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Main Area => General GS500 Discussion => Topic started by: BassWoW on October 24, 2012, 12:23:49 PM

Title: My first 2.5 MILE walk with my bike
Post by: BassWoW on October 24, 2012, 12:23:49 PM
So coming home from my 55 mile drive- I was on Reserve...

Mind you... I had checked this not looking but feeling and trying to move it to the down position..didn't budge so I thought it was on the ON position..

Come  to find out hit the rochester city line on backroads in old NH. no streetlights for 2.5 miles into town and hills all over. Fully geared with balaclava liners gaunlets two jackets and overpants...

So with the blinker on and me walking it up hills..I was tired and the battery was DEAD. finally got to a gas station after taking at least 5 breaks...filled up and went down a road to bump start my bike down a hill...forgetting I put my helmet on my mirror..

After 5 more miles of 36* weather pulled over put the choke on all the way and geared up then went home...

NEVER Again will I even let my bike get low and i'll always look at the petcock before I even guess its on.
Title: Re: My first 2.5 MILE walk with my bike
Post by: bryan88 on October 24, 2012, 12:57:26 PM
Sorry about your push. Would it not have been easier to just leave the bike and come back with the fuel?
Title: Re: My first 2.5 MILE walk with my bike
Post by: BassWoW on October 24, 2012, 01:00:07 PM
No cell phone and I was still far from home...
Title: Re: My first 2.5 MILE walk with my bike
Post by: bryan88 on October 24, 2012, 01:03:25 PM
Sorry, I meant walk to the filling station and come back with the fuel. Over here you leave a deposit for the can to make sure you bring it back.
Title: Re: My first 2.5 MILE walk with my bike
Post by: BassWoW on October 24, 2012, 01:44:43 PM
You have to buy the can and the gas and I wasn't up to leaving my bike around here becuase its a two lane route and heavly traveled.. at speeds of 40 but people drive around 60 and hardly any room off the road into a ditch.

People here arnt as nice as other states too
Title: Re: My first 2.5 MILE walk with my bike
Post by: bryan88 on October 24, 2012, 01:53:23 PM
I guess so, also you then have to walk the 2.5miles back to the bike. I do know what you mean about the push though. I once had to push my 250 up a steep off-ramp, took me about 1/2 an hour to do a 100 meters. Glad it worked out ok  in the end though. If it helps, I normally fill my tank, zero the trip meter and start looking for fuel at about 200Km.
BTW, "over here" is South Africa, the murder capital of the world! :-D
Title: Re: My first 2.5 MILE walk with my bike
Post by: BassWoW on October 24, 2012, 02:12:59 PM
Quote from: bryan88 on October 24, 2012, 01:53:23 PM
I guess so, also you then have to walk the 2.5miles back to the bike. I do know what you mean about the push though. I once had to push my 250 up a steep off-ramp, took me about 1/2 an hour to do a 100 meters. Glad it worked out ok  in the end though. If it helps, I normally fill my tank, zero the trip meter and start looking for fuel at about 200Km.
BTW, "over here" is South Africa, the murder capital of the world! :-D

Just like that. I pushed my bike like walking it but pushing it up the hill like your ramp..same thing but I had about 3 big big hills and a bunch of little ones.  I'm just so exhausted and wasted from last.

anyone else been in this situation?
Title: Re: My first 2.5 MILE walk with my bike
Post by: weedahoe on October 24, 2012, 03:46:45 PM
Man do I know the feeling. Ive been riding off and on all week and I havent bought any gas. I knew I should have checked before I left but I got a few miles from the house and she started to sputter. I barely, I mean BARELY made it to the gas station. I was determined NOT to call the wife....LOL

Next time I will check.

Oh, when I did put gas in, I was slightly over 5 gallons. Thats how low I was!
Title: My first 2.5 MILE walk with my bike
Post by: jestercinti on October 24, 2012, 06:05:07 PM
Been there.

Tried to bump start my bike once down a mile long gradual incline. Turns out that the battery had 1 or more bad cells and I needed a new one.

Pushed that son of a b back hone and bought a new battery. Started right up when I installed it.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Title: Re: My first 2.5 MILE walk with my bike
Post by: DoD#i on October 24, 2012, 06:48:59 PM
Have to admit I avoid that one like the plague. Stopping a bit more often is good for general state of mind, and topping up the fuel when stopping avoids the misery. I cannot now recall if my car/no fuel/AAA called to bring fuel experiences were all with other people driving or if I had one myself once, but I bet you'll remember to fill up for at least 20 years if not the rest of your life after pushing up those hills (I'm pretty sure I've been through that part of NH on my way back to Maine, and you got yourself a work out.) My first bike was a good bit heavier than a GS, and I made filling up as soon as I hit reserve (or before) a more-or-less religious obligation.

