I had a worrying incident today.
I got beck from the supermarket and as I came to a stop I smelled petrol. Strongly.
When I looked down the right side of my engine was wet and running with the stuff.
I immediately killed the engine and managed to not blow up in a pretty fireball.

When I looked, petrol was pissing out of the float bowl drain on the right side and the screw was 3/4 of the way out.
Now there had been no puddle of petrol around me at the supermarket so it must have been ok then.
1km later and it is 3/4 of the way out.

I am wondering if anyone did this to my bike, but it strikes me as to subtle for vandalism.
I suggest everyone check their float bowl drain screws next time they ride. Just to be on the safe side.

If someone did do that to your bike that is an awful crappy thing to do.  You could have been really hurt.

Damn it, don't these people have anything better to do than messing with someone's vehicle?  Good advice to do a quick once over before mounting;  though it's pretty tough to notice something as subtle (aside from the fuel leaking) as a backed out screw. 

I've also heard of people stuffing things in the muffler.  Be careful out there.

Or punching a small hole in a brake hose.

Hmm, ok so here is a thought on the last one. If you loose your brakes, for whatever reason.. If you needed to stop quickly, I don't think engine compression (even high rpm) would do the trick. What if you turned the bike off? Either the engine would keep turning, but it should be much reduced, or it would lock the rear wheel. I don't know, but would guess one of these. Would that be a viable option? I don't know when this would happen, but say you were on a 50mph road and the light turned red, with cars infront. You hit the brake, but all the pressure has left; nothing happens. Other then avoiding the stoped cars and heading into moving ones, or lowsiding, what would you do? I know I would probably go, "oh shaZam!.. " and then attempt to out maneuver cars moving towards me...  or maybe take it onto the sidewalk .. or fit between some.. if I could. I don't think I would think of shuting off the engine. Still, would that be a good idea?

It would be a bit better than chopping the throttle, but considering the time it would take to think about it, I think avoidance would be your best bet.

But why would you lose both brakes at the same time?

I think killing the engine is a bad thing, I'd just keep down shifting as soon as safely possible.

I';d want the engine still going incase all of a sudden you have to accelerate to avoid yourself getting cleaned up.

It's a "what If" situation." Only you can answer that question.

Glad you're allright.

I was going to say it would require some knowledge of a motorcycle, and that most motorcyclists respect other motorcyclists, but I was thinking of the mix screws; drain screws are a little more obvious.