Did you have gas/fuel related problems during your trip to/from Sturgis 2015? Tell us what about your problems and your solution.

My Story ...
Short Version -
My bike is at Beartooth HD in Billings MT with a bad fuel pump. I flew home to Tacoma WA. Still working on how to get bike home.

Long Version -
Rode from Tacoma WA to Sturgis without any problems. While in Sturgis, engine would stumble, miss, cough a little. Bike acted like it had some bad gas or an intermittent ignition problem, but was certainly rideable.

Added some gas treatment. Problem seemed to improve.

Left Sturgis on Friday, rode to Devils Tower with only a couple of mis-fires/stumbling. After leaving D.Tower, bike was really struggling to run. Missing, stumbling, coughing, running really rough. Seemed to run better under acceleration and worse during deceleration (coasting downhill).

Pulled into Deluxe HD in Gillette WY. Service guys said they have seen a lot of these symptoms over the past week. There were 4 other guys there with very similar symptoms. Service Tech recommended adding some HD Ethanol Guard to the fuel. Did that, seemed to help. Headed westbound on I-90. First 40 miles was without problem, then engine started running really rough again. We limped into Hardin MT for the night with the bike barely running.

Saturday morning, the bike ran great for (you guessed it) about 40 miles. Pulled into Beartooth HD in Billings with the engine running like crap.

They tested the fuel pump pressure and measured 36-38 lbs. Should be 55-62 lbs. They did not have a fuel pump and couldn't get one till Tuesday. I couldn't wait that long, had to get home. So got on a plane.

There were 3 other riders at Beartooth HD with very similar problems. One of them was also told he needed a new fuel pump.

I thought it was odd that during the short time I was at those 2 HD dealerships (about 3-4 hours each), I encountered 7 or 8 riders with similar fuel related problems. And heard stories of many others having fuel problems.

Is this typical or was something in the gas causing these failures?
Did you have similar symptoms?
What's your story?

BTW - a tip of the hat to the guys at Deluxe HD in Gillette, WY and Beartooth HD in Billings MT. Both did everything they could to help me. Unfortunately for me, Beartooth had sold their last fuel pump before I got there. That's the way it goes. They did give me a ride to the airport and I appreciate that.

 

Seems to me you should have asked the other riders where they filled up during there trip. If you all could find a station in common then you could sue them for the damages.

 

Rode all over the Sturgis area (Rapid City, Devils Tower, Mt Rushmore, Badlands, Spearfish, Deadwood, etc) a week ago, and didn't have any fuel issues.

 

I think the fuel blends with Ethanol today are problematic. I had similar issues today. Gonna find and stick with stations who do no ethanol fuel.

 

Try adding some seafoam to your fuel every month or two.

 

Seems kind of suspect with that many riders with fuel related issues. But, granted there are a whole lot more riders on the road during the Sturgis to and from timeframes.

None the less, with the wide distance between gas stations in some of the areas, many riders probably stopped at some of the same places. I always try to get top tier gas, but sometimes you have no choice but to stop at Cuzin' Eddies Gas and Taco station. Maybe one of these, knowing he would be selling more than usual and never see these customers again played some games with the fuel...like maybe diluting with more ethanol that he bought from Uncle Bob.

Sorry to hear of your issues. It sux to breakdown on the road...been there done that, but fortunately a dealer stayed late and had the parts I needed to get me going.

 

Would be interesting to find out how HD shops experienced the increase of bad pumps to the east bound or south west bound riders. Don't suppose some gas stations bid on low quality gas to sell during bike rally? Nah....

 

last summer i was in the sturgis area

 

and had 2 tanks af bad gas, I'm guessing that premium sits in the tanks too long at the more rural stations.

 

You are probably better off using regular as the tanks are turned more often, I had no issue up there myself.