Back when riding the tiny-tank 40mpg on a good day turbo I threw on a gallon and a half can on long trips. I think some other folks here have mentioned stashing a Sigg bottle (1 quart/liter camping fuel bottle) on the bike to have a "hard reserve" - get another 10-15 miles from that most days.
Title: Re: My first 2.5 MILE walk with my bike
Post by: BassWoW on October 24, 2012, 07:09:41 PM
Quote from: DoD#i on October 24, 2012, 06:48:59 PM
Have to admit I avoid that one like the plague. Stopping a bit more often is good for general state of mind, and topping up the fuel when stopping avoids the misery. I cannot now recall if my car/no fuel/AAA called to bring fuel experiences were all with other people driving or if I had one myself once, but I bet you'll remember to fill up for at least 20 years if not the rest of your life after pushing up those hills (I'm pretty sure I've been through that part of NH on my way back to Maine, and you got yourself a work out.) My first bike was a good bit heavier than a GS, and I made filling up as soon as I hit reserve (or before) a more-or-less religious obligation.

Back when riding the tiny-tank 40mpg on a good day turbo I threw on a gallon and a half can on long trips. I think some other folks here have mentioned stashing a Sigg bottle (1 quart/liter camping fuel bottle) on the bike to have a "hard reserve" - get another 10-15 miles from that most days.


I'm sure for at least 20 years! It was hell.
Title: Re: My first 2.5 MILE walk with my bike
Post by: gsatterw on October 24, 2012, 07:10:25 PM
key broke off in gas tank, thank god new orleans is flat, and I lived less than a mile away.
Title: Re: My first 2.5 MILE walk with my bike
Post by: ThatOtherGuy on October 24, 2012, 07:20:23 PM
had one time where I had forgot to put the petcock back to normal and was pushing the limits of the tank (commuting thankfully).  engine sputtered and thought no worries turn it over to reserve, that just killed it of course as it cut the supply going over to the empty tank.  lucky I was only a few kms from home so manged to limp it up hill on engine with reserve then kill it to roll down the next, roll start at speed, limp up, roll down etc.  just made it to the servo.  now I do not screw around, once it reaches 300kms I know I have about 30~50kms before reserve is needed, I just fill it up.
Title: Re: My first 2.5 MILE walk with my bike
Post by: snOhio on October 24, 2012, 07:51:47 PM
almost emptied out the other week trying to make sure i got seafoam-treated gas through all the lines before winter  :cookoo: flipped to res on the way home and forgot to fill, almost lost it on the way home the next day
Title: Re: My first 2.5 MILE walk with my bike
Post by: cbrfxr67 on October 25, 2012, 08:29:52 AM
Last week,....thought I was good and I'd make it but,...nope.  Stalled out and I pushed it off the freeway.  Texted my son who championed some gas and drove out to fill it up and get me going. :thumb:
Title: Re: My first 2.5 MILE walk with my bike
Post by: Higgins13 on October 25, 2012, 09:46:42 AM
Bike seems light after first 1 min but it quickly gains weight
Title: Re: My first 2.5 MILE walk with my bike
Post by: twinrat on October 27, 2012, 12:28:47 AM
Ran out of petrol only once and have carried under the seat ever since one of those fuel bulbs that you find on boats with an auxalary fuel tank with enough fuel line to go from car tank to bike. and ive neever run out since.
Title: Re: My first 2.5 MILE walk with my bike
Post by: gsatterw on October 27, 2012, 01:33:00 AM
Quote from: twinrat on October 27, 2012, 12:28:47 AM
Ran out of petrol only once and have carried under the seat ever since one of those fuel bulbs that you find on boats with an auxalary fuel tank with enough fuel line to go from car tank to bike. and ive neever run out since.

...so you try to bum gas off of people if you run out?
Title: Re: My first 2.5 MILE walk with my bike
Post by: twinrat on October 27, 2012, 11:45:05 PM
DONT BUM GAS, GIVE THEM $10 FOR A GALLON THEY WILL JUMP AT IT .
Title: Re: My first 2.5 MILE walk with my bike
Post by: MVent03 on October 28, 2012, 05:52:23 PM
I let it happen once and it was embarrassing as hell. Luckily I was able to limp it to a gas station.

Now I never let it go so far that i need to switch it to reserve. Around 150 miles, I'm looking for a gas station.
Title: Re: My first 2.5 MILE walk with my bike
Post by: iclrag on October 28, 2012, 08:58:32 PM
Quote from: BassWoW on October 24, 2012, 02:12:59 PM
Quote from: bryan88 on October 24, 2012, 01:53:23 PM
I guess so, also you then have to walk the 2.5miles back to the bike. I do know what you mean about the push though. I once had to push my 250 up a steep off-ramp, took me about 1/2 an hour to do a 100 meters. Glad it worked out ok  in the end though. If it helps, I normally fill my tank, zero the trip meter and start looking for fuel at about 200Km.
BTW, "over here" is South Africa, the murder capital of the world! :-D

Just like that. I pushed my bike like walking it but pushing it up the hill like your ramp..same thing but I had about 3 big big hills and a bunch of little ones.  I'm just so exhausted and wasted from last.

anyone else been in this situation?

been there, done that, got the shirt. it turns out my reserve doesn't work... at all
Title: Re: My first 2.5 MILE walk with my bike
Post by: gsatterw on October 28, 2012, 09:22:56 PM
Quote from: iclrag on October 28, 2012, 08:58:32 PM
been there, done that, got the shirt. it turns out my reserve doesn't work... at all

hoses could be routed incorrectly, start there. Other than that, very possible that there is a clog in the line and or tank petcock, gunk tends to settle at the bottom. I've got a brand spankin new tank petcock if you're interested.