My first seriously blonde newbie moment!

**Little Miss Trouble** · 31st May 2007, 19:31

Riding home tonight at around 1/4 past 6 I started loosing power and my revs dropped right down, because of the road I was on (Upper harbour heading in the Mairangi Bay direction) with jack all lighting I dropped down a gear and tried to keep going, managed to make it to just before the motorway traffic lights before my bike died! Tried to restart several times but got nowhere, decided to start pushing through the intersections and get to the mobil station where I could see if I could see anything (as if I even know what to look for!) because the lights had already been through a few cycles and I didn't much like the feel of how close the cars were. when I got the thought that maybe I'd misjudged my last fuel up?

:slap: Switched over to reserve and rode on and filled up

Oh yeah big thanks

to all the people that stared at me as they sat at the lights then drove past including a HP cop

**Disco Dan** · 31st May 2007, 19:35

Happens to everyone at some stage!

Just dont forget to put the tap back to the 'on' position! Otherwise next time you wont have your reserve!!

Also, the older the bike the more chance you have of having muck in the bottom of the tank.. when you switch to reserve you can suck up some muck...

Edit: just noticed your bike is brand new! doh!

**Skunk** · 31st May 2007, 19:43

Originally Posted by Disco Dan

just noticed your bike is brand new! doh!

But still worth the chat up eh Dan...

**Mom** · 31st May 2007, 19:50

Congratulations for joining the "Blonde are Us" society..........how embarrassing!!! Dont feel too bad though, I once was under the paint on my CB125.....(ok you lot shut up I can hear the sniggers from here!) really doing it on the motorway, there was a bloke in the next lane looking keen you understand....and found myself boggin for fuel, reached down to turn to reserve.......and well I was already there!!!!!! Very tricky getting to the left lane, in traffic, then having to get help, this was before cell phones, you know ...In the olden days!......

Make sure you check out your trip meter, know about how far you can travel on a tank of gas before hitting reserve and use that as an indicator to refill. Most important of all........as DD says, turn that fuel tap back to the "ON" position after refuelling

**Grahameeboy** · 31st May 2007, 19:53

Originally Posted by Skunk

But still worth the chat up eh Dan...

Read my mind.....................

**Disco Dan** · 31st May 2007, 19:59

Originally Posted by Skunk

But still worth the chat up eh Dan...

Not my intention, but if it works

**BIKEGAL68** · 31st May 2007, 20:02

how do u like your bike i brought one about 5 weeks ago the black colour an found it chunky ............ didnt like it at all

so brought new one last week .............

but have u had any problems with yours ?????

**Lissa** · 31st May 2007, 20:11

Heehee thanks for sharing Miss L, theres a few of us who have those moments.. (Blonde, brunette... all kinda moments... waiting for Kathwyn to jump in now

) Ive done the running out of fuel, not knowing i had 6 gears, running into a fence post you name it!! Its all about experience... only gonna do those things once hopefully. At least you are enjoying your riding...thats the main thing.

Yea like Mom said (not my mom, but THE MOM) make sure your reserve is switched to on before refuelling.

**Little Miss Trouble** · 31st May 2007, 20:42

Yup fuel is back to "ON"
First I was freaking out coz there was something weird going on with my bike, then I was pissed coz noone stopped to help even after I pulled my helmet off so they could see I was a blonde chick not a dude but now its just funny.

**Mom** · 31st May 2007, 20:49

Originally Posted by Miss.L

Yup fuel is back to "ON"

Thats the way!!

Originally Posted by Miss.L

then I was pissed coz noone stopped to help even after I pulled my helmet off so they could see I was a blonde chick not a dude but now its just funny.

Probably the time you ummmmmmm "had fuel problems", coupled with the volume of traffic prevented the help thing kicking in.........DD must be really bummed out he was not closer......

**Little Miss Trouble** · 31st May 2007, 21:00

I'm quite glad now that no bikers came past, I woulda felt even stupider!
I think its so nice of everyone to warn me about DD but theres nothing to worry about I may be blonde but I can take care of myself

**<G>** · 1st June 2007, 12:53

And another tip... if you've turned the tap to reserve and used the choke to start engine again...remember to switch off the choke...otherwise you will have a wild beast revving to go...took me about 6km of on motorway, off motorway, couple of wrong turns (distracted by the engine overrevving), all the while wondering what the hells going on, reached my destination, looked down and saw that the choke was on! Instant relief that there was nothing wrong with the bike except an inexperienced (sometimes stupid) rider

I don't think hill starts will be a problem for me in the future, I'll just put the choke on and off she'll go!

**James Deuce** · 1st June 2007, 13:05

That's not a blonde moment at all. It happens to many people of all levels of experience and as some of us start buying older bikes (like me) I'm sure I'll do it too, thanks to being used to the wonders of modern bikes with fuel injection and fuel gauges.

You can add the following to watch out for:

Riding off with the side stand down.

Unable to start bike because the Run switch is switched to off.

Turning the key one notch past lock and activating the parking lights, only to find a flat battery 3 days later.

Taking your seat off to check the battery and not putting it back on properly, only to nearly fall off at the first corner you come too.

Adjusting the angle of your levers and not doing the clamp bolts back up properly so the brake lever/master cylinder/brake fluid reservoir/mirror rotate to a position where you can't reach them at all.

Not doing your rear axle up properly after adjusting the chain and wondering where that tyre smoke is coming from as you rear rubs on the swingarm and chain chewing both edges of your tyre off.

Leaving the fuel cap unlocked and soaking your crotch in petrol at the next quick take off.

Don't beat yourself, just don't do it again

**slinky** · 1st June 2007, 13:09

Originally Posted by Miss.L

Yup fuel is back to "ON"
First I was freaking out coz there was something weird going on with my bike, then I was pissed coz noone stopped to help even after I pulled my helmet off so they could see I was a blonde chick not a dude but now its just funny.

a blonde chick under that helmet eh [perhaps all the cars were men with there wives, so wudda looked suss if they stopped]....
No need to feel silly, i had the same issue when i got my new[old] 250 cuple years ago. and coming from an fxr that goes 100 kms on reserve, to a cbr250 that goes about 30kms[found this out the hard way].... i then completely ran outta petrol just as i was turning up to school. - not to mention the bike dying the night before and me thinking i had bought a bomb - after throwing my toys then decided to check if it had fuel. derh! changed it to reserver and off i went.