. I pop the gas cap and WHOOOSH a quick and forceful release of built up pressure. Un real!!!! Now what?

I have disprached another email to BMWNA New Jersey to see what they want me to do now. Stupid, stupid, stupid!
 
#61 ·
What I can't figure out is that I have owned about 10 Japanese motorcycles with sealed tanks and canisters (thanks to me living in California who came up with the big idea in the first place) and have never had a venting or swelled tank problem. Why would it be that only BMW motorcycles seem to have a problem with charcoal canisters and sealed and cracking tanks when this has never been a problem for the Japanese? Do the Japanese know something that Germans don't, or are the Germans just trying to make the system different that what has been shown to work on other brands? :confused:

Another interesting observation, is that the Honda, Yamaha and Kawasaki tank venting systems seem to be much more complicated than the BMW system, with various devices located between the tank and the canister that control the venting. I know this for a fact, as I have had to remove a lot of this junk in order to adjust the valve lash on my motorcycles. [:(]
 
#68 ·
"...Do the Japanese know something that Germans don't, or are the Germans just trying to make the system different that what has been shown to work on other brands?... :confused:"
Every time I honk the horn instead of indicating a left turn, flash my left blinker in fury at the car that cut me off, or get whiplash from throttle twitching when attempting to cancel a lane change signal with my right thumb in a super awkward position, I dwell on this question...[lol]

So guys, does this only seem to be effecting the GS series of F800's? Have there ever been any reported problems with the S or ST tanks?:confused:

Very weird.
 
#64 ·
NomadS ... welcome to the club ... [:(]

Please make sure you vote in the poll at the top of this thread!
 
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