GStwin.com GS500 Message Forum

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?

Strong in the force you are

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.

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!

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!   :thumb:

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

Quote from: TarzanBoyThis 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).

Quote from: TarzanBoyusing the FORCE (of gravity) to feed fuel to the engine.  

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

Quote from: scratchYes, 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:

Quote from: AlphaFire X5Gravity isn't a force :D

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

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! :cheers:

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.

(http://en.wikipedia.org/math/b65000f8f887a68545ce63eb1cada232.png)

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:

You people are SICK!!!!! :?  

SICK, SICK, SICK!!!!!! :?  :?  :?


:mrgreen:

Quote from: aaronstjNo, 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:

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

Quote from: aaronstjNo, 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:

Quote from: PhaedrusWith 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:

Quote from: TarzanBoypractice 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. :thumb:

Quote from: AlphaFire X5
F=ma   The most basic definition of force
F=mg   For when you're calculating something's weight (the force due to gravity)

No, this is wrong.  If your want to calculate someone's weight, it's still F(weight) = ma, where a is acceleration caused by the force of gravity.  The accleration caused by the force of gravity happens to be (darn near) constant on earth, since the force of gravity is directly proportional to the mass of the object involded, but that doesn't mean graivty is acceleration.  Any dictionary or encyclopedia will define gravity as a force.  In fact Encarta, the source you quote, suggest "graivitational force" as a good synonym for gravity.  

And graivty certainly is not directionless.  The force of gravity excerted on one object by another object is in the direction of that object.

However, I'm willing to entertain the idea the gravity is not a force, if you want to get into non-Newtonian-land, and go with the Einsteinian "gravity is a distortion of space-time".  But as long as we stay in the world of Newtonian physics (which we've done so far), nothing will convince me that gravity is not a force.  It's one of the fundamental forces, for Christ's sake.  That's fundamental forces.  Not funalmental accelerations.  :P

But I say we leave this up to popular opinion, relax, and have a beer.  

:cheers:

Hey!  Popular opinion!  Help us out!

No no, GRAVITATION is a force. That I will concur. However, gravity in and of itself is not a force. There is gravitational force, but gravity is an acceleration.

Quote from: AlphaFire X5No no, GRAVITATION is a force. That I will concur. However, gravity in and of itself is not a force. There is gravitational force, but gravity is an acceleration.

AlphaFire.  Although your argument in of itself could be considered semantically correct... taken in the context of my original post, you're completely off-your-rocker (wrong).  Not because of any scientific definitions... but simple English grammar.

I said force of gravity.  In this case, gravity is an adjectival modifying force..... so whether gravity or not is a force is completely irrelevant since it acts as a descriptor.

Example: Strength of character - a 'character' isn't a 'strength' and it doesn't have to be.... its simply describing what kind of strength the speaker is referring to.

And I'll mantain that making a distinction between gravitation and gravity is the silliest thing I've ever heard.  :P

Agreed. Given that gravity creates gravitaion and vise versa.

Quote from: AlphaFire X5Nuh 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.

But, what about the phrase, "The Force of gravity", and isn't a mass required to induce the force of gravity?

Quote from: scratchBut, what about the phrase, "The Force of gravity", and isn't a mass required to induce the force of gravity?

Yes.  No one is arguing that.  In this case, the mass of (primarily) the earth is interacting with the mass of gasoline, causing the force of gravity, which accelerates them towards each other.  Since the gasoline is much lighther than the earth, it acellerates much faster (9.8 m/sec^2) than the earth (which hardly accelerates at all).

Gravity is a force ... that 9.81 M/sec/sec or 32.2 feet/sec/sec is usually called acceleration due to gravity ...
Cool.
Srinath.

What was this thread about again???  :lol:

Alright, well, I found it out. If you're talkin' science and stuff, you've got to differentiate between gravity and gravitation or else you're wrong. They describe two different things.

Gravitation (or gravitational force) is a force unit, whereas gravity is an acceleration unit. Had he said the force of gravitation, I would have been cool with that. Most people don't make the distinctions with the exception of physics majors, people who do a lot of physics, or nerds.

And TB, I'm an engineer, not an English major! :lol: I was thoroughly confused by that until I looked at it carefully. To which I say, "Damn the English language and its complexities!"

Quote from: pandyWhat was this thread about again???  :lol:

Its about how whether or not Emperor Palpatine was just toying with Mace Windu the entire time or whether Mace would have killed him had Anakin not intervened


Alpha- I'm an engineer too.  A helluva chemical engineer (Ramblin Wreck from Georgia Tech).  I disagree that being technically trained disqualifies you from having a competent grasp of grammar and the english language.    Its being an American does that!  (Ha-ha, i'm an american too though).

Quote from: pandyWhat was this thread about again???  :lol:

http://www.gstwins.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=201791&highlight=#201791

:lol:  :lol:  :lol:

Quote from: TarzanBoyIts about how whether or not Emperor Palpatine was just toying with Mace Windu the entire time or whether Mace would have killed him had Anakin not intervened

Rats...I was hoping this was the shopping thread...  :P

Quote from: TarzanBoy[quote="pandy"Alpha- I'm an engineer too.  A helluva chemical engineer (Ramblin Wreck from Georgia Tech).  I disagree that being technically trained disqualifies you from having a competent grasp of grammar and the english language.    Its being an American does that!  (Ha-ha, i'm an american too though).

It's not that I don't have a strong grasp of the language, it's just I don't really care.

I guess now I am arguing about semantics. All this silly gravity talk should be diverted to the Odds 'n Ends thread we started.  :thumb:

to get us back on subject, my young padawin learner, do not forget to set pectcock back to on...learned that one the hard way when I was a padawin too.....(bike are heavy when you have to push them 3 miles)

Quote from: TarzanBoy... Instead of panicking, I relax...concentrate... and remember my jedi training (cue star wars music!)....  

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. ...

This is the 3rd time that i've run out of gas...

Run out of gas you have not!! Need for reserve you have!

Not ride to gas station if you run out of gas.  :thumb:

Soda... (cousin of Yoda)

Quote from: RedShiftSoda... (cousin of Yoda)

:lol:  :lol:  :lol: