125's Enough! Posted October 25, 2015 Share Posted October 25, 2015 I get to the petrol station, open the filler cap, sitting astride the bike, I insert the nozzle into the tank and squeeze the trigger. Fuel comes gushing in - then suddenly CLUNK it stops. I have quick look at meter... a mere 5.5 litres - but I've covered more than 260km... Can't be right? I start pouring the petrol in s-l-o-w-l-y... Six litres... Seven litres... Eight litres... What's up? I'm thinking it's probably spewing out onto the forecourt via some overflow pipe but no - still it flows... Drivers behind me are getting impatient. A queue is building up. The fuel comes right up to the neck - then settles back down. And again. And again. I'm pouring real slow. I wobble the bike left and right. Tilting it to the left, the level in the tank goes down. I pour in more. Finally, I give up. 8.8 litres has gone in.This has happened every time I fill up. What's the best way to fill up a Drag Star so it doesn't take forever at the filling station? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator Airhead Posted October 25, 2015 Moderator Share Posted October 25, 2015 have the nozzle only just inside the neck of the filler of course Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ttaskmaster Posted October 26, 2015 Share Posted October 26, 2015 Fuel pump nozzles are designed for cars, where they usually have a long conduit to the tank. Bikes can pretty much brim, so you need the nozzle almost completely out the fill port to avoid triggering the safety cutoff.For the record, I can fill up faster than a car, so I don't know what they're complaining about. Just brim it to the lower rim of the fill port, let it settle and keep brimming until it levels out. Just don't over-fill, as that air gap on the opposite side of the tank may well be there for a reason... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyBuk Posted October 26, 2015 Share Posted October 26, 2015 Ignore other drivers, there are plenty of other pumps. As Tasky says, don't put the nozzle to far into the neck of the tank. I tend to angle the nozzle so that the fuel swirls round into the tank, seems to work best for me. I wouldn't worry about adjusting the position of the bike though, wouldn't want to risk any spillage etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bippo Posted October 26, 2015 Share Posted October 26, 2015 I wouldn't worry about other people... I used to get cars pull up behind me at stations when I had my old Mini. Clearly expecting a quicker fill than other folks. That was until they saw I had a twin tank installed... Ha!But yes, as others have said - only put the nozzle in slightly and you should be fine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scrumpy Posted October 26, 2015 Share Posted October 26, 2015 I have a xvs1100 and find that you need to put it on the side stand to give a really good tilt to let both sides of the tanks to fill up smoothly. If you have the bike upright it doesn't balance very well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
125's Enough! Posted November 1, 2015 Author Share Posted November 1, 2015 Main lessons learned here:1) "don't put the nozzle to far into the neck of the tank" (@AndyBuk)2) "give a really good tilt to let both sides of the tanks to fill up smoothly" (@Scrumpy)3) "I wouldn't worry about other people" (@Bippo)And question... "Just don't over-fill, as that air gap on the opposite side of the tank may well be there for a reason" ... Hmm - an interesting supposition... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ttaskmaster Posted November 3, 2015 Share Posted November 3, 2015 And question... "Just don't over-fill, as that air gap on the opposite side of the tank may well be there for a reason" ... Hmm - an interesting supposition... The Manual shows the fill level to the bottom of the filler neck, bike on sidestand and air gap on the opposite side of the tank. Most fuel tanks are designed to have space for fuel to expand... If you're riding long distance immediately after filling, then you can possibly squeeze some extra in... but remember that overfilling is also one of the main reasons vehicles get fuel spillages and why we have to keep a watch for diesel on the roads...!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
125's Enough! Posted November 4, 2015 Author Share Posted November 4, 2015 @ Ttaskmaster - great answer - many thanks. Makes eminent sense! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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