HP2 (E) low octane fuel
 

would anyone know how the HP2 (enduro) deals with low octane fuel e.g. 80

I have all BMW original standard exhaust system, air filter etc.

thank you

low octane
 

hi george,was in mongolia last year and filled with fuel that had 78 writen on the tank, mine was a 1200gsa and the other was an f650,'Pinked alot at low revvs but was fine other wise,hope that helps a little

Hallo,


For the past 9 months I have been traveling with my 2005 HP2, from South Africa to Ethiopia, and now in asia.
before setting off, i was also concered with the way the engine will cope with relatevly low octane fuel. so far, the results are OK, and I had no major problems what so ever.
My original catalitic converet was blocked in Ethiopia, and changed to the Remus header, wich make the bike run much better. The only problem can occer when the engine is very hot, on a slow dirt road, and high altitude. Then you will have to acclarate a bit slowly then usal, otherwish the engine will "Ping" a bit. That's it.
45,000 km, and runs great.

Hope this help,
Adam

Hey Adam,

thank you for your post,

I am also interesting to know generally how your HP2 coping with longer term / RTW type trip..

things like:

fuel tanks (look like AQ)
head light (TT ?)
Tyres (karoo's?) how many miles do they last..
Wheel Rims (any dents?)
luggage

etc

do you have a website ?

I am sorry for "raining" questions on you but don't know many that travel on their HP2 for months in africa.

cheers

george t

Hey George,



Very welcome, and please ask whatever you want to know.
The HP2 is the best traveling bike I ever had, and i had a few. People travel in diferent styles, and go to diferent places, so everyone has it's own favorit bike, but for me-HP2!. What i wanted from a RTW bike was:
Two Cylinders- Better tourqe, and confort (Les gear Shifting)
1000 CC Engine, or above- for the open roads, and deep sand, mud.
Good Suspention- for off road, and general third world roads.
Good ground clearance- again, for off road, but also getting of the tar for a nice camp spot, or just getting over a curve, log, etc.
Dry wight under 190Kg- for better handling.

As you can see, the HP2 was the natural choice for me.
It's an amazing bike, and good for my hight (i'm 182Cm)

Bare in mined, that it's not the cheapest one out there ;-) ...

The modifications I have done, in General:
1. AQ tank. whice gave the bike the name "the blue elefahnt", they are big, but work very well, comfortable, and looks amazing. a good product.
Another very good option is the HPN tank. Less capacity, but ONE PIECE, and that's important- no hoses, and easy to fill.
2. The luggage sistem is teh BMW Adventure (From BMW) alu cases, with AQ cariier. The best lugaage sistem i had so far. narrow, spacios, and use the same key as your ignition, plus they are very easy to remove. Great!
3. The TT head light. Looks good, but dosent really help with the wind. you can save here, use the original light, with a wind screen.
4. TT Samp gard- Good stuff.
5. AQ crash bars-the only one that can work with the AQ tank. Works well.
6. Ohlins shock. Dont trust the air suspention...
Hand gards, gps mount, 12v socket, and other small things.


Fuel consamption is about 20Km/L. and it's constant. in the hardes roads in Angola, and North Kenya, deep sand, etc- consumpition was about 17.5Km/l, so that's a good point as well.
The bike doset really over heat (compeared to other Loaded, bad fuel,) traveling bike slike AT, or the super vibrating 640Adv.
Tires. I love the TKC 80, say all you will. They easly last 12,500Km on the back, and 15,000 on the front, but you can streach that a bit more. I love the tubeless tyre for traveling! much more safe, and EASER to repair. dont let people tell you otherwish. No need to take them off the rim for a thorn or nail, just stick a plug in...

I have bend my rear rim in Zambia, but it was 100% my falt; riding at night, too fast too tired, when i've hit a deep, sharp edgh poot hole/cave.

That'sabout it. I do not have a web site,but can email you some photos if you like. Am heading into the mountains (In nepal) for 3 weeks, so will be out of touch.

Hope this helps,
Adam

Hp2 - Rtw
 

Hey Adam,

thank you for your reply.

I totally I agree with you in terms of RTW ability of the HP2. I have one too which I ride every day to commute to work and use it for longer trips, although no RTW yet.

Your feedback is very useful especially in terms of the fuel tank (I still have a original - and carry two 5 lit jerry cans in a TT tail pack)

Photos look cool too, I can see your rear rim being bent.. how did you fix it? and did you have to fit an inner tube to make it air tight?

hope you keep having a great trip..


G

Hallo again,


Glad that the info was of some help.

Regarding the bend rear rim- it was my falt, not the rim :-)
ridng at night, trying to make it to some place instaed of stoping and camping, i hit a deep, sharp edghed pothole at 80KPH...the rime got bent.
to my surprize, ikt did not loose air at all, and did not whoble. I just kept riding, and did so for another 10,000Km or so.
BMW do not sale a separte rim for the HP2, (at least not at the moment) so I had two options:

1. Get a Compleate rear whell from BMW@ 1000$.
2. Get a woody wheel works (a great guy from the USA) custom built a new hub, and fit an Exel rim to it. They can make an 18", or 17', and as wide s you want. Great and profisional people.

Since i'm traveling, I love the tibeless, and it seems that there are better tire chice for the original 17" rim, so i took a deep breath, and bought an Original BMW compleate rear wheel.

have just crated the bike,and got it ready to fly from Kathmandu to Thailand!



All the best,
Adam Shani

Nice trip!

It might be a bit late but HPN sells sturdy rims for the HP2. You can also buy the rings, spokes, hub etc.

Hail the blue elephant ;-) Hope you're doing well Adam - have a great trip.

Ben

:offtopic: Adam, great to see someone going RTW on an HP. Ive been trying to decide between taking my HP or Xchallenge. What mods have you done to the HP's air intake. My biggest concern is water in the engine - having already drowned a 1200 adventure!
Enjoy thailand!

:offtopic: Adam, great to see someone going RTW on an HP. Ive been trying to decide between taking my HP or Xchallenge. What mods have you done to the HP's air intake. My biggest concern is water in the engine - having already drowned a 1200 adventure!
Enjoy thailand!

Ask your mechanic but can't you lower the compression with a thicker head gasket to cope with poor quality fuel?? :rolleyes2:

Aloha!


I'm back from the buse of South Laos, North East Cambodia.
I will not be botherd anout lowering the compression, as the bike deals with bad feul well, and automaticaly retard the ignition a bit. After a few days on bad petrol, just blast a few hundred Km on tar, with resunable feul, and it will clean itself from the carbon, and work great.

I did not change the intake shnorkel, and yes, had water into the engine last week, when crossing a 80Cm deep river. Luckly, there was a small shop just across the river, so after draying the engine (Took out the spark plugs) and starting, i've changed the contaminated oil, and all's well again.
The snorkel it badly laid out- Too low. but mind you, I was surprise haw easy it was to turn off the engine, plug the shnorkel with a plastiuc bag, and...push it across. maybe one can fit a simple rubber house over the snorkel end, and pull it next to the handelbars. Simple, and I think it can work.

Greetings from Cambodia,
Adam.


P.S. Ben, the parcel has left the building