One reason I like my wethead GS

[AKsuited]

Riding home from the rally, crossing Ohio, the bike started beeping at me. A red warning triangle appeared on the dash. The tire pressures were displayed on the dash: 39 psi front, 30 psi rear, with the "30" flashing. The bike made it clear to me that the rear tire was losing air. I had made sure the rear had 42 psi when leaving home for the rally. This was a crisis situation.

I was able to make it to civilization, a gas station with an air pump, thanks to the bike giving me sufficient warning. With an older bike, I would have continued on until the bike started squirming with a very soft rear tire. And then I'd have to deal with the situation on the shoulder of the road.

I was able to find and pull a little sliver of metal out of the rear tire and plug it with a "string" plug. I did have an air compressor with me, but it was nice having an air machine at that gas station, and also a nearby motel in case the plug didn't work out.

The plug held and I made it home to New York.

 

[exgman]

I like that story a lot. I've been carrying a pump, and plugger kit for about 80,000 miles. Fortunately, I've never had to use either one yet. Also, great to hear about the behavior of the TPMS.

 

[lee]

This is exactly the reason I think TPM is a great option.

 

[lee]

You mentioned beeping. Do you also get a audio alarm if connected to the Nav with a intercom?

 

[AKsuited]

You mentioned beeping. Do you also get a audio alarm if connected to the Nav with a intercom?

I was wondering about that myself. Apparently I did get the beeps through the Nav that was linked by Bluetooth (SENA) for audio navigation commands. I heard some beeps and then noticed the red triangle, and then the display went automatically to display of tire pressures.

 

[ncpbmw1953]

Riding home from the rally, crossing Ohio, the bike started beeping at me. A red warning triangle appeared on the dash. The tire pressures were displayed on the dash: 39 psi front, 30 psi rear, with the "30" flashing. The bike made it clear to me that the rear tire was losing air. I had made sure the rear had 42 psi when leaving home for the rally. This was a crisis situation.

I was able to make it to civilization, a gas station with an air pump, thanks to the bike giving me sufficient warning. With an older bike, I would have continued on until the bike started squirming with a very soft rear tire. And then I'd have to deal with the situation on the shoulder of the road.

I was able to find and pull a little sliver of metal out of the rear tire and plug it with a "string" plug. I did have an air compressor with me, but it was nice having an air machine at that gas station, and also a nearby motel in case the plug didn't work out.

The plug held and I made it home to New York.

TPC saved me from accelerating on a freeway onramp w/ an evolving rear tire flat, thank you TPC. Big nail picked up in a restaurant parking lot apparently. It also kept me from leaving the end of my short street when the rear tire had a short nail in it--it was only 5psi lower than what it was the day before, so I turned around to go back home and check it out, and sure enough a small nail was the culprit. I would not own a bike w/o TPC, and I'd add it as a feature if it didn't exist.

FWIW, after my least set of tires was installed 3400 miles ago, the 4th set on my '16 RT, tire pressures immediately began not displaying after leaving the shop when the new tires were installed. This was immediately before a 3200m trip. Tire pressure readings were sluggish to begin displaying, whereas previously just like the rider manual describes pressures would start displaying shortly after exceeding 6mph. Or they would simply not display for 30 miles, then suddenly one would light up, the other maybe. The tire change abruptly changed 30000m worth of normal behavior and when I called the shop OTW home that day they said, 'BMW says it can take up to 10 miles before they display.' That is such a crock. I've owned two BMW's w/ TPC, and both ALWAYS, w/o fail, displayed quickly after getting up past 6mph, IOW by the end of my 300' street I would see pressures. So my readouts either wouldn't start to display at all, in particular the rear tire pressure, or would suddenly appear then disappear. During my 3200m trip 4 times the rear tire graphic suddenly turned red w/ the orange ! alert sign indicating low pressure. I'd pull over only to discover no pressure change at all. So cry wolf was happening, and TPC lost all reliability as an alert system. I thought perhaps it was the tire carcasses, which were new to me, Conti RA3. Or some wiring that might have caused RF interference. Strangely, after returning home, parking the bike for a week, the entire thing fixed itself and all's well again for now the last 4 rides. I'm convinced the shop did something to the sensors during tire installation. My guess is something, some sort of lubricant, or other debris, ended up coating the actual sensors and it took all those 3200 miles and time for it to be flung off or otherwise allow the sensors to be freed of whatever was interfering w/ their function. I will be taking the bike in for valve check and new plugs on Aug 14 so will press them to see if they can come up with ideas about what in their tire change procedure might have caused this transient loss of function, 3200 miles worth of transient.

 

[lee]

I was wondering about that myself. Apparently I did get the beeps through the Nav that was linked by Bluetooth (SENA) for audio navigation commands. I heard some beeps and then noticed the red triangle, and then the display went automatically to display of tire pressures.

Glad to hear that.
This is the first year for us to use a Bluetooth intercom. I get a beep for weather and traffic, but never thought about getting a alert for a low tire.

I do not have Debbie's helmet connected to her Nav V, but I better so she will hear a TPM alert.

 

[oldcamper]

This is exactly the reason I think TPM is a great option.

TPMS can be added to any bike for less than $50, even an old airhead.
Ebay has a number of systems listed. Search for “motorcycle tpms”.

Anybody have any experience with one of these aftermarket systems?

 

[robocop]

The ' Flashing' Triangle

Yes, sounds familiar and the system saved me a lot of anguish on remote Hiway 1, just after passing Jenner on the Northern Ca. coast. Of course, no service in the area but the remote warning gave me time to get into nearby Guernville on the Russian River and then help in Santa Rosa.

Without the heads up, it would have been a long wait on the coast. Learned since then to carry a patch kit and a mini compressor on board. Technology can be very cool.....

 

[lee]

Anybody have any experience with one of these aftermarket systems?

Paul and Voni Glaves have aftermarket units on some of their bikes.

 

[Fastman]

TPMS has saved my bacon twice. Once while off-roading and most recently was just east of Effingham, IL on I-70E. I got the dash warning as well as one on the Nav VI. Thankfully I always keep a pump and plug kit on the bike. I found some irony in fixing my bike on the shoulder with a Harley-Davidson dealer right there on the service road.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

 

[junkjohn]

TPMS can be added to any bike for less than $50, even an old airhead.
Ebay has a number of systems listed. Search for “motorcycle tpms”.

Anybody have any experience with one of these aftermarket systems?

I used the Hawks Head system on my 08 GSA, it was simple to set up and I really liked it. It did cost around $150 but I have seen them cheaper on the web. My newer GSA has it built in but I now use the add on one for other things, mostly trailers I tow. I would recommend the Hawks Head. Good luck www.tpms.ca

 

[Wethead]

for those of you who may have bikes without TPM, Hawkhead makes a great real-time psi reader for your bike.

https://www.tpms.ca/