Petcock on Reserve

[KevinsDa1]

For the longest time, I have been riding my bike with the petcock in reserve and have had no issues. Well last night on the way home from work on I94 north of Chicago, I ran out of gas with 4.7 miles on the countdown milage indicator. The worst I have ever pushed it is 26 miles (with the petcock in reserve). Never again. From now on I ride in normal and only use reserve when needed. I'm gonna start watching milage a little closer again also and not rely on that IDIOT light.

 

Kevin

 

[Wanderer]

I'm just curious. How much gas did you put in the tank when you filled up. Even after riding reserve for some time I've never been able to put even 5 gallons in my 6 gallon tank?

[RandyR]

For the longest time, I have been riding my bike with the petcock in reserve and have had no issues. Well last night on the way home from work on I94 north of Chicago, I ran out of gas with 4.7 miles on the countdown milage indicator. The worst I have ever pushed it is 26 miles (with the petcock in reserve). Never again. From now on I ride in normal and only use reserve when needed. I'm gonna start watching milage a little closer again also and not rely on that IDIOT light.

 

Kevin

 

 

Thats strange. Thats about the mileage where I would expect to have to switch from normal to reserve position...

[Owen]

Sunday I ran 18 miles after the F miles showed up before it ran out of gas and I had to switch to reserve. I have vent holes in the filler neck and I put in 5.2 gallons. I suspect the idiot light and the F miles gauge vary greatly from bike to bike...

[Ponch]

I rarely pay much attention to the counter after the low fuel indicator clicks on. It's all relative to how the bike is loaded, wind conditions pulling a trailer or whatever else affects gas mileage. I watch the bars on the gauge. If I'm in an area where gas is abundant I wait til there are no bars left to get gas. If, on the other hand, I'm in West Texas I tend to not wait as long.

Ps. I run my petcock on reserve all the time.

[Guest tx2sturgis]

For the longest time, I have been riding my bike with the petcock in reserve and have had no issues. Well last night on the way home from work on I94 north of Chicago, I ran out of gas with 4.7 miles on the countdown milage indicator. The worst I have ever pushed it is 26 miles (with the petcock in reserve). Never again. From now on I ride in normal and only use reserve when needed. I'm gonna start watching milage a little closer again also and not rely on that IDIOT light.

 

Kevin

 

 

So is the bike still sitting on the side of the road?

 

Closure dude, closure.

 

[V7Goose]

For the longest time, I have been riding my bike with the petcock in reserve and have had no issues. Well last night on the way home from work on I94 north of Chicago, I ran out of gas with 4.7 miles on the countdown milage indicator. The worst I have ever pushed it is 26 miles (with the petcock in reserve). Never again. From now on I ride in normal and only use reserve when needed. I'm gonna start watching milage a little closer again also and not rely on that IDIOT light.

 

Kevin

There is definitely more to this story than we have here. Unless something has failed there is absolutely no way you can actually run out of gas in the reserve position with only 5 miles on the trip meter. You don't tell us what your fuel gauge showed or how much gas your tank took compared to your normal fill. The most likely causes that come to mind would be either your petcock was not REALLY on reserve (people have been know to change them as a joke), your sending unit has gone bad, fuel pump went bad, or a vacuum lock in the tank that stopped the flow of gas.

 

I think you may be over reacting and just asking for more trouble down the road if you just start running scared of your fuel supply and don't actually figure out what really went wrong.

 

Everyone has different procedures that they follow to decide when to gas up, and while I won't try to swear that all RSVs are 100% alike, I have done a lot of comparisons with other RSVs while we rode together, and they have all been very similar to mine in capacity and range (as adjusted for their actual riding styles and condition). I constantly push my range to the limit, and unlike Ponch, I pay more attention to the fuel trip meter miles than I do to the actual fuel gauge. I do carry a small amount of gas with me, and I have deliberately run out of gas in a number of situations so I could accurately verify how much fuel was available and how much I could add to the tank. Here's what I have proven with my bike over and over again in 80,000 miles:

 

1. My tank absolutely does hold a full 6 gallons, and I can use it all and fill it with 6 gallons (with a vented filler neck I think my max fill was 5.96 gallons). It is common for me to fill with between 5.6 and 5.8 gallons with I am on the road and pushing the limit of my range.
   
