Little things lead to sucking fumes (long)

[bobhamlin]

Remember MacMac's advice against filling up a bike without having a kickstand down? His reason is for safety. That it also doesn't allow you to add as much gas as when on the kickstand is another reason--which starts my tale of excitement and woe.

I participated in the America's 9/11 Ride this past weekend. Angie and I were part of the "Pumper Crew" that rides ahead of the main group (over 2000 bikes by some estimates) to help the throng gas-up their bikes in as orderly a fashion as possible. So...

We left Hagerstown, MD Friday afternoon on the way to the Pentagon area. The next official gas location was Saturday morning at the Maryland House on I95 north of Baltimore--about 150-160 miles and well within my tank's range--I thought.

Our escort kept a 30-40 mph pace because the line of bikes ultimately stretched for 15-20 miles and the guys at the end would have needed rockets to catch up upon leaving the parking lot. Even at the front (about a 1/2 mile back) we had accordian effects. The town of Leesburg, VA turned out en masse to greet the riders--so we had parade speed also.

Saturday morning, we pumpers had to leave the Pentagon at 6:30. I left the hotel--within a 15 minute walk of our Pentagon meet-up spot--in plenty of time to find our group, park the bike, chat, wake-up, etc. Except construction blocked the way I KNEW, and I had to go exploring to find my destination. A lot of others were just as lost as I was.

I finally found the rally site with a couple minutes to spare (hectic vs. leisure). Our pumper team took-off with a flashing light LEO escort and, in the bowels of the DC route to the Baltimore Washington Pkwy, got lost. I learned that the different LEO organizations have no universal comm channel, and they do what other motorcycle groups tend to do--assume the guy in front of you knows the route.

So, the column stopped, waited and began turning around in the middle of a two lane road. Now, motorcops can do this easily. I can do it normally. With Angie and full luggage, I didn't like the looks of this. Luckily for me, 3 bikes before it was my turn, the bikes that had already turned around came back with a different LEO leader, and we kept going in our original direction-- but I had burned off some more gas going nowhere.

Sidenote: Like with the PGR, a LEO escort allows us to do things otherwise not recommended. Shortly after our continuation, we slowed again. Eventually--after burning some more gas--we started moving into the opposing lanes of traffic for a couple blocks, then moved back to our regular lanes. Someone later told me that we had moved around a murder scene. I had missed an SUV with a shot-up windshield and some body chalk on the street.

Then we got rolling, moved onto the BW Parkway and I relaxed enough to start looking around--like at my gas gauge, for instance. I had one bar left! We had to go 20 miles northeast of Baltimore before gas!

I tried to do the math in my head. I normally get about 40mpg. Was I leaking gas? (No smell) Did someone steal a gallon from me? (Really, Bob? C'mon man!). Lots of slow speed, low gears, and idling in that ride from Hagerstown to here. But THAT much?

I sure didn't want to run out of gas, and I'd prefer not to have to leave the escort even though I knew where I had to go. I'll try to stick it out. When the first yellow warning came on, we were still south of Baltimore, but I knew I could make it through the Harbor Tunnel (free toll with the escort).

The warning light had turned solid yellow when I saw the sign that said the MD House was 16 miles. I know from experience that I have several additional miles after the first sputter. I was relieved after passing every exit, knowing that I could make the next one.

I had just seen a sign that announced 5 miles to the MD House when I passed another exit that had gas. Almost instantly, I felt the first sputter (It affects me like that music in JAWS). Technically, the MD House should have been in range, but I had Angie on the back and, let's face it, running out of gas by yourself is a bummer. Doing it with a witness who remembers things like running out of gas increases the bummer-osity.

A couple more sputters and my rocking the bike sideways alerted her to our situation. Discretion beat valor, so I pulled out of line and headed for the exit lane. Halfway up the ramp, the motor cut out completely. I was well within walking distance, so I wasn't all that bummed out. In the back of my mind though, I also know that rocking the bike forward also brings gas to the pump, so I braked hard with the front brake, then tried to start it. It worked.

We drove into a Shell-- and I'm feeling pretty good, actually. Except the pump isn't accepting debit cards. Angie goes in to pay cash, comes immediately back out and says, "Pumps are not working. Have to go somewhere else." I tell her to freshen up (that's code talk, if you know what I mean), I'll go get gas and come back--which she accepts.

Naturally, there is a divider upon leaving the station that makes me go down an 1/8 mile before turning around to come back to the other stations, a light at the intersection before the next station (shut her down while waiting), a divider blocking a left turn into that next station--forcing me to go down an 1/8th mile to a U-turn, then, AT LAST, into a station with working pumps!

In retrospect, I could had made it to the MD House with all the running I did to get the gas.

I'd be interested. Does anyone know how much more gas goes into the tank when filling from a kickstand than from a level tank?

Heed Mac's advice!

btw, the public support along the way for the America's 9/11 Ride was very moving. We have some great people in this country. They just don't tend to make the news.

[VulcanE]

I'm glad everything worked out for you, and yes there is still pride in this country. Sometimes though, you really have to look for it.
About filling the bike on the side-stand, If you fill it just over the bottom of the neck, and stand the bike up straight with the cap open, it will overflow onto the tank, so if your filling the bike up, with the bike sitting up straight, your not getting as much gas as you could be getting if you fill it while it is leaning on the kick stand. I always dismount the bike with the handlebars turned full left, then fill up to about half way between the neck, and the top. Never had it leak out.

[AlabamaNomadRider]

Wow Bob, I'm sure glad you made it to get the gas. You can get more gas in if the bike is on the sidestand. Don't really know how much more though.

[jestephens]

Whew, glad everything worked out.

If I'm on the road and know I'll immediately run out enough fuel, I will fill up completely on the sidestand. If I'm just filling up to go straight home and park in the garage, then I don't fill so high. - That's when temperature changes and such have allowed gas to escape and run down my tank.