GSTWIN.COM SAVED MY BUTT - A PADAWAN'S STORY

[TarzanBoy]

So, i'm riding down GA400, aka the 'Alpharetta Autobahn' which runs north of Atlanta at about 7:15PM headed south to get some food at one of my favorite burger joints in midtown.

I recently started wearing earplugs when I ride (they are a godsend), and everything is hunky-dory (going fine) as I pull into the middle lane and get up to speed.   However, as I raise the throttle, I notice considerably less power than normal coming from the engine.   It is still revving, but it felt like there was a huge headwind that was just destroying my acceleration rate.... I soon realize that I am running out of gas!  On the highway no less!  But I should still have 40mi left according to my trip odometer!  Nevertheless,  my fears are realized as I pull into the slow lane and I feel the engine start to sputter.

Instead of panicking, I relax...concentrate... and remember my jedi training (cue star wars music!)....  as I putter along in the right lane, I hear the disembodied voice of the GSTWIN board echo "Trust not in the shoulder of the highway, young padawan...  use the force!"  

IMMEDIATELY, my mind's eye flashed back to reading thread-after-thread, and rembering that I'd practiced reaching for the petcock just last week!  At the reccomendation of a post on GSTwin!

Managing a reasonable speed, I reach behind my knee, and activate the reserve...  using the FORCE (of gravity) to feed fuel to the engine.   4 seconds later, my engine stops coughing and powers back to normal.  I take the next exit and pull in at the nearest gas station.

So, let that be a lesson and warning to all of you!  No matter how good you are at keeping track of the odometer....  practice how to safely adjust the petcock to reserve whilst on the bike.   It just might save you from  pulling over on the shoulder of the highway (not a happy place).

-EDIT-
This is the 3rd time that i've run out of gas... and i've owned my bike a total of ~8-9 weeks... meaning that I run out of gas about once every 3 weeks.  Can anyone beat that?

[Mr.7]

Strong in the force you are

[blue05twin]

GA 400 is a terrible place to have your bike start puttering.  The average speed on 400 is probally 90 I know I get passed like I'm sitting still doing 80.  Glad your safe and not hurt.

[TarzanBoy]

You ain't lying, cuz.   Luckily I stayed out of the fast lane early-on because I'd perceieved (and was concerned about) the lack of power coming from the engine.  It would have been a hairy proposition  indeed to make my way back across 3 lanes of traffic with a dying engine!

[snowhownd]

Haha, I did the same thing the other day - only had the bike about a month, and before a long ride w/ a bunch of people I was thinking about the fuel vavle and how I'd never even reached for it while sitting on the bike (had no idea where it might be in relation to my leg).  Anyways, I practiced a few times that morning and sure enough, that day while cruising along I felt it start to miss and fears of breakdowns came into my head when suddenly I remembered, "maybe its the fuel!!!"  Reached down, popped 'er into reserve and she purred like a kitten again!  

[The Buddha]

Freakin newb's ...  :lol:  :lol:  :lol:
Cool.
Srinath.

[scratch]

This is the 3rd time that i've run out of gas... and i've owned my bike a total of ~8-9 weeks... meaning that I run out of gas about once every 3 weeks.  Can anyone beat that?

Yes, I've purposely ran outta gas 3 times in the same week to guage my range (175 miles each time, with reserve/tank dry; still @ about 55mpg, 125 miles average on main).

[Alphamazing]

using the FORCE (of gravity) to feed fuel to the engine.  

Gravity isn't a force . Anyways, I think I'll take this cue to practice switching my petcock to reserve while moving. Thank you!

[pandy]

Yes, I've purposely ran outta gas 3 times in the same week to guage my range (175 miles each time, with reserve/tank dry; still @ about 55mpg, 125 miles average on main).

I've never run out of gas, but then my bike doesn't like to go more than about 110 miles before getting more gas...so I have to go to the pump....every day....   I usually only put about 2 1/2 gallons each visit.... so only in the low 40's MPG.  :dunno:

[aaronstj]

Gravity isn't a force

Is, too.  It's one of the four fundamental forces.

[Alphamazing]

Nuh uh! Gravity isn't a force! Force is mass times acceleration. Gravity is measure in m/sec^2. Thusly, it is an acceleration. Gravity has no mass, ergo it is not a force.

Yay physics!

[aaronstj]

No, mass is force divided by acceleration.   :nana:

Gravity isn't really measured in units of acceleration.  The gravitational constant is  because it applies a force prportional to an objects mass, which supplies a constant acceleration.



Or, force of gravity = (gravitational constant * mass of object 1 * mass of object 2) / distance between the objects squared.  But for things like objects on earth, the radius squared is basically a constant, and mass of the earth (object a) is a constant.  So the simplified equation is f=X*m, where X is some constant, with m/sec^2 as units.  But graivty is a force.   :nana:

[pandy]

You people are SICK!!!!!  

SICK, SICK, SICK!!!!!!    


:mrgreen:

[Phaedrus]

No, mass is force divided by acceleration.   :nana:

Gravity isn't really measured in units of acceleration.  The gravitational constant is  because it applies a force prportional to an objects mass, which supplies a constant acceleration.



Or, force of gravity = (gravitational constant * mass of object 1 * mass of object 2) / distance between the objects squared.  But for things like objects on earth, the radius squared is basically a constant, and mass of the earth (object a) is a constant.  So the simplified equation is f=X*m, where X is some constant, with m/sec^2 as units.  But graivty is a force.   :nana:

With the exception of RVertigo and a couple others, I am thinking the burning desire to be right must be a Seattle thing.  :dunno:  :lol:

[aaronstj]

I think it's just a nerd thing.  As me and Alphafire have clearly established, we're both hopeless nerd.

[Alphamazing]

No, mass is force divided by acceleration.   :nana:

Gravity isn't really measured in units of acceleration.  The gravitational constant is  because it applies a force prportional to an objects mass, which supplies a constant acceleration.



Or, force of gravity = (gravitational constant * mass of object 1 * mass of object 2) / distance between the objects squared.  But for things like objects on earth, the radius squared is basically a constant, and mass of the earth (object a) is a constant.  So the simplified equation is f=X*m, where X is some constant, with m/sec^2 as units.  But graivty is a force.   :nana:

The acceleration caused by gravity, yes. But it isn't a force. The force needs mass, by the simple definition of F = ma, a being acceleration. Or, since you want the force of gravity, you get F(g) = mg where g is gravity. g = a = acceleration.

The equation you gave proved me right. If we were to take out the G (gravitational constant) then we'd have F being kg^2/r^2. That's just downright silly.

However, GRAVITATION is one of the four fundamental forces (gravitation, electromagnetism, and strong and weak nuclear forces which hold atoms together), but gravity  on the other hand, is not.  :nana:  :mrgreen:

[aaronstj]

[Alphamazing]

[RVertigo]

With the exception of RVertigo and a couple others, I am thinking the burning desire to be right must be a Seattle thing.  :dunno:  :lol:

Oh... I'm NO exception to the desire to be right.



Just the desire though...  Since I'm wrong all the damn time.  :lol:

[RVertigo]

practice how to safely adjust the petcock to reserve whilst on the bike.

Now back on topic...

Good for you!  Now practice some more...




Then tell lots of other people to do so...  Shoulders are for crying, not parking.