Ever run your bike outa gas?

You got the winner so far Jim!

On the later XS650 petcocks with the combo screen reserve pipe.
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That whole assembly can loosen and flop off if it isn't tight in the petcock, so if you are all happy thinking: man I'm getting really good mileage, past 150 and haven't even hit reserve yet. You might be surprised when you switch to (NO) reserve.
Hint if they don't seat tight I cut some shims from pop can and tighten up the fit.

Now you tell me. Where were you 15 years ago when I was pushing my '83 for that very reason?

I solved that problem. I did away with the in-tank filters and silver-soldered a short piece of stainless steel tubing in the reserve side of the petcock. Then went to replaceable in-line filters in glass tubes.
 
Today I took my bike out for a test ride after doing some repairs on my starter. I rode out to one of my favorite local roads that heads out into the desert, at about the farthest point away from home my bike started sputtering , OH CRAP! I flipped the petcocks to reserve and turned around. I have never let my tanks get low enough to ride on reserve, so I was unsure what kind of range I had left. I guessed it was maybe 15 miles to the nearest gas station. I also immediately started riding very conservatively, just hoping I wouldn’t get stranded.
I pulled into the gas station with 153 miles showing on my odometer, and I put 3.3 gallons in my 3.9 gallon tank. So I probably had a few miles left in it. But it had me goin there for a while. I have never run a motorcycle out of gas, and I didn’t much feel like doin it today! :laugh2:

So, anyone ever run their bike outa gas?
Anyone know what the limit is for distance before you’re sitting on the side of the road? :whistle:
Not quite as bad as the feeling you get when fiddling with the taps and find your already on reserve. Ask me how I know.
 
I was cruising through the Texas hill country on my KLR650, I was already on reserve and started losing power. Crud.
But the KLR has a secret reserve since it has one petcock and no crossover tube. On the side of the road I leaned the bike left to get some gas to the right side and she started right up.
Rode into the next town (about 5 miles) on full pucker, but I made it.
 
But the KLR has a secret reserve since it has one petcock and no crossover tube. On the side of the road I leaned the bike left to get some gas to the right side and she started right up.

Might have said before, grew up on the back of me Mum's BSA Bantams. One of my early memories - it must have happened a few times - is running out of fuel. Mother would adopt the technique she called 'tipping' the bike to get the last few egg cupfuls of petrol that was over on the right of the tank below the level of the tank tunnel. Splutter to a halt, off the bike, she lowered it onto the fixed l/h foot peg, pushed the bike well over, then I would help push the bike upright again. Enough to get to the next filling station. There were a lot more filling stations in them far-off days . . .
 
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