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How do people handle switching to reserve while in motion? I ask because today I hit reserve while on the motorway, as usual I didn't click on to the intermittent loss of power in time and my poor baby was going BRHMMMMM POOOOOOOOF BRUMMMMMFFFFFF while angry motorists were wooshing past me in the other lane. Should I flick it on to reserve if I estimate that I'll be running low ahead of time? (ie BEFORE I get on the bloody motorway?) Or should I go for the gusto and reach for it? Is this something I should practice once in a while to get the hang of it? Kind of a stupid question, but I was making GBS threads bricks when it happened.
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Nov 16, 2008 08:45
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| # ? May 15, 2024 04:14 |
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Spartak posted:How do people handle switching to reserve while in motion? How well do you watch your odometer? I run my bikes on reserve at all times, and just keep an eye on the odometer. Only time I've ever run out of gas was at the track...and that was my own drat fault for being a moron. If you'd like the added reminder of using your reserve tank, just go practice using it in a parking lot or something. I got to the point when I did use mine that I could reach down and flip it without even thinking about it. The thing is, i'd always check my mileage at the same time to verify that that was the problem, and eventually removed the futzing around with the petcock bit and just kept an eye on my odo.
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Nov 16, 2008 08:48
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The pickup coil and both ignition coils measure the correct ohms. I think I found the problem though - one of the connectors between the the pickup coil and the ignition coil igniter was not locked and had backed out a bit. Can't light the bike up right now so I'm going to test conductivity on a few more lines and try tomorrow. I must be a nerd because this is fun as hell. Edit: also checked - the two lines between the ignition coil igniter and the two ignition coils, the four lines between the pickup coil and the ignition coil igniter, and 12v to the ignition coils. Everything checked out. As I was reinstalling the ignition coils, the cable from one ignition coil to the spark plug disconnected from the spark plug connector. So now I have two possible failures that I can test for tomorrow. If it is either of these, z3n was right in saying that it was a bad connection. Otherwise all that is left is the ignition coil igniter or a false test like z3n warned about. Well... that and I need to check my plugs but my drat deep socket doesn't fit in the drat hole. darknrgy fucked around with this message at 12:51 on Nov 16, 2008 |
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Nov 16, 2008 10:16
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Spartak posted:How do people handle switching to reserve while in motion? i got into the habit of shutting off the petcock on my f650 as it has a leaky float. took a few days before the habit of switching it back on became ingrained in me. as it turns out there's enough fuel in the bowls to get me about 500 metres away from work and about halfway round a really busy roundabout before it starts lurching. not fun. i just got accustomed to reaching down and flipping it over while driving.
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Nov 16, 2008 12:06
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Spartak posted:How do people handle switching to reserve while in motion? I switch it in motion if the need arises. Usually I can tell from the mileage if I'm getting low and fill up, but I get surprised sometimes (after a series of cold days where I let the bike warm up longer and my range drop, after high speed riding where my fuel economy plunges, etc). If I'm getting low and getting into a place I don't want the bike to die (getting on the interstate, riding up a hill, hitting some twisties, etc), I'll switch before running out. However, I still do this while moving. You should practice just sitting on the bike and reaching for the petcock. Get a feel for where it is without having to look. Once you know how to find it by touch, practice finding it while moving so you can do it when you really need to. Just remember to take it off reserve once you fill up.
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Nov 16, 2008 13:13
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Spartak posted:How do people handle switching to reserve while in motion? Quite honestly this has never been a problem for me. However I do think It was one of the things I practiced in my head before I had a motorcycle. It was something that worried me. You can always practice moving the switch while the bike is in motion. If you switch to reserve when you don't need to, it doesn't affect the bike at all. So do it at will. I can't recommend Z3n's method, because if you screw up, you're really screwed. At least if you can't figure out switching the petcock on the roll, you're just stranded on the side of the road, instead of "I ain't getting to a gas station" Though, yes, you should always be aware of your odometer reading, and your theoretical range. When a bike is running out of gas, you do get quite a bit of warning. I get 5-10 miles on every one of my bikes. when the fuel level gets really low, fuel pressure drops. This means float levels drop. So the bike runs a little lean. And it gives lean signals. On my 1980, each carb runs out of fuel separately, so i get lots of "this is your last chance" warnings too. I know you're running a twin, so when one cylinder goes dry your power drops off 70% or more. Blah blah blah, lots of words. What this comes down to is it sounds like you're not comfortable enough on your bike yet. Nothing should cause you to be making GBS threads bricks. It may be time to consider spending less time in traffic, and more time getting comfortable with the bike. If you're running around in traffic, you should be comfortable enough to take a hand off the bars. Checking your petcock position shouldn't be a panic thing. Even if you don't know where it is. To use the "dollar" analogy. It sounds like you're spending your whole dollar riding the bike, not leaving enough change to deal with new stuff. That's worrying.