2. I leave my petcock in reserve position 100% of the time, and I consider myself on "reserve" when the trip meter switches to "F". When my bike was fairly new I did switch the petcock, and it was very consistent that I would have to move it to the reserve position just a couple of miles after the trip meter switched (like 4.7 miles, for example).
   
3. The specs for the RSV state that the tank has about .9 gallons in reserve - this is wrong - all of them I have checked have 1.5 gallons left after the trip meter changes. Note that the amount of gas left for reserve is completely independent of how full you normally fill your tank - that will only affect how much gas you have BEFORE you go on reserve, not what is left.
   
4. Actual range on reserve is variable, depending on all the normal things that affect MPG AND how straight and smooth the road is.
   
5. This tank does not have a leveling connection between the left and right sides, so if you are riding on a straight smooth road at a steady speed, you will run out of gas with at least a quart left on the right side. That still means you can count on a full gallon in reserve under any conditions. But if you are in any conditions that produce normal sloshing, especially riding hilly and twisty roads, you will get to use virtually ALL of the available gas.
   
6. With only one single exception (running 85+ into a NASTY headwind), I know for a fact that I can ALWAYS get a minimum of 40 miles on reserve, and if I am riding at 60 MPH or less, I'll get 60 miles on reserve.
   
7. Even though I put most of my faith in watching the miles on the fuel trip meter and knowing how the conditions are affecting my MPG, I do not ignore the fuel gauge. I know for a fact that when the last bar disappears on the fuel gauge on my bike, I still have at least 20 miles of fuel left.
   

Your bike may certainly be different than mine, but if it is much different, I'd look hard for the cause.

Goose

[jfoster]

For the longest time, I have been riding my bike with the petcock in reserve and have had no issues. Well last night on the way home from work on I94 north of Chicago, I ran out of gas with 4.7 miles on the countdown milage indicator. The worst I have ever pushed it is 26 miles (with the petcock in reserve). Never again. From now on I ride in normal and only use reserve when needed. I'm gonna start watching milage a little closer again also and not rely on that IDIOT light.

 

Kevin

 

 

Mine did the same thing to me....like you I kept my petcock on reserve. I left home the other day, with alittle over 110 miles on the trip and a 1/4 tank of fuel (by the guage). Got on I-49 at mp 163. At mp 165 the low fuel trip came on. I thought no problem, the next gas station was at the 177. Seven miles later, I was on the shoulder out of fuel. I think I only got 135-140 miles out of that tank. Not sure what happened, if was bad fuel or what. Like you know more riding on reserve.

[jlh3rd]

how many bars are on the fuel gauge....anyone ever curious..?......how many miles per bar you get ..?......the first bar wouldn't count if you have the tank mod....

[KevinsDa1]

I have not modified my filler neck and I doubt that I will. I did it on my last bike and I was totally embarrassed when gas started seeping out of my bike on a hot day.

 

My wife came to my rescue with almost a gallon of gas (she had never filled a gas can before in her life) and I made it off the highway and to a gas station. I did not pay attention to how many gallons I put into it, I just filled it to the brim and rode home.

 

I did have an issue a couple of weeks ago with the bike running rough after a really bad storm when I went to Sturgis on the River in Davenport Iowa, but I have put seafoam into the tank and thought I resolved that. Once I got fresh gas into the tank this time it ran rough for a little while (a minute or two) then it roared to life and I took off to get more gas into it.

 

 

Kevin

 

 

[Dave77459]

For the longest time, I have been riding my bike with the petcock in reserve and have had no issues. Well last night on the way home from work on I94 north of Chicago, I ran out of gas with 4.7 miles on the countdown milage indicator. The worst I have ever pushed it is 26 miles (with the petcock in reserve). Never again. From now on I ride in normal and only use reserve when needed. I'm gonna start watching milage a little closer again also and not rely on that IDIOT light.

 

Kevin

 

I had a similar experience. I usually will run into the 30 or 40 mile range "on reserve" (like Goose says... if it is counting up, I am on reserve). One morning I left to work with only 7 miles on the count up. I ran out of gas. I worried about it, but didn't know what to think.

 

"Coincidentally," my fuel pump failed about a week later. My theory is that the dying fuel pump was related to my prematurely being out of gas. Perhaps it couldn't pump strong enough to get the gas from the bottom of the tank to the carbs. I dunno.

 

I'm just a bit worried on your behalf that you had a similar experience. You wouldn't think a 2009 would have a bad fuel pump, but...

