How long does it take you to fill up?

[Cal Price]

Well, before this post I never considered it, I would have said a couple of minutes to fill up and half an hour to arrange the bank-loan to pay for it.

[Kasumi]

I don't faf around with trying to get drops in my tank its not worth it. Pull up to the pump get off the bike, pay at the kiosk because the pay at pump is stupid and faulty most of the time. I have to take my helmet off because the NEW policy for the petrol station company i fill up at says bikers have to remove their helmet before they will even turn the pump on. Takes me about 1 minute to get the gas in, then 2-3 mins in the petrol station and im off. The pumps over here in england sound like they are much faster than over there in america. They fill so fast i have to worry about it splashing.

Hate the stupid policy about removing your helemt. A popular bike mag over here MCN did a test because they said were been discriminated against for wearing helmets. They sent one of their journalists to a petrol station to fill up their boy racer looking car. They wore a baseball cap and a hoodie which was pulled tight so you couldn't even see their eyes. Yet the petrol station let the fill up without even been able to see them. The same guy went in on his motorcycle and was asked over the loud speaker to remove his helmet before he was allowed to fill up. A police inspector from the local county where they did this said it was ludicrous. A biker can't even steal enough petrol to put a dent in the pockets of these petrol stations. Whereas a guy who looked like a thug who was going to steal petrol was allowed to fill up. Plus he said motorcyclists account for under 5% of petrol thefts because they enjoy riding - paying for petrol is part of the hobby.

[makenzie71]

man...some of you guys must have crappy fuel stations.  If I take 20 minutes to fill my car up it's becuase I pumped, went in and got a footlong meatball sub with provolone, mozarella and american cheese, had it toasted, slapped some parmesean on it, paid, went to the cooler and got a 20oz coke, paid for the cola, went back out, stuck my food in the car, washed my windows and scratched my ass for 5 minutes.  I have a hard time taking longer to fill anything up than my average ass-scratchin time.

[pandy]

Why is anyone even comparing filling up a car/truck with filling up a motorcycle? They're two different animals. 

Heck, I can fill up my car in 30 seconds flat, have time to dry my hair, put on my makeup, and do my nails, all while drinking a Peet's coffee, reading the paper, and having breakfast.

I can also get into my car and just drive away in about 3 seconds, but it takes a few minutes longer to gear up and ride.

Ok...riding a bike is a pain. Let's all give up our bikes and drive cages! 

[makenzie71]

If i stripped naked, fueled up my bike then dressed back up including gear it would take me less than 5 minutes...if that long.  The most time consuming part is waiting for the pump to accept my credit card.

[pandy]

If i stripped naked, fueled up my bike then dressed back up including gear it would take me less than 5 minutes...if that long.  The most time consuming part is waiting for the pump to accept my credit card.

Well...duh....we all know you ride in a g-string! 

[Codger]

2 minutes, including 4 swipes of the credit card, one each direction

[yamahonkawazuki]

I pay at the pump... bike up straight... pump... shake a bit... pump some more... shake a bit..... rinse, repeat until I can't get more gas in.

heh pandy id loiek to see you shakin lol 

[makenzie71]

Well...duh....we all know you ride in a g-string! 

A very fine, quality leather one.  Black, even, with pink stitching.

[pandy]

heh pandy id loiek to see you shakin lol 

Tight jacket....no shakes other than the gas pump! 

A very fine, quality leather one.  Black, even, with pink stitching.

w00t!!! Where are the pics!? 

[Kerry]

The only reason that I always take the extra time to FILL my tank is to give me ongoing feedback - about the number of miles I can go before hitting REServe.

By tracking changes in that number I can:

* know when to fill up during long, multi-tank rides (where the next gas station
   might be more than a REServe tank away if I don't do it right) and

* detect developing problems in fuel delivery (eg. clogged in-tank filter)

Here in Utah, long rides can mean stretches of 30, 60, or even 100 miles between gas stations.  If I never went on such rides, or only rode in populated areas, then I probably wouldn't bother with the fill-to-the-top method.  You don't need to use it for accurate miles-per-gallon calculations, but you do need to use the same fill up method consistently.

If you don't keep track of your miles-per-gallon performance, then skip all of this "mumbo jumbo" and fill up whenever and however the mood strikes you!  (I still think it's a good idea to reset the trip meter when you fill up, though.  )

[badkarma506]

from spanish forks to grand junction on one tank.  is why i fill it all the way,  i came in on fumes and the bike died on the off ramp and i coasted into the gas station.

[Kerry]

According to Streets & Trips, that's about 226 miles on a tank.  Not bad, but only about 45 mpg on your '01+.  And you should have had a bit of a tailwind most of the way!    I can't remember - did you rejet for those "straight pipes"? 

Dare I ask how fast you went on the I-70 stretch? 

[EMTkid]

5 minutes tops...and i never get off the bike. What could possibly take so long?

[Kerry]

Well, let's see...    

* Check the oil
* Wash the bugs off the windshield
* Wash the bugs off the faceshield
* Check the chain tension
* Enter the mileage on your PDA
* Take a GPS reading
* Refold your map
* Take a drink of water
* Munch a snack
* Call your honey
* Rearrange the stuff in your tank bag
* Talk to the other motorists
* Borrow the key to the bathroom
* Wait for traffic to let you merge back in

Realistically?  I almost never do the stuff I listed above - not at the gas station, anyway.  I'm probably there for 5 minutes tops too; my 9-minute figure was a hedge until I actually time it.

[pandy]

Now I'm curious....I'm going to have to time myself next time I fill up.... 

[RVertigo]

It really depends on how full I want the tank...  And the cooperation of the pump...  Some will let you trickle the gas... and some BLAST it...
Then I have to account for removing/replacing gear in the wrong order...  Puting my key in my pocket, then putting my gloves back on, looking for the key, taking my gloves off again, digging around in my pocket to find the key, putting the key back in the lock, knocking my glove on the ground, grabing my glove again, putting my glove back on, and finally restarting the bike...



Anywhere from 2 to 15 minutes I'd say...

[LimaXray]

Takes me ~5 minutes tops, but that's partially because after the first time I needed to switch to reserve I've been trying to fill it up after about 100 miles or so to avoid that trauma from ever happening again.

Actually, the first time I went to get gas, it took me more than 10 minutes, 5 of which were to build up the currage to ask the gas attendent guy how to work the damn pump 

[BaoQingTian]

Kerry,

There's some pretty bad stretches here in Nevada too.  I went to school in Logan, UT for four years, and still head back there to visit my wife's family.  I'd like to take the GS some time, but the I-80 has some stretches that make filling up something to plan for even in my car- and it get's about 350 miles to the tank.

There's a lot of desert out here to be running out of gas in. 

[Kerry]

from spanish forks to grand junction on one tank.  is why i fill it all the way,  i came in on fumes and the bike died on the off ramp and i coasted into the gas station.

Hey Dave!  Aren't you "milking" this a bit?  I just remembered that you had an extra gallon strapped on the back, and I've got  the pics to prove it.