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Nov 16, 2008 13:25
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Nerobro posted:when the fuel level gets really low, fuel pressure drops. This means float levels drop. So the bike runs a little lean. And it gives lean signals. So that's why it feels happier with a full tank! I can feel a difference in vibrations (and perhaps a bit in poewr as well) after filling up, but I thought it was the empty tank resonating and my head filling in the blanks. But fuel pressure makes perfect sense. I've hit reserve with surprise two times, the first time was in a 30 mph zone and I just pulled over and set it to reserve. This made me worry about how I'd handle it on the highway so I simply sat on the bike and practiced turning the petcock with gloves on. The next time I was surprised it was in a 50 mph tunnel and I could reach it, give it a shot of prime then to Res without taking my eyes off the road.
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Nov 16, 2008 14:12
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Uthor posted:Just remember to take it off reserve once you fill up. That's the worst thing ever. Fill up, ride, run out of gas. Go to flip to reserve, realize you are on reserve, then begin crying as you realize you have to walk to a gas station in full gear in July. I've done that twice in ten years, and it was two times too many. Though I did poach some gas off a guy once who was doing landscaping. He was a rider too, and was shocked and appalled I didn't run premium in my bike. I told him that the mower whose gas I used needed premium more than my bike. 
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Nov 16, 2008 17:25
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I've been considering running premium in my bike, every time I fill up I say "next time" because I'm always either on my way to work or on a long journey. The difference in price is laughable when I'm only spending 8 quid to fill up in the first place. In other news, my bike is running rather rich, she'll splutter and drown if I open the throttle completely when it's wet. And she won't start on full choke, it's gotta be half choke, a lot of coaxing, a bit of throttle and a few curses. Thinking back, I don't think she's ever started on full choke, but then before I got this job, I never needed it, starting at 10pm and 6am is harder than midday, and having to ride in all weathers really does make you appreciate it when it's sunny, or at least clear. I use my reserve, but I tend to keep an eye on my odo as well. Most of the time I don't let it get to reserve. I don't think I actually know how far she'll go on a full tank, I've never let it get that low.
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Nov 16, 2008 18:13
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Nerobro posted:I can't recommend Z3n's method, because if you screw up, you're really screwed. I obsessively check the trip, everytime I get on the bike. All of my bikes have also had low fuel lights or some other mechanical reminder, so I don't get caught out as well, so it's really a non-issue. If I were riding a bike with no idiot lights, then yeah, I'd probably leave it on. When I rode the triumph without any gauges (no petcock) i'd just fill it up every few days. The CB200 I can pop the tank and look in, same with the dirtbikes, so I'd just eyeball it there.
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Nov 16, 2008 20:01
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Spartak posted:How do people handle switching to reserve while in motion? I used to ride a GS500 with no fuel guage or idiot light. It would, pretty much without fail, start sputtering/lurching around 200km. After a while, I just got used to feeling the tapering off of power that indicated I was low, and would just reach down and flip to reserve without any problems. Practice flipping between ON and RES while riding along some lonely, straight stretch of road, a bunch of times, just so you're aware of how to keep the bike going where you have it pointed, while still fiddling with the petcock. It will take a few tries to get comfortable, but with a little effort, you'll stop having to worry about accidentally drifting into oncoming traffic Running on reserve all the time just sounds like a recipe for getting stuck on the drat side of the road, regardless of how careful you are, because mileage is never going to be the same between two tanks. Ever. Why not keep that small margin of error, just in case your short stint of squidding around dropped your range by 30km?
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Nov 16, 2008 21:39
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Simkin posted:I used to ride a GS500 with no fuel guage or idiot light. It would, pretty much without fail, start sputtering/lurching around 200km. After a while, I just got used to feeling the tapering off of power that indicated I was low, and would just reach down and flip to reserve without any problems. Practice flipping between ON and RES while riding along some lonely, straight stretch of road, a bunch of times, just so you're aware of how to keep the bike going where you have it pointed, while still fiddling with the petcock. It will take a few tries to get comfortable, but with a little effort, you'll stop having to worry about accidentally drifting into oncoming traffic I must be paranoid, because I keep track of that stuff. Plus, as I mentioned, all of my bikes with the exception of the trackbike either have gauges or idiot lights, so it's not like I'd be totally without warning.
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Nov 16, 2008 21:48
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Yeah, riding a bike without any guage of fuel level other than manual inspection (or knocking on the tank, for that matter), made me much more cautious about running out of gas. Then again, I'm rarely riding further than 30km these days (yay school  ), so running out isn't too common a problem.Would it be acceptible to, rather than pouring fuel stabilizer in and hiding them away in a corner (don't have that space anyhow), just fire up and ride the bikes that I have every week or two? The weather's occasionally nice enough to allow me to ride things other than my reliable dd, so I figure why not just enjoy a variety of motorcycles, and save myself the trouble of bikes lying fallow.
