What difference does a few ml of fuel make?

[Oakie]

About 6 weeks back there was a thread about filling your tank ... should you do it with the bike on the sidestand or do it while you sit astride your mighty steed?
Much discussion was involved which caused me to change to the sidestand method for safety reasons. Anyway, somewhere in the thread someone asked how far you're going to get with the extra few ml you might squeeze into the tank by filling it while upright anyway.
Today I found the answer. The 400 extra ml I could have got in would get me about 6 km. Unfortunately I found this out when I ran out of gas 2 km short of the service station. When I got to the service station, out of curiousity I filled it up on the sidestand and then topped it up with the bike vertical. I was quite surprised that I squeezed in nearly another 1/2 litre.
Yeah of course I did have the reserve to use but the bike died before I could flick it over so then I had to sit at the side of the road cranking the bike over while people walked past. That's the bit that really pissed me off. Felt like taking my helmet off and explaining to them that my bike wasn't the broken down piece of shit they were thinking it was ... just that it had run out of gas.

[Jantar]

I always fill my tank with the bike on the side stand, however I also spend a long time making sure that I do get those extra few mls of fuel in. I do not have a reserve, and have to rely on a fuel warning light and/or the odometer, and I'm almost paranoid that the warning light will, one day, let me down.

So even if the warning light doesn't come on I start looking for a fuel stop after about 300 km.

[zadok]

Fortunately I have a centre stand, so I don't have any of those filling problems. Are centre stands becoming a thing of the past or something? Maybe they aren't 'cool' on a racey machine!?

[Da Bird]

Got told off by a girl at the BP the other day for filling my cop bike up while sitting on it...
:doh: :whistle:

[Odin]

I have run out twice now. Both times within site of a petrol station :sweatdrop It was on 2 different bikes so it wasen't like i didn't learn. But dam that sucks. What i really hate is the fact that cruisers have to have fimbel size tanks. The 2 i have at the momment dosen't go more then 180 - 220 on a tank, and that included reserve :weird:

I Think i might install a 50liter fuel tank in my garage so i can top up there. I have seen them at mitre 10 with pump thingie and everything (anybody tryed them out ??) :drinkup:

[crashe]

Got told off by a girl at the BP the other day for filling my cop bike up while sitting on it...
:doh: :whistle:

Oh you naughty lad....hehehehehehe :rofl: :rofl:

Especially when there are stickers/signs up at the pumps at BP now, to NOT sit on your bike when refueling...

[zadok]

Got told off by a girl at the BP the other day for filling my cop bike up while sitting on it...
:doh: :whistle:
BMW the new Cop bike? I see your pic has you sitting on an ST1100. They use the ST1100 here in W.A. Which do you prefer?

[Da Bird]

Oh you naughty lad....hehehehehehe :rofl: :rofl:

Especially when there are stickers/signs up at the pumps at BP now, to NOT sit on your bike when refueling...

Yeah, just like the stickers say no talking on cellphones... can't say it seems to have stopped anyone doing that!

[scumdog]

If I fill my bike when sitting on it I get enough extra fuel in it to cover 12 or so miles (20km) compared with filling it on the side stand, hence I fill it sitting on it and not ONE person has protested/objected to me doing that.

[Da Bird]

BMW the new Cop bike? I see your pic has you sitting on an ST1100. They use the ST1100 here in W.A. Which do you prefer?

Yeah, the Beemer is the new one... had the ST1100 for about 3 years.

They both have their good points and bad points... the ST had good switchgear, good seat height and smooth motor...

The Beemer switchgear is crap (have to take hands off handlebars to activate lights and sirens) but has really comfy seat (although a bit high) and nice electric windscreen. The boxer isn't what I would call smooth sounding - sounds like a truck when I start it up in the morning! It's brand new though so I wont complain...

When they were looking at new bikes, it was between the STX1300 and the R1150RT - don't think there was much in it... at the end of the day, I guess price was a major factor. Would have been nice to test one of the STX's.

BC.

[FROSTY]

the xj has a real nasty neck on the filler which means getting the last litre or so in is a matter of patience -waiting for ot to burp.
Usually I dont bother. Toss in 20 bucks of 98 when it hits reserve.

Actually theres a good point --youze fullas that never run onto reserve cos ya just too smart.
One day ya might get a nasty shock if ya ever have to flick her over.
Once every few tankfulls I'd suggest running a tankfull through with the tap on reserve.

[thehollowmen]

the xj has a real nasty neck on the filler which means getting the last litre or so in is a matter of patience -waiting for ot to burp.
Usually I dont bother. Toss in 20 bucks of 98 when it hits reserve.

Actually theres a good point --youze fullas that never run onto reserve cos ya just too smart.
One day ya might get a nasty shock if ya ever have to flick her over.
Once every few tankfulls I'd suggest running a tankfull through with the tap on reserve.

