My 2000 was just delivered yesterday. I'm pleased to say that she is in wonderful running condition, and has had all three radiator, brake, and oil filter updates completed! She also has the utterly melifulous sounding CRC 'open' pipes and EPROM fitted. I couldn't have asked for a better 3 year old bike. I went for a ride or two already, despite subfreezing temperatures. What a blast. Anyway, here's my real reason for writing: in some older magazine, I read that there was a problem with fuel lines on some early bikes rupturing and spraying down the rear tire. I heard/read in some places that this was a problem only with bikes in Europe. I heard/read somewhere else that this happened because a bike was 'stripped down' for a photo shoot and was incorrectly reassembled. I guess I've heard a lot, and now I'm wondering if the truth was ever discovered / if I need to worry about doing 100 on a highway one day and ruptured fuel line causing my rear tire to get slippery and my ultimate demise in a turn. Does anybody out there know / have a suggestion?

-- Frank Tavani (ftav4444@yahoo.com), January 26, 2003

Answers

Frank, talk about worrying over nothing, I have not heard of this problem and unless you are losing fuel don,t worry yourself. enjoy, Peter

-- Peter Arrigoni (peter@longar.co.uk), January 29, 2003.

Frank,

Ages ago, when I first started reading everything I could about the F4, I also "heard" about this problem. I seem to remember that there were two incidents in the States, one of which resulted in the bike and rider getting seriously mangled. However, the feeling was that there are no design or manufacturing problems, but that whoever removes/replaces the fuel tank must know what they're doing and ensure that the fuel line is properly re- connected.

-- Ralph (ralph@eurograv.co.uk), January 29, 2003.

Thanks Ralph. Your answer seems the most logical. I pulled off the "mini fairings" on the bottom sides of the tank and could see the fuel lines in question. They look fine, but clearances are very very tight. I could see some magazine ripping the bike apart for a "frame" photo, and then putting it back together without the requisite care reassembly requires. The lines can get easily messed up and cause a leak if you aren't very very careful during reassembly.

I guess the other logical thing is simply this: if there really is a problem with the fuel lines, it seems like something should have happened long ago, and not 3 years later (the age of my bike).

-- Frank Tavani (ftav4444@yahoo.com), January 29, 2003.