 

Dave

[Sylvester]

I run my tank normal and not on reserve. I go to the end bar on the gauge and then switch and start looking for a fuel station. Normally I only put in 4.8 gallons, but on my recent trip from Omaha to Dallas I hit high frontal winds. I would be on reserve in 115 miles and then I was desparate for a station since the mileage was so poor.

 

You all do what you feel right as I do.

 

[KevinsDa1]

"I'm just a bit worried on your behalf that you had a similar experience. You wouldn't think a 2009 would have a bad fuel pump, but..."

 

 

Thanks for the support Dave. I'm going to keep a real close eye on things for the next month or so and see if anything similar happens.

 

The real issue I have is that I put on 96 miles a day and a good 75 of that is on the expressway. Its not a very safe feeling I had being on the side of the road with people flying by at 70-80 MPH, but I kept myself amused. I actually started cleaning the front of the bike to keep myself from concentrating too much on the traffic. I did keep a weary eye on them though, with plans to hop the meridian if things got out of hand.

 

Kevin

 

[mike_kelly_68]

Does anyone know what side the fuel sender is located on. I looked in the parts drawings and cannot tell. I would expect that it would be on the left with the petcock, but stranger things have happened.

If it is on the right and you were to take a hard right turn (on ramp to big road) could you move enough fuel to the right side of the tank to cause this to happen?

There is no crossover on these tanks except for the tail end of the tank which extends below the back bone.

 

[KiteSquid]

Does anyone know what side the fuel sender is located on. I looked in the parts drawings and cannot tell. I would expect that it would be on the left with the petcock, but stranger things have happened.

 

It is on the left.

 

There is no crossover on these tanks except for the tail end of the tank which extends below the back bone.

 

You are correct.

 

 

So if you run out of fuel, you MIGHT be able to lay the bike on the left side crash guards for a few seconds and get some fuel to the left side........ maybe...

[Beau-Kat]

There have been some pretty good points made on here.

 

My Millenium's tripmeter and low fuel light took the "deep six" a few years ago @ somewhere around 30K on the clock. I've read several posts where this has happened to others. I'm probably going to change out the sending unit soon.

 

What's to say that your fuel sending unit won't go out while you're riding and you end up stranded while you wait for the low fuel light and tripmeter to start up?

 

I've worked in electrical/electronics all of my adult life and have a lot of faith in that stuff. But when they decide to croak, that's it, you're done.

 

We all agree, I think, that wind, load, towing, and other conditions can cause our mileage to vary greatly, so we can't always figure on a certain mileage from a tank.

 

If I fill up as soon as I switch to reserve, my tank pretty much always takes 4.5 gallons to refill.

 

So, I continue to run my petcocks on all of my bikes as they were designed, with the petcock in the on position until I actually need reserve. My bike gives me plenty of warning before it runs out of the main tank. By the first "cough" I switch to reserve, simple as that.

 

When I was growing up, none of the bikes had fuel warning lights, etc. So, if you forgot to switch your ride from reserve after filling up and ran completely dry later, you could have been the one on the side of the road, and the brunt of all jokes from your buddies.

 

Why would anyone want to run their bikes on reserve all of the time? To each his own, I guess.

 

The only reason I can see for always runing on reserve is if you constantly had a just long enough commute on a major highway that switching to reserve in traffic could be a problem (like slowing down in the fast lane) for you while you await the fuel pick up, so you run on reserve all of the time because you know you can make it home with fuel in the tank (now, was that a run-on sentence or what?)

 

Is that a fair assumption?

 

That said, the rain has cleared, I don't have to work tonight, so I'm going to the garage to see what wants to be ridden today, the pre-electronic rides or the more modern bells and whisltles ones.

 

By the way:

The wealth of info on this sight is absolutely astounding. I've beneffited a great deal from reading all of the posts and from actually meeting some of you at M&Es and along the roads.

 

Y'all all oughta applaud yourselves.

Edited July 2, 2010 by Beau-Kat

[KiteSquid]

One more thought.

 

 

From time to time you should run your bike on reserve, to get water and other contaminates out of the bottom of the tank, I do........

 

I have seen too many gas tanks rusted out on the bottom due to water build up, but that is probably not an issue with the ethanol that is in modern gasoline...

 

 

I would rather have clean fuel at the bottom of the tank when I need to shift to reserve.

[Beau-Kat]

Great point!

Agree 100% Do that all of the time for about 5 miles or so.

Did it on the VMax this morning.

