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2012 GSA - fuel tank cap made out of plastic?!

OfficerImpersonator

Seattle-area Rounder
I was filling the GSA with 7.5 gallons of premium unleaded this morning when the "vapor recovery" boot on the pump nozzle bumped the red cone part of my fuel tank cap, snapping the lid off at the hinge and sending it skidding across the ground.

I was able to get the lid to "click" back in to place, but it ain't perfect, and I wouldn't go off-road or touring any distance with it this way.

Has this happened to anyone else? Considering the nature of the bike, I can't believe the fuel tank cap snaps off so easily!

Is there an after-market improvement available (i.e. not something prone to break off during an otherwise routine fill-up)?

I got the bike on the last day of May, and while it has just over 4200 miles on it by now, it's still too new to have gas caps snapping off!
 
Is there an after-market improvement available (i.e. not something prone to break off during an otherwise routine fill-up)?

Check with Jerry to see if this billet cap will fit your GSA.


http://pirateslair.net/billetgascap.htm

blackcap1.jpg
 
I had one break at the hinge while touring in Michigan. The latch at the front and duct tape at the back secured it closed until I arrived at Engle Motors in Kansas City which had my (ordered) new cap assembly waiting. A few minutes to swap the lockset over and I was on my way, a bit poorer but with a new cap.
 
Check with Jerry to see if this billet cap will fit your GSA.


http://pirateslair.net/billetgascap.htm

Love this guy's hype ...

No.. they don't lock.. and neither do the gas caps on any late model 4-wheeled vehicle you own so for gods sake..

I'd beg to differ that I can't remember the last time I owned a vehicle without a locking gas cap. Most are caps under a locking door, of course. And it's way before my time that perhaps BMW motorcycles didn't come with them.

Not a solution IMHO and besides "billet" is for hot rods ain't it?
 
I'd beg to differ that I can't remember the last time I owned a vehicle without a locking gas cap. Most are caps under a locking door, of course.

Both of our 2008 Chevys do not have a locking door or cap.
I've never owned a vehicle with the locking door feature and none of my work vehicle have had it.
I realize some vehicles have locking doors, but would not say most do.

I think the rugged look of billet is a good match for a GS.
 
Love this guy's hype ...



I'd beg to differ that I can't remember the last time I owned a vehicle without a locking gas cap. Most are caps under a locking door, of course. And it's way before my time that perhaps BMW motorcycles didn't come with them.

Not a solution IMHO and besides "billet" is for hot rods ain't it?

I've got a 2005 Toyota Tundra without a locking door or cap. Our 2003 VW Jetta has the locking door, but to say most lock doesn't match my observations.

It's going to be my solution, as the piece of crap OEM cap is, well, a piece of crap. Besides, this cap is 1/3 the price of BMW's crap.
 
I've got a 2005 Toyota Tundra without a locking door or cap. Our 2003 VW Jetta has the locking door, but to say most lock doesn't match my observations.

A German thing I guess. Haven't owned anything but German cars for a decade or three and they've all had some way to lock out fuel filler access and prevent cap theft. Even Airheads back to the 1970s. So did, of all things, the Range Rover that snuck in there. I'm not giving up locking.
 
A German thing I guess. Haven't owned anything but German cars for a decade or three and they've all had some way to lock out fuel filler access and prevent cap theft. Even Airheads back to the 1970s. So did, of all things, the Range Rover that snuck in there. I'm not giving up locking.

My wife's new 2012 Merc is not lockable--something that surprised us.
 
My wife's new 2012 Merc is not lockable--something that surprised us.

Which Merc? Does the car not lock the fuel door? When I lock our car the fuel door also locks. The cap doesn't need a lock given that the door to access the cap is locked.
 
gas cap blues

I can see the flush mounting gas cap you installed goning on my GS.

Maybe in Germany they don't have the rubber vacuum hoses like on most of the gas pumps we do but a cap designed to only open to 90 degrees makes fitting the nozzle with pleated hose difficult and will probably end up breaking the cap some day.
 
I can see the flush mounting gas cap you installed goning on my GS.

Maybe in Germany they don't have the rubber vacuum hoses like on most of the gas pumps we do but a cap designed to only open to 90 degrees makes fitting the nozzle with pleated hose difficult and will probably end up breaking the cap some day.

The "articulated vapor recovery boot" surrounding the pump nozzle is precisely what knocked the OEM cap off my tank.

I've heard the EPA (or maybe it was our local air quality management board) has rescinded the regulation that requires these vapor recovery systems. I can't wait for them to evaporate away into the atmosphere.
 
My SSR gas cap came in. Perfect fit. It has a rubber washer under the housing that keeps it off the metal enough to prevent scratching the paint. No worries of broken hinges now. $55 on Amazon vs $99 on SSR website?

Edit, I see now, the one on SSR website is 1/4 turn release. The one via Amazon for 1/2 the price requires you to unscrew it. Three turns it is off, still an excellent product.
 

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The thing I sort of find funny is we spend a premium on our lovely steeds over some other motorbikes out on the market and BMW is known as well made motorbike, why would they make a part like the gas cap out of plastic. Well to save money is why, but hey at 17k plus the little things like a metal gas cap would go a long way. I would be like WoW they really do make a bike to last, spot on, good going BMW, I love you. Again we are stuck with engineers behind CAD machines :type trying to save a penny.

As of now I fill up at the local Shell station and have not see the vapor recovery boot on the pump, or I am not paying attention enough to notice. I will keep this in mind when I fill up in the future. Thanks for sharing your story. ;)

I do like some of the replacement after market cap you all have, very cool!!!!
 
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