Reserve gas

Hyster52 · #1 13th December 2009

Hi, gang! I've been off the boards for awhile. Doing more riding than posting; but now the rains have set in and I'm back at the keyboard more often.

I hope everyone is well and had a good summer and autumn (I was going to say "fall", but I actually had one of those and they're not great.)

Is there a thread here somewhere that outlines the best demonstrated practices for managing your gas reserves?

Should you run through that gas periodically?

Can you just switch up to reserves in order to mix it with the newer stuff or just burn through it?

Do you fill the tank with the petcock in the reserve position to re-fill the reserves?

I've had the bike (my first) a year and never touched the reserves.

Still a noob, I guess...

decman · #2 13th December 2009

The reserve is not separate gas, its all the same.

The reserve function pulls gas from a lower level of the gas tank.

The petcock has two tubes, the higher one is for normal 'ON' and the
shorter on is for reserve.

I would run the bike so it hits your reserve once in a while. This will help
you determine when you need gas, how many miles it takes
and also to also practice switching it on the fly.

You don't want to have to do it for the first time passing a semi....

colonelangus · #3 13th December 2009

its all one tank the reserve just takes from lower in the tank.

williamv1203 · #4 14th December 2009

Picture is worth 1000 words...

Similar but different than H-D but same principle.

Martimus · #5 14th December 2009

I think there are likely two options to consider here:

1) when you add fuel to your tank you're gonna automatically mix the new fuel with what's sitting in reserve in the fuel tank.

2) Given that most gasoline storage tanks have a layer of garbage at the bottom of them it's possible that you could have some sediment at the bottom of your tank. If this is the case then I think I'd rather have it there than getting sprayed into my cylinders.

BillieB · #6 14th December 2009

I run down to my reserve and I use it all the time. Once I have to switch over to reserve I know I'd best get gas BEFORE the next 50 miles. I know what my mileage per gallon is so I know how far I can push my reserve......not run out yet!

jharback · #7 14th December 2009

Quote:

Originally Posted by BillieB

I run down to my reserve and I use it all the time. Once I have to switch over to reserve I know I'd best get gas BEFORE the next 50 miles. I know what my mileage per gallon is so I know how far I can push my reserve......not run out yet!

I like to get into my reserve too. But, then I have a good in line fuel filter. At least once a year I run the bike close to empty and then drain and flush the tank also. I think if you do this you won't end up with the "layer of garbage at the bottom."