It's A Gas <burp!>

[Martin Lodahl <lodahl@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

2010 was my lowest-mileage year in recent memory, and my poor old 2002 
r1150r spent most of its time in the barn.  Last weekend was the annual 
Airhead Tech Day at Darryl Richman's place in Santa Cruz, CA, and it was 
all but unthinkable not to ride there, so I started the bike up and took 
it out for a wash -- and smelled gasoline.  Fairly strongly.  As it's 
never been a major ambition of mine to become a fireball sailing down 
the Interstate, and as I didn't have the time to sort it out, I ended up 
driving down, and got back to the issue today.

My working hypothesis was that it was some sort of issue involving the 
O-rings in the quick disconnect fittings for the fuel tank, and when the 
fuel pressure reached running levels there was some kind of small leak, 
so I removed the fuel line cover and started the engine.  Again I 
smelled gas, but couldn't see nor feel any sign of a leak, and after the 
engine ran for a while I could no longer smell it.

I'm now going to suit up and go for a ride to see if that brings it 
back, but it occurs to me to wonder if this isn't the sort of thing that 
can happen if the O-rings dry out from inactivity, and the cure is to 
just ride the damn thing.  Any wisdom to offer?

    - M

--
Martin Lodahl of Auburn, California
UNIX Pro, Musician, Motorcyclist