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Nov 16, 2008 22:56
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backstory on previous page The mystery is half solved. The bike runs fine now, but I'm not exactly sure why. The issue was definitely not the loose spark plug wire. I tried just disconnecting it and the bike ran on one cylinder, but the tachometer worked correctly. I tried backing out the connector I found loose, but the bike would just completely die. Chances are, it was this connector, but since disconnecting/reattaching I cleaned out any corrosion that might have been causing a break. Well, at least I know the ignition system pretty well now.
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Nov 16, 2008 23:29
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Simkin posted:Yeah, riding a bike without any guage of fuel level other than manual inspection (or knocking on the tank, for that matter), made me much more cautious about running out of gas. Then again, I'm rarely riding further than 30km these days (yay school Yup. darknrgy, just be happy it wasn't component failure...it's also possible that the spark plug wire was connecting intermittantly, and that was causing the tach to jump but the bike to not fire as well. Either way, you got it sorted out and learned something, so...hooray!
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Nov 16, 2008 23:58
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Z3n posted:Yup. That's kinda what I was hoping. It's far too much fun to have different bikes to ride every once in a while to leave them sitting unloved in a corner for the winter.
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Nov 17, 2008 00:05
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ah poo poo! Problem came back after about half an hour of riding. Heat related? This makes things much harder. Tried disconnecting the gauge cluster while the bike was on, but it just shuts off. The connector must be shared by the igntion switch or shutoff switch. Issue went away after the bike cooled down. Couldn't get it taken apart fast enough to catch it. I have a buddy with a 500R so I'm going to see if I can track him down and grab the ignition coil and ignition coil igniter to test.
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Nov 17, 2008 01:20
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93 kawasaki ex500, 5500 miles Is there supposed to be oil in the generator casing? The stator, pickups, etc are all soaked. A couple tablespoons poured out when I cracked it open. Also busted the gasket so I guess I gotta replace that. My oil is a little high (just past the top of the viewfinder). 
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Nov 17, 2008 02:41
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darknrgy posted:93 kawasaki ex500, 5500 miles Normal, and yes, a new gasket is in order. You could probably carefully patch it up with a small amount of RTV if you're lazy.
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Nov 17, 2008 03:04
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Z3n posted:If I were riding a bike with no idiot lights, then yeah, I'd probably leave it on. *snip* The CB200 I can pop the tank and look in, same with the dirtbikes, so I'd just eyeball it there. Z3n posted:I must be paranoid, because I keep track of that stuff. Simkin posted:That's kinda what I was hoping. It's far too much fun to have different bikes to ride every once in a while to leave them sitting unloved in a corner for the winter. Z3n posted:Normal, and yes, a new gasket is in order. You could probably carefully patch it up with a small amount of RTV if you're lazy. But if it will get you going again.. sometimes it's worth using it. If you do an install right, RTV is not needed. When you get your new gasket. Rub grease on it before you install it. That will ensure you can remove it if you need to. I know people using the same cardboard valve cover gasket for the last 20 years with that trick. :-)
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Nov 17, 2008 04:33
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Nerobro posted:This gets back to the dollar analogy. "I" have the free time to calculate that sort of thing. With the gas gauge on the 83, it's a game for me to figure out at what mile I'll need to switch to reserve. A new rider most certainly will not have the time to think about that. Their odometer should be the last thing on their mind. I check it before I start the bike. Bike goes on, I check the odometer to see if I need to get gas this trip or not, and then away I go. No additional thought on the bike needed...I have a couple of gas stations that I like so I tend to swing by those when I need gas. On the RTV front...I knew that'd annoy you 
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Nov 17, 2008 04:38
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So I'm learning the basics on a 2000 Nighthawk 250, and have a couple small bits that need replacing (messed up when I bought it, not by me): -the cushioned foam grips on the handles are crumbling and held together with electrical tape. Do I just buy some new foam covering and glue it in place, or how do I keep the new foam from slipping in my grasp? -The previous owner broke off one of the passenger footpegs. Is there a goon-approved source for spare Honda parts, or should I buy OEM parts from the company, or just surf eBay, or what? Today I managed to ride from my house to campus. Not that it was particularly difficult (just a few miles), but it was a step forward for me.
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Nov 17, 2008 04:48
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Foam? Rip those off. Buy new grips. Foam = pain. Foam = dirty hands. Foam = cramped hands. Go buy some gel, or standard grips. As long as they're sticky, you'll like them. Buying parts from the dealer is a good plan. Alternatively bikebandit is a good choice.
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Nov 17, 2008 05:28
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How much insurance do you guys buy on bikes? I am looking at various plans and thinking about how much damage a bike could realistically cause to someone else. The only tip I have found is just buying enough to cover assets.
