AGirl
Well-known member
- Joined
- Jan 17, 2007
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Yes, I am aware there is another thread about elevation issues, however, my unique experiences and specific issues of recent have led to this posting. I am currently on the road (in Canada actually) so I may not be able to promptly reply to any clarifying questions (I am in phone contact w/someone who can read replies to me though). Here are the facts and my experiences. in as much detail as I can offer:
My 07 has over 11k miles (and counting fast). I have NEVER had issues of stumbling, hesitation, etc., at ANY elevation until recent. (Some may need to read that sentence twice). I rode several times in CA (such as Palomar Mtn, which is 5500' and has an elevation gain of 2500' in less than 6 miles), the last occasion being 3 weeks ago. I left Phoenix two weeks ago and refueled in Las Cruces, NM (elevation 4500') then proceeded over a mountain pass w/an elevation gain of 3000 feet. On the way up, I noted the bike seemed to be running rough, surging, w/a notable decrease in throttle response. I stopped 3 times on the accent just long enough to take a photo (turning the bike off each time) at approx 5600', 6200', and 7200' (I know this due to my tracking). The bike restarted and idled as normal every time. However, after the third start I struggled greatly to accelerate from a stop. In fact, the bike would NOT pull out of first gear unless the rpms were above 6500. :blink: It felt as if I was trying to start from 5th gear... simply no power.
Once I got moving, the usual smooth roll on/off of the throttle was absent, the bike hesitated severely when cracking the throttle open, and these symptoms were more exaggerated the lower the gear; symptoms less obvious during 5th gear WOT. Since I had run the bike at high elevation numerous times previously and had no issues whatsoever, I dismissed some type of elevation/FI as being factors and concluded that since I had just refueled, bad gas must indeed be the culprit of the near disabling problem. The road went through several one redlight towns, each stop required near red-line rpms to start again. I stopped at the first gas station I could find (which was during the decent of the pass), where I siphoned the gas out of the tank then refilled w/fresh gas along w/a bottle of Techron. The further I went, the better the bike ran. It is noteworthy that every mile afterward was decreasing elevation until I refueled again at 1500' outside OK City). The next day I continued a rather spirited ride (as a pack of 5 SFO-bound FJR riders I passed will attest) and though the bike seemed to be recovered from the fuel problem, I did not feel the bike was running as it had in the previous 7k miles..meaning like a champ. The issues I would describe at that point would be more of a performance issue than problematic (disabling) ones. It's important to understand my differentiation of the two. My post here is about the near disabling experiences at altitude...situations where I feel very lucky to have gotten out of.
Whether or not the change in performance was related to the bad fuel, I felt it was prudent to get the bike checked given my upcoming extensive miles, so I diverted to D&H Cycle in AL. Nick and Gerald spent all day Sat combing over the bike. No codes had been thrown/no obvious malfunctions (my understanding is the altitude type sensor, if bad, would be one of the codes). Indeed the TBS was off (this was sync #2, first was at 2500 mi), plugs looked great (this at 8k miles). As an aside, I absolutely can not say enough a/b the customer service at D&H-simply unbelievable. At any rate, when all was said and done, I hit the road again. The bike ran smoother (likely thanks mostly to a TBS) and my confidence was restored... until a few days ago when en route here to Montreal from MA via NY I decided to run the Mt.Greylock area, which has an elevation gain of 2500ft...not exactly black diamond standards, but enough to sicken my FJR again. Once again, I stopped and then struggled GREATLY to accelerate from first gear (as in it took redlining to get moving). I'd have a hard time believing anyone would vote that having to redline the bike just to be able to accelerate from a stop is “normal†or “typical†for goodness sakes! Same exact symptoms I had in NM. It was a quick decent, and as expected the symptoms diminished rapidly.
At this point I don't have a clue what is happening or what to do a/b it, especially since I had ZERO previous issues at altitude, the bike did not present diagnostic codes, and the bike runs great “off the hill." FWIW, no work was done (aside from oil/tire change) prior to departure. There is an obvious problem and I'm quite perplexed on what to do next since avoiding mountains/elevation isn't exactly an option. Any ideas or suggestions would be greatly appreciated. I respectfully ask that all replies be kept strictly on topic and specific to helping me stay on the road and solve this problem. (For example, if you live at 25,000 feet and have no problems w/your FJR, that's great, but there's no need to post such). Thanks in advance... I'm hoping someone out there has an answer. I love this bike and don't want to park it (or worse, be stranded).
