Ran out of gas with 43 miles on the clock!

[tt_four]

Imagine my surprise. I've been fixing this bike up, and I guess all the random trips around the neighborhood, combines with my leaking carbs and what ever else I've apparently done the past couple weeks drained my gas tank pretty good. I decided to go for a quick ride tonight before the rain started, after getting in my first good 25 mile ride on Saturday. I was on my way home, probably about 3/4s of a mile from home when my bike cut out at the top of a hill. It would start for a second, especially if I opened the throttle, but then it would just die again. Finally I looked in the tank just to be sure, and empty! Couldn't believe it. It must have been spitting out all kinds of gas on those short rides when it was leaking. I eventually started rocking my bike back and forth, and I think I got just enough gas into the hose to get it started and make it home. It died again about 10 feet from the stop sign in front of my house. Now that I think of it.... when I filled up my tank again 2-3 weeks ago I knew I was going to be putting it on and taking it off a lot while I messed with the carbs, so I didn't fill it up completely, just to save myself from having to lift a full tank on and off.

"what about the reserve?!" I'm sure you're asking. Well like I said I just got the bike running well and registered this week. I took it for a short ride on Friday night to test it out. It did well but it had a hanging idle, and it randomly shut off from my a couple blocks away from home. I eventually got it started, but wasn't sure why it shut off. I turned the gas to PRI incase it was a fuel starvation issued. Most of the way through my 25 mile ride on Saturday I remembered it was still on PRI, so I turned it to ON, and kept riding. A couple miles later it shut off on me again, so I pulled over, turned it to PRI again, and eventually got it restarted and went on. At this point I've been thinking it was an electrical problem, most likely my kickstand switch, so I left again with the gas set to ON. My neighbors were out and I didn't want to bug with with my V&H so I let it warm up while I put my helmet and gloves on, but then I tried to take off and just go easy. Well my bike dies 2 blocks later, mostly just because it wasn't really warmed up right, and my idle is SUPER temperamental right now. I turned it to PRI again and took off. Now after all this I realize it was probably having such a hard time idling tonight because it wasn't getting enough gas in ON, but I didn't know that then. Anyway, lesson learned. I'll walk up the gas station tomorrow and fill up the gas can and keep better track this time.

Now that I think of it.... when I filled up my tank again 2-3 weeks ago I knew I was going to be putting it on and taking it off a lot while I messed with the carbs, so I didn't fill it up completely, just to save myself from having to lift a full tank on and off. Haha, oops. Oh well, that might save me from having to walk to the gas station. I might already have a gallon or two out back.

[wannabyng]

That's been happening to me too.  At least something similar.  I got my bike from dealer and guy who sold it to me said he would fill up the tank.  I was too exited to check.  I ran out of gas on the way home from work (about 4 miles round trip).  Now when I'm on the freeway, at about 80mph, with full tank, it loses power and if I don't switch to prime, it dies.  So I'm always having to reach down and change the petcock like every 5 minutes or so.  I'm going to get the tank off and inspect the petcock, but did you have tank off and not notice anything?  Maybe it won't be so simple.  I took it to the dealer and got charged $100 to find out "nothings wrong".  Dammit, they won't duplicate the problem, after all 80mph is over the speed limit, so i'm going to have to solve this myself.  jWhat happened to you is the nearest thing i've seen to my problem..

[pandymai]

That's been happening to me too.  At least something similar.  I got my bike from dealer and guy who sold it to me said he would fill up the tank.  I was too exited to check.  I ran out of gas on the way home from work (about 4 miles round trip).  Now when I'm on the freeway, at about 80mph, with full tank, it loses power and if I don't switch to prime, it dies.  So I'm always having to reach down and change the petcock like every 5 minutes or so.  I'm going to get the tank off and inspect the petcock, but did you have tank off and not notice anything?  Maybe it won't be so simple.  I took it to the dealer and got charged $100 to find out "nothings wrong".  Dammit, they won't duplicate the problem, after all 80mph is over the speed limit, so i'm going to have to solve this myself.  jWhat happened to you is the nearest thing i've seen to my problem..

it's fuel starvation. the prime issue that the gs has from factory. i'd imagine you have a relatively older bike. it's because the petcock's vacuum system doesnt work well at high speeds. look it up =] it's all over the place

[pandymai]

i always switch my petcock to pri when im gonna go on a freeway. once im back on surface streets i switch it back to on =]

[tt_four]

Glad to report that I took it out tonight and got in 15 trouble free miles. That's my 4th time out since last friday, and the first time it hasn't shut off on me. I believe the first 2 were the kickstand switch, and the last was the gas problem. Everything seems well now. Tomorrow is going to be 80! When I get out of work at 3:30 I'm gonna go see how many miles I can get in, and hope I don't have any problems. I only need about 45 more before I'll actually feel ok about rubbing the tires in a little bit, so I'm gonna try to actually find some roads with some curves in them instead of mostly just sticking to city streets like I have been.

Now I just need to figure out why my choke doesn't want to work. It did the first ride or two, not it does nothing, and I just need to turn my idle up real high to start it, then slowly turn it down as the bike warms up.

[pandymai]

Now I just need to figure out why my choke doesn't want to work. It did the first ride or two, not it does nothing, and I just need to turn my idle up real high to start it, then slowly turn it down as the bike warms up.

check it to make sure the choke is engaging at the carbs? if not, probly have a stuck/broken choke cable

[wannabyng]

Pandymai -- thanks so much for the help.  I found the thread about changing the petcock from 2005.  My bike is 2008, so maybe I have other problems, but at least now I won't have to keep switching petcock settings while driving on the freeway.  I really need to learn how to do my own repairs and then work up to modifications, it should be fun.