Waiting for it to burp... I've sat there waiting at night for it to and they've turned off the pump on me.

I wasn't impressed and gave them a good scolding and showed the extra I could squeeze in given time and effort.

My DL650 doesn't have a center stand either.

[Bonez]

Some bike us to have the fuel filller cap to one side of the tank to cater for side sand only bikes. Having about 3.5-4 ltrs in reserve is handy. Just got to remember to switch the fuel tap back to open/main. :mad:

[phantom]

rode my GB round for several tankfuls ( or is it that tanksful ) of gas before I checked and saw it was on reserve. Must have been like that when I bought it

[Lou Girardin]

Yeah, the Beemer is the new one... had the ST1100 for about 3 years.

They both have their good points and bad points... the ST had good switchgear, good seat height and smooth motor...

The Beemer switchgear is crap (have to take hands off handlebars to activate lights and sirens) but has really comfy seat (although a bit high) and nice electric windscreen. The boxer isn't what I would call smooth sounding - sounds like a truck when I start it up in the morning! It's brand new though so I wont complain...

When they were looking at new bikes, it was between the STX1300 and the R1150RT - don't think there was much in it... at the end of the day, I guess price was a major factor. Would have been nice to test one of the STX's.

BC.


They did short change you. The STX would eat the Beemer for breakfast, lunch and dinner and still leave a snack. Shame they didn't get R1200's.

[Slingshot]

Got told off by a girl at the BP the other day for filling my cop bike up while sitting on it...
:doh: :whistle:

You should have thrown some cuffs on her...that would have shut her up!

[vifferman]

I Think i might install a 50liter fuel tank in my garage so i can top up there. I have seen them at mitre 10 with pump thingie and everything (anybody tryed them out ??) :drinkup:
Just check your insurance policy, to make sure it doesn't prohibit you from storing more than a small quantity of flammable substances on the premises.

[TonyB]

Yeah, just like the stickers say no talking on cellphones... can't say it seems to have stopped anyone doing that!
Slight thread hijack- the thing that cracks me up about the whole 'no using cell phones' thing is they make you switch your engine off, right? What happens when you start it again to leave? God knows how many amps of ELECTRICTY pour down a feckin great wire to the starter motor, which then whirrs into life with the brushes SPARKING away.....hmmm.

Then there's static electricity. :weird:

[trev]

[QUOTE=

Actually theres a good point --youze fullas that never run onto reserve cos ya just too smart.
One day ya might get a nasty shock if ya ever have to flick her over.
[/QUOTE]


?????? explain pls.

[Flyingpony]

Waiting for it to burp... I've sat there waiting at night for it to and they've turned off the pump on me.
Have had the pump start beeping because the petrol was flowing very slowly :weird:
This allowed the tank to self burp, but now I just give it a tiny shake to encourage the burp.
Have been told not to fill when sitting astride, so it's on the side stand.
As for center stands, thought only bigger bikes had them, but it appears they're become less common.



Actually theres a good point --youze fullas that never run onto reserve cos ya just too smart.
One day ya might get a nasty shock if ya ever have to flick her over.
Once every few tankfulls I'd suggest running a tankfull through with the tap on reserve.

Opps, Thanks Frosty. I'd better run some through the reverse portion of the switch or I'll find out she's somehow blocked or might rip the rubber. Right?

[FlyingDutchMan]

This is why you don't sit on your bike while filling it (I know its a cage but the same principal applies).

http://www.stupidvideos.com/Default.asp?VideoID=760

Fucked if I want a fire ball between my legs with lots of petrol to feed it.

[TonyB]

Wow, all that just 'cause of a wee static spark.
My cuzzie used to handle all the baggage and freight for a certain airline at a certain small airport. He used to refuel the planes too. Your supposed to attach an earthing wire from the feuling rig to the plane- he never did it "ahh its all bullshit! I've been doing it this way for ages and haven't had any problems" :weird:

[pritch]

I used to fill the bike while seated so as to get to the gas station of my choice before the fuel light came on. (There is no reserve tap and the unblinking orange light induces an element of tension after a while.) Also it helped, if I was checking milage, to know the tank actually was full to the same point.

Latterly though I have fitted a Dynojet unit and one benefit is that I get 2 more ks per litre so I guess I can stop worrying.

[TygerTung]

Yeah notice that woman got out of her car then in again then out and was rubbing her hands on her wooly jumper, that would get the mean sparks going.

She seemed pretty calm though, I'd be shitting my pants!

Luckely I carry a fire extinguisher in my cage for it it ever catches on fire, not too practicle on a bike though, would be adding a bit too much weight!

