Fueling Your Bike

[802Mike]

When I was a kid I nearly caught a barn on fire when gas ignited on a hot exhaust
of a small engine I was playing around with. I never forgot that experience, maybe
because after my dad put the fire out I got my ass kicked.

I always get off of my bike but have seen rides straddle theirs while refueling.

https://motorbikewriter.com/how-to-f...torcycle-tank/

[FR4N]

The comments to that article are way better than the article itself

Seriously, I've never been that desperate for an extra millilitre or two of fuel.

[justjoe]

Thanks for the notice Fran, I went to read the comments!!

About the article, I agree mostly. Get off the bike to refuel. And don't top it off, unless you are going to burn it off immediately. There is not going to be an expansion problem if you start riding and are going to burn off that extra .5 gallons. And when I cut holes in my filler neck on my K12 and K13, my mileage increased by 40 miles and in some places having a little bit of leeway makes all the difference in the world, like SW Texas. On average though, I get off the bike, fill it like is mentioned in the article and move along. And unless I am stopping for more than fuel, I never take my helmet off.

[cabnfvr]

We like to get off and stretch our legs a bit. Plus it might be a good time to grab a snack.

[Lee]

We always get off the bikes to fuel. Gives us a chance to stretch our legs and gives me a chance to pat Debbie's rear.

[Sultan]

I admittedly did not read the article or comments. I did watch the video, and have never fueled my bike like that.
I must be the odd ball here, because I always get back on the bike, stand it up straight with both feet on the ground, retrieve the nozzle from the pump, turn the nozzle straight up to prevent any remaining gas from the previous pump from spilling, slowing bring it to the opened tank, rotate the nozzle into the tank, pump the gas, reverse when fill is complete. Been doing this all my life and not once have any issues or near issues. Guess it's all in the technique. Of course I get off the bike at first, walk in, pay for high octane, return to the bike and proceed as described. I really don't think about it, and seen other do their own thing too. This may stem from track days when the bike is sitting straight up by the stands so there i no reason to get on it, so on trackways I stand on the side of the bike and refuel, but never really fill it up for this type of riding. No more than 1/2 a tank most of the time. Don't worry I trust your method works for you.

[MattB]

I'll never forget getting my ass chewed by a guy at the pumps when I was in college, straddling my bike and filling it. Looking back, he'd have been better to be chewing me about my [lack of] riding gear instead of how I chose to fuel up.

All in all, I think that a wanker wrote the article and I didn't find much within it overly useful. Maybe it is because most here have nice bikes, but how many of you have "accidentally" overfilled and just pumped gasoline all over precious (your bike)? I'm guessing none, and I'm calling bullshit. I don't push the nozzle down in the tank as far as possible, and I don't take off my helmet/remove my ear plugs unless I plan to make a rest/break stop out of it. Without the nozzle shoved in "as far as it will go", you can actually SEE when it's full, what a concept. Again, is there ANYBODY here that just figures that the nozzle will trip when full?

As far as squeezing in every last drop, if I'm on a trip, I ALWAYS do. Assuming that you will immediately ride at least 5 miles after fill-up, on a bike that averages 40 mpg, you will already have burned 16 oz worth of expansion space.

Anyway, wanker is the first descriptor that came to mind on this author, not that I'm judgemental.

[aviator]

I get off the bike, need to to get at my wallet. But I have done it while on the bike as well, just ground the nozzle to the metal around the tank.

[Karlb]

I fuel while on the bike most of the time,never had an issue, if traveling the first fuel stop I usually don’t get off the bike at all, just gas and go I tend to fuel at about 130-150 miles so first leg stretch is 260 to 300 miles in.

[802Mike]

Thankfully I don't come across those nozzles with vapor recovery boots anymore!

With the GSA's large tank, if I'm just doing a day ride, I stick the nozzle in and stop
when it clicks off. If on a trip I'll carefully top it off.

The GSA has a 300+ mile range... my bladder not so much.

[justjoe]

Thankfully I don't come across those nozzles with vapor recovery boots anymore!

With the GSA's large tank, if I'm just doing a day ride, I stick the nozzle in and stop
when it clicks off. If on a trip I'll carefully top it off.

The GSA has a 300+ mile range... my bladder not so much.

Exactly. On the GSA, I don't worry too much when I'm local or riding with other bikes. My range is so much farther than most that sometimes I don't have to fill up at all. When I'm traveling that is another story because I'm not old and bladder limited...

[cabnfvr]

... As far as squeezing in every last drop, if I'm on a trip, I ALWAYS do. Assuming that you will immediately ride at least 5 miles after fill-up, on a bike that averages 40 mpg, you will already have burned 16 oz worth of expansion space.....

I haven't drilled a vent on the GS filler neck yet and probably will not. It mattered on the RS and especially the S where the range was around 180 max. Our GS will easily go 220 miles and that's more than enough between stops for us.

[ZATO]

Best video in a long time! Where did all those guys in white shirts come from and all those fire extinguishers. Two thumbs up for the fire brigade as they saved the gas station from certain destruction while the poor rider was withering on the ground with smoked oysters!!

[Captain Howdy]

In Australia the pump will not be turned on if you are still astride the bike

[FR4N]

And for the majority of servos, you've gotta have your helmet off before the pump goes on. Although I do fill up without taking my helmet off at my local roadhouse as they all know me up there.

[Capnrip]

Here in the US most of the pumps are pay at the pump. You slide your card in and the magic happens. Don't remember that in OZ but sometimes we were out in the country a bit. I remember having to go in and pay frequently but can't remember if I did it every time or not. And I always get off the bike. Just the thought of putting a gasoline nozzle basically between my legs is reason enough for me to get off.

[beech]

I quite frequently see riders fill up while on the bike. Lazy or a bad back? No way I would ever do that. I am considering drilling my K13 neck though. Maybe next time I'm bored. The S1000R, that is a different story. my 2017 issue only gets about 160 or 175 miles max on a tank, though I have never run out. Previous one could go 200 miles no problem. I watch the amount going in too. I'm ready to take a liter of fuel with me and run that sucker dry to see what is going on. Another project for the summer besides painting the house trim.