[Pappa Bear]

My thought is why even push your fuel supply that far? You are gonna need to refill one way or the other, just think ahead

[Condor]

Mine did the same thing to me....like you I kept my petcock on reserve. I left home the other day, with alittle over 110 miles on the trip and a 1/4 tank of fuel (by the guage). Got on I-49 at mp 163. At mp 165 the low fuel trip came on. I thought no problem, the next gas station was at the 177. Seven miles later, I was on the shoulder out of fuel. I think I only got 135-140 miles out of that tank. Not sure what happened, if was bad fuel or what. Like you know more riding on reserve.

 

Same thing here. I always ran my 1stGens on reserve and tanked up a 150miles. The first trip on the '99.... I didn't know where anything was... the countup tripped, and when it hit 7miles I was nursing a doggy bike on the apron of the freeway. I assumed the thing was turned to reserve.... Nursed and coaxed it a half mile to the next exit and into a gas station. First thing I did when I got back to the barn is find and check that dang reserve pitcock... It was off reserve. Doh!!! It's now set where it should be... on reserve 24/7/365.25....

 

 

PS: What ever happened to good old Yankee ingenuity? When it gets to 150miles on the odo, stop and get fuel... If you've only traveled 75 miles and have a long stretch of road ahead, stop and top it off. I guess I just have a hard time dealing with a rider who want to take it to fumes before looking for a station. Believe me when I say you're not going to run out of fuel before 150. If you do you have bigger problems than dealing with a reserve switch...

Edited July 12, 2010 by Condor

[Sailor]

I find I have to tank up with a 1/4 tank left on the bars. The bike will run out before the bars do and long before the fuel light or signals come on. In fact they usually do not come on until after I have filled up and am on the road again. Then they briefly come on. I have become practiced at reaching down and switching over to reserve while the bike is moving.

[ashley9187]

I have had my RSV for a couple of years now. Most of it's life is with a sidecar mounted to it. It never comes off (triple tree modified) and as you know mileage sucks big time. I decided to sacrifice most of my trunk space for a three gal. reserve tank. Best investment I have made for my bike, besides the sidecar. I ride exclusively on the 3 gal with main tank petcock off. Without a passenger on the open freeway I get about 80 plus change miles with the tank, with passenger I can get about 70 miles per tank full. I can go almost a full week on the 3 gal before I have to switch the petcock to on.

 

The reserve tank is plumbed in such a way that if I have my main tank in the on position the reserve tank will keep a constant flow of fuel into the main tank and it seems like I can drive forever before the guage even starts to move. Since the tank is mounted about the main tank line it needs no fuel pump just gravity. The 3 gal tank has it's own petcock which I leave on all the time. Down side is if both tanks are full and you park on a up hill slope fuel from the main will run into the reserve tank causing fuel to out from the over flow. If you park on a down hill slope it can flow into the mail tank and it will over flow also.

 

My wife and I go on rides with our club and we almost never need to fill up during the rides. One of the best investments I have ever made, ok, ok, second best. Sorry mine frau.

[Rick Haywood]

I am not sure what the reason is to leave the thing i n the reserve mode. Don't you all stop or do you ride non stop up to the 175 miles it takes to go to reserve. When mine goes to reserve it takes about 2 seconds to switch the petcock plus you can tell for about a mile or so that it is running out of gas

[Freebird]

I never leave mine on reserve and many times ride tank to tank without stopping. I sometimes don't notice when the low fuel light comes on and there have been a few times when only losing power and having to switch to reserve made me aware of the fact that I was low. I just reach down and switch to reserve and find the next gas station.

[V7Goose]

I am not sure what the reason is to leave the thing i n the reserve mode. Don't you all stop or do you ride non stop up to the 175 miles it takes to go to reserve. When mine goes to reserve it takes about 2 seconds to switch the petcock plus you can tell for about a mile or so that it is running out of gas

I leave mine on reserve all the time simply because I do not find any value in having to move it! This bike has THREE other things to tell me I am going on reserve (the fuel trip meter, the idiot light, and the fuel gauge itself), so feeling the engine falter as it unnecessarily starves for gas is pointless. In addition, although changing the petcock to reserve is usually easy, that is not so with the chrome wind guards I use in the winter. And even when they are not mounted, having to take a hand off the bars and lean forward to change the fuel to reserve introduces a small amount of additional risk to the control of the bike that is really unnecessary with the other fuel warning systems we have.

 

To each their own,

Goose