AGirl
PS. Haven't had time to post any reports, but pics are: HERE
My 07 has over 11k miles (and counting fast). I have NEVER had issues of stumbling, hesitation, etc., at ANY elevation until recent. (Some may need to read that sentence twice). I rode several times in CA (such as Palomar Mtn, which is 5500' and has an elevation gain of 2500' in less than 6 miles), the last occasion being 3 weeks ago. I left Phoenix two weeks ago and refueled in Las Cruces, NM (elevation 4500') then proceeded over a mountain pass w/an elevation gain of 3000 feet. On the way up, I noted the bike seemed to be running rough, surging, w/a notable decrease in throttle response. I stopped 3 times on the accent just long enough to take a photo (turning the bike off each time) at approx 5600', 6200', and 7200' (I know this due to my tracking). The bike restarted and idled as normal every time. However, after the third start I struggled greatly to accelerate from a stop. In fact, the bike would NOT pull out of first gear unless the rpms were above 6500. :blink: It felt as if I was trying to start from 5th gear... simply no power.
Once I got moving, the usual smooth roll on/off of the throttle was absent, the bike hesitated severely when cracking the throttle open, and these symptoms were more exaggerated the lower the gear; symptoms less obvious during 5th gear WOT. Since I had run the bike at high elevation numerous times previously and had no issues whatsoever, I dismissed some type of elevation/FI as being factors and concluded that since I had just refueled, bad gas must indeed be the culprit of the near disabling problem. The road went through several one redlight towns, each stop required near red-line rpms to start again. I stopped at the first gas station I could find (which was during the decent of the pass), where I siphoned the gas out of the tank then refilled w/fresh gas along w/a bottle of Techron. The further I went, the better the bike ran. It is noteworthy that every mile afterward was decreasing elevation until I refueled again at 1500' outside OK City). The next day I continued a rather spirited ride (as a pack of 5 SFO-bound FJR riders I passed will attest) and though the bike seemed to be recovered from the fuel problem, I did not feel the bike was running as it had in the previous 7k miles..meaning like a champ. The issues I would describe at that point would be more of a performance issue than problematic (disabling) ones. It's important to understand my differentiation of the two. My post here is about the near disabling experiences at altitude...situations where I feel very lucky to have gotten out of.Whether or not the change in performance was related to the bad fuel, I felt it was prudent to get the bike checked given my upcoming extensive miles, so I diverted to D&H Cycle in AL. Nick and Gerald spent all day Sat combing over the bike. No codes had been thrown/no obvious malfunctions (my understanding is the altitude type sensor, if bad, would be one of the codes). Indeed the TBS was off (this was sync #2, first was at 2500 mi), plugs looked great (this at 8k miles). As an aside, I absolutely can not say enough a/b the customer service at D&H-simply unbelievable. At any rate, when all was said and done, I hit the road again. The bike ran smoother (likely thanks mostly to a TBS) and my confidence was restored... until a few days ago when en route here to Montreal from MA via NY I decided to run the Mt.Greylock area, which has an elevation gain of 2500ft...not exactly black diamond standards, but enough to sicken my FJR again. Once again, I stopped and then struggled GREATLY to accelerate from first gear (as in it took redlining to get moving). I'd have a hard time believing anyone would vote that having to redline the bike just to be able to accelerate from a stop is “normal†or “typical†for goodness sakes! Same exact symptoms I had in NM. It was a quick decent, and as expected the symptoms diminished rapidly.
At this point I don't have a clue what is happening or what to do a/b it, especially since I had ZERO previous issues at altitude, the bike did not present diagnostic codes, and the bike runs great “off the hill." FWIW, no work was done (aside from oil/tire change) prior to departure. There is an obvious problem and I'm quite perplexed on what to do next since avoiding mountains/elevation isn't exactly an option. Any ideas or suggestions would be greatly appreciated. I respectfully ask that all replies be kept strictly on topic and specific to helping me stay on the road and solve this problem. (For example, if you live at 25,000 feet and have no problems w/your FJR, that's great, but there's no need to post such). Thanks in advance... I'm hoping someone out there has an answer. I love this bike and don't want to park it (or worse, be stranded).
AGirl
PS. Haven't had time to post any reports, but pics are: HERE
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