[DingDong]

No bike rider trusts an attendant to fill their bike (or you should'nt!)... why?
Because they may spill the fuel, it runs down the tank and on to the HOT engine... causing a fire. If you sit on your bike and spill the gas on the tank or yourself... YOU WILL BURN baby. :devil2:

If you run out of gas because you had 400ml less fuel... you deserve to push it :rofl:

[Zed]

Today I found the answer. The 400 extra ml I could have got in would get me about 6 km. Unfortunately I found this out when I ran out of gas 2 km short of the service station.So how do you gauge how full or empty your tank is Oakie? Have you run out of fuel much before? :nono:


When I got to the service station, out of curiousity I filled it up on the sidestand and then topped it up with the bike vertical. I was quite surprised that I squeezed in nearly another 1/2 litre.Wow, you must have an oddly shaped tank or maybe your bikes on one heck of an angle on its stand!? :shit:


Yeah of course I did have the reserve to use but the bike died before I could flick it over so then I had to sit at the side of the road cranking the bike over while people walked past. That's the bit that really pissed me off. Felt like taking my helmet off and explaining to them that my bike wasn't the broken down piece of shit they were thinking it was ... just that it had run out of gasWhat a horrible experience, sorry, but you better watch out cos I've seen more and more of those *signs* in Service Stations that show a motorcyclist sitting on his bike filling it up with petrol with a big red X through it!! :angry:

[NordieBoy]

Opps, Thanks Frosty. I'd better run some through the reverse portion of the switch or I'll find out she's somehow blocked or might rip the rubber. Right?

Or as on the Nordie - The main tap is blocked and the reserve works fine...

[NordieBoy]

Then just say...

But I'm only putting petrol in, not big red X's.

Oh, I thought it meant no fcuking dogs whilst filling up.

.
.
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[FROSTY]

The problem with never using reserve is that as ya fill ya tank you are sometimes sucking in a minute quantity of water and rust .Water is heavier than gas -water being heavier than gas itll drop to tank bottom.
reserve and main tap are simply 2 tubes sticking up into the tank.
The reserve tube is a bit shorter.
So if ya bung enough water into the tank eventually when ya turn the tap to reserve ya bike aint gonna go..
Thats especially apliccable this time of year with maybe a drop of water going in as ya open the lid from a wet ride.
So Run a full tank full on reserve to suck that water through as tiny droplets mixed with good gas

[scooterboynz]

Yeah, just like the stickers say no talking on cellphones... can't say it seems to have stopped anyone doing that!
program on discovery called "myth busters" told about cell phones and fuel stations , apparently its a myth , but then again do you beleive every thing you see on tv?

[pritch]

program on discovery called "myth busters" told about cell phones and fuel stations , apparently its a myth , but then again do you beleive every thing you see on tv?

There was an email hoax about cellphones in gas stations doing the rounds a while back. That should show up on a search of urban legends.

Then again, on petro-chemical work sites they do have special radios...

[myvice]

Petro-chemacal plants use intrinsicaly (sorry bout spelling, dictionary didnt have it) safe radios and cell phones (not easy to get and lots$$$) But try this, get a cup of petrol, drop a lit cigarette in it , watch in amasement as fuckall happans. To get petrol to light of a hot motor you would be bloody unlucky. I full mine up while sitting on it, to hell with the little signs telling us what to do!
Telling us what speed to do next! :devil2:

[Oakie]

So how do you gauge how full or empty your tank is Oakie? Have you run out of fuel much before? :nono:

Wow, you must have an oddly shaped tank or maybe your bikes on one heck of an angle on its stand!? :shit:

What a horrible experience, sorry, but you better watch out cos I've seen more and more of those *signs* in Service Stations that show a motorcyclist sitting on his bike filling it up with petrol with a big red X through it!! :angry:

I gauge the fullness (emptiness)of the tank by the kilometres on the tripmeter which I re-set whenever I fill up. It used to get about 238km before coughing out. The last 3 fills have only been at about 219km. Part of the difference is due to filling on the side-stand ... but I don't know about the rest of it. Colder air? ... idling the bike for 3 or 4 minutes in the morning while I get into my gear? ... possibly I've changed my riding style? It's about 15 kml which I don't think is that great for a 400/4 of the non-sporty variety. Comments on that anyone?

Tank is a bit odd shaped I suppose. (See photo) Bit of a camel hump at the top.

Could have been worse I suppose. I didn't actually have to push it. Just crank it over at the side of the road until it fired up again. Did take a couple of minutes though.

[danb]

Ok.....

Im slowly getting the hang of filling up the bike correctly - Every time I fill up now I seem to be getting a little extra in the tank, Im surprised how long you can keep on filling the Honda after it looks like its up to the rim of the filler, I am also now slightly leaning on the bike so its more upright as well which seems to help. Half the time im to lazy to wait for "Just a little bit more". :argh: