My time to be a moron

[arvo92]

I have driven my R65 for 4 weeks now and have gathered modest 350 miles on it. Today I finally felt that I am comfortable driving it and it feels just great commuting to work on country roads.

I was leaving work, revving the bike up hard and happily when suddenly it started to shutter and choke until it only gasped a few proper strokes and died on the main highway. I stopped, took out my tools, adjusted the carburettor and looked that everything is ok. Started the bike and while it ran properly on idle, adding throttle took a second of choking and after then revving up as it should. Ok, sat on and started to drive and the bike had very little power. Only when the revs went up it had power to pull. Few hundred meters and it died on the go. I stopped and could not imagine what is wrong. While the starter started it and it idled fine, it had little power.

Lets just say that it took me a few minutes to notice I was out of gas. I am so used to my old soviet bikes behaviour that if something happens, I will spend my next few hours pushing it back home. R65 is as reliable as my grandmother, she will never die I turned the petcock to reserve, hit back to town and filled up. Voila! Proper newbie mistake, I will remember that one.

[Barry]

I reckon on at least 25 miles on the 2 Litres reserve and then for real emergencies there is another Litre  on the RH side of the tank. The bike won't easily leave you stranded.

[Bob_Roller]

A manual fuel tap, is a great anti-theft device, they will get a short distance and then the engine quits .

Most motorcyclists are accustomed to a vacuum operated fuel tap .

[arvo92]

Barry - I guess that is how I got it started once I stopped - putting it onto its side stand and some flow of petrol to the left hand side. I knew it can drive some miles on the reserve but knowing the rough guesstimate is useful.

Bob - Jup. Even us ourselves can be tricked with forgetting to open the fuel tap. For extra security one can always shut off the kill switch - nobody would get it started then! How many times have I forgot to check the kill switch first if the bike doesn't start...

[Luca]

In that case my fairing is some added anti theft protection... makes it harder to hot wire the ignition  

I'd say that most motorcycles are not ridden off when stolen, they get shoved into the back of a truck or van.  Steering locks can be broken with a good shove on the bars...  my insurance company doesn't consider them to be an anti-theft device.

BTW Arvo, my bike seems to hit reserve at 200 miles like clockwork.  I turn to reserve a few miles before and head for the nearest station.  It's no fun losing power while going down the interstate through the city.

[k_enn]

Just make sure your reseve actually works.  One time, after having the tank replaced, the mechanic screwed up on the interior tank feeds to the petcock.  

There is one longer feed tube that, when the fuel reaches a certatin level, will no longer convey fuel to the petcock when it is set on main.  Switching to reseve allows fuel to flow to the petcock from a lower level in the tank.  When the mechanic reinstalled the petcock into the new tank, the regular feed tube got dislodged.  This resulted in the petcock taking in fuel from the bottom of the tank when on the main setting.  When the engine ran out of gas, there was no fuel left in the tank, and switching to reserve did nothing because the tank had already been drained from its lowest point.  Be careful about relying on reserve.

However, if your tank is one where the tank actually goes lower than the frame tube on both sides (some tanks do not - my original tank did but my replacement tank does not), you should be able to slosh some fuel from the right side to the left side where the petcock is located and get a few more miles after you think the tank is dry.

Also, on the topic of annoying failures to start, I have a habit of setting my helmet on the tank in such a manner that it leans against the right handset.  At times, the helmet flips the kill switch.  When I come back to the bike, I wonder why it won't start.  I have since learned to always check the kill switch first when there is silence when I press the starter button.  

It is quirks like these that make the R65 so endearing.

k_enn

[arvo92]

My bike seems to be a bit of a drinker, I am sure I do not get a 200 miles on a tank. On the 350 miles I have driven, I have filled her up 3 times + bits and pieces. I should really zero the tripmeter for the next tank but I do ride her on short trips mainly, that might be the reason. But I have not really ever checked the timing nor fiddled with the carbs much - the bike starts, ticks over and runs great. I see no reason. If anybody has comments on this topic, it is welcome!

Tomorrow will be her first longer ride, 150 miles or so. Only after that I can be sure what she is capable of and how she handles steady 60mph.

My reserve definitely works. When I took off the petcock to clean it and the tank itself from the inside, I used a bit too much brute force scrubbing it and broke the petcock copper tube. Now I have a brand new petcock

I am lucky I live in relatively safe country - that is why my insurance is 35 euros a year. They never ask about where you live and where you keep the vehicle. 1,3 million people for a whole country makes stealing and re-selling things a bit tricky

[Barry]

You should be able to get 200 miles on a tank but "a tank" needs defining.

In theory it's a 22 litre tank so subtract the the 2 litre reserve and the extra 1 litre on the RH side it should need 19 Litres to fill after going on reserve. In practice I've never got a drop more than 17 litres in.
19 litres would have had it over flowing all over the road for certain. How much does anyone else get in from reserve ?

You really need to zero the trip and note how much fuel you put in but if we assume 17 litres 200 miles would be 53.5 MPG (IMP) or approx 45 MPG (US) which should be easily achievable.  

My average is more like 250 miles per tank and I know from experience that I can just about commute for 3 days on reserve. I've only had to resort to the emergency RH side fuel a few times and usually with my wife on the back. She reckons I do it on purpose. I could in defence mention the extra weight upsetting my calculations but I don't think it would help any.

[montmil]

... But I have not really ever checked the timing nor fiddled with the carbs much - the bike starts, ticks over and runs great. I see no reason. If anybody has comments on this topic, it is welcome!  

If'n it ain't broke, don't fix it.

[Bengt_Phorqs]

If'n it ain't broke, don't fix it.  

Or as our illustrious Monte has been known to say from time to time, "If it ain't broke, we can fix that!"
 [smiley=beerchug.gif]

[arvo92]

You guys just fixed my bike! [smiley=clap.gif]

I wish it would be that easy every time.