Fuel switch on reserve

Message

-Curly- · #1 Unread post by **-Curly-** » Thu Jul 21, 2005 1:11 pm

Can you run a bike with the fuel switch on reserve all the time? I was looking at a honda Shadow VLX, but its main fuel tank is only 2 gal with .9 gal reserve. I'm figuring that 2 gal will only last about 2 1/2 times to work and back and i would like to get 3 trips in before refueling.

Gadjet · #2 Unread post by **Gadjet** » Thu Jul 21, 2005 1:26 pm

yes, you can.

It really helps if you know what your mileage is on a tank of gas first though. You don't want to be running on reserve and hear the engine start to stutter and die.

I ran my old bike on reserve all the time, but this was mainly because the petcock was very hard to turn. I knew what my rough range was though, so I just watched my tripmeter and filled up before I got to my (theoretical) max range.

bikeguy joe · Thu Jul 21, 2005 1:29 pm

Yes you can.

You will want to keep an eye on the milage though so you don't run out!

Re-set your trip meter every time.

#4 Unread post by **Sev** » Thu Jul 21, 2005 2:10 pm

The reserve is more of a safety feature, so that you can run out of fuel, and keep going a little further. But it'll run just fine either way. Though my bike really doesn't like starting on reserve for some reason.

Wizzard · #5 Unread post by **Wizzard** » Thu Jul 21, 2005 5:59 pm

When I see anyone pushing their bike into a gas station I have a good laugh . And even tho I know basically how much fuel I have , I have made it a life long habit that when I first sit on the scoot and it's warming up , to take my gas cap/caps off and look for my self , regardless of what my odometer is telling me .
Regards, Wizzard
I would never run my sled on reserve unless needed.

Loonette · #6 Unread post by **Loonette** » Thu Jul 21, 2005 6:50 pm

My old bike had a defective reserve switch (learned the hard way), so I always had to know my mileage. My new bike has a low-level light, but I don't trust those for any kind of accuracy, so I still watch my tripometer. As long as you know what you've got left in there, no worries.

Cheers,
Loonette

JustJames · #7 Unread post by **JustJames** » Thu Jul 21, 2005 8:56 pm

The reserve is there for a reason. I'd never ever let the gas go down until i have to use reserve. I happened once and it is very bad. I always fill the tank before it hit reserve or if I know I will be on a long ride and might not make it before the reserve line.

TechTMW · #8 Unread post by **TechTMW** » Thu Jul 21, 2005 9:10 pm

2.9 gal... gawd.

Try one of these

http://www.seegercycle.com/cgi-bin/prod ... ke.cgi?5.3

ronboskz650sr · Fri Jul 22, 2005 3:17 am

The other day I forgot to reset my trip meter. I was excited about a curvy section of road ahead, and just forgot. The next day, I headed back there, and my bike surged in a left -hand sweeper. I saw the fuel light flash before I stood the bike back up, and reached down to get reserve. After turning back to civilization, I found I only had .2 gal left! I would have been stranded in the middle of nowhere, except for reserve. Good backup system, for me at least. Food for thought. (Hate getting old.)

Randy · #10 Unread post by **Randy** » Fri Jul 22, 2005 6:51 pm

I pushed my 500 pound Virago 920 about 1/3 of a mile to the gas station. It didn't seem that far when I started, but after that, I never kept it on reserve all the time.

It seemed like 100 miles, and who would have thought such a slight upward grade would have made such a huge difference.