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Nov 17, 2008 05:53
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dietcokefiend posted:How much insurance do you guys buy on bikes? I am looking at various plans and thinking about how much damage a bike could realistically cause to someone else. The only tip I have found is just buying enough to cover assets. I've always (read twice) gone with third party, fire and theft. I honestly didn't consider fully comp, particularly since I'm well aware of how much a 21 year old male student costs in that respect when it comes to cars. People have suggested that third party is fine, but having had my bike nicked once already, I don't think I could handle that. Besides, small dualsports are apparently very popular amongst thieves. I still stick my head out of the window every half hour to hour or so to check on it whenever I'm somewhere that's not home, just to make sure it's not been nicked yet. I'm not paranoid, honest.
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Nov 17, 2008 08:23
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I pay $326 a year on a 2006 SV650S. This is for full coverage with high deductibles. I live in a college town in Wisconsin and I'm 23 with a pretty lovely driving record. Edit: I got through Foremost.
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Nov 17, 2008 16:25
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I'm paying $380 a year with 9 points (from my youth, honest) for liability only in NJ for a Buell XB9S through Progressive.
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Nov 17, 2008 18:10
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I mean not monthly costs but what amount on liability for bodily harm.
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Nov 17, 2008 19:00
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dietcokefiend posted:I mean not monthly costs but what amount on liability for bodily harm. Does your state have required minimums? In CA they're something like 50k, which I found reasonable.
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Nov 17, 2008 19:39
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Krakkles posted:Does your state have required minimums? In CA they're something like 50k, which I found reasonable. CA is 15/30/5, state minimum. (First number is individual medical damage, 2nd number is the total for the accident, 3rd number is property damage) I carry something like, 100/300/100. 15k nothing when it comes to medical bills, and I can't afford to be on the hook for the rest of it.
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Nov 17, 2008 19:44
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TapTheForwardAssist posted:Is there a goon-approved source for spare Honda parts, or should I buy OEM parts from the company, or just surf eBay, or what? My Honda-riding buddies like https://www.servicehonda.com
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Nov 17, 2008 20:28
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Nerobro posted:Firing them up is good for them. Still do a winter oil change, and still use fuel stabilizer. That means if you skip a week you won't gum up those precious pilot jets. Bikes run very well with stabilizer in their fuel. It's a few oz of prevention. Does fuel stabilizer play well with premix?
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Nov 17, 2008 21:50
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Simkin posted:Does fuel stabilizer play well with premix? Its fine
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Nov 17, 2008 23:07
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Can I hook up a battery charger in lieu of an actual battery? I'm having trouble finding a good sized battery for my 77' KZ650 project and I'm itching to see if any of the electrical works.
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Nov 18, 2008 03:11
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8ender posted:Can I hook up a battery charger in lieu of an actual battery? I'm having trouble finding a good sized battery for my 77' KZ650 project and I'm itching to see if any of the electrical works. Shouldnt hurt it. I've done it to every bike I've ever owned at one point or another.
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Nov 18, 2008 03:22
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drat intelligent battery charger saw right through my tricks and realized there was no battery attached. Oh well, guess I'll wait for the stupid battery to show up. 
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Nov 18, 2008 05:31
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Z3n posted:CA is 15/30/5, state minimum. Oh, then progressive lied to me, and my insurance could be (but won't be, because I'm happy with the coverage) cheaper. I'm carrying 100/300/100 as well, as it turns out. (I told them I wanted the state mins, they said 50, I just checked, I'm actually higher. Cool.)
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Nov 18, 2008 09:09
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Krakkles posted:Oh, then progressive lied to me, and my insurance could be (but won't be, because I'm happy with the coverage) cheaper. I'm carrying 100/300/100 as well, as it turns out. Nah, they probably just weren't clear about the difference between state minimums and what they are willing to provide as minimum insurance. I'm carrying 100/300/100 as well, but may reduce it slightly, simply because State Farm has jacked the rates on the policy of my g/f and myself over 400$ since last year. On the bright side, they've been great when she got t-boned on her biek.
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Nov 18, 2008 17:44
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Copying this from the other thread: I found a dirt bike on Craigslist, no title, "lost" key. Asked for the VIN and he said it's 9C6CG043110005988, which doesn't appear to be stolen in anything online. Is this "too good to be true"? What should I do to check if a bike is stolen? What happens if I buy and it turns out to be?
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Nov 18, 2008 19:00
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LOLLERZ posted:I found a dirt bike on Craigslist, no title, "lost" key. Asked for the VIN and he said it's 9C6CG043110005988, which doesn't appear to be stolen in anything online. Or is it not really a dirtbike. Is it an enduro?
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Nov 18, 2008 19:09
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