Confession, I really screwed up.

[owcow]

I finally have to confess and come clean that I pulled a total noob screw up. Last Friday my low fuel light was on when I when I went to work on my 01 1500 Nomad. Instead of stopping on the way home I thought I could stretch it. I had never put more than 4 gallons with a low fuel light so I thought no problems. Well after dinner I went to the corner gas station to fill up but for the first time ever their pumps were down so I had to go to the next station about a mile further down the road. As you guess about half way there the bike starts to stumble and then silence. I put it in neutral and coasted till I was about 400 yards short. There was no way I was calling the wife and telling her I ran out of gas so I had to push the pig 400 yards up a slight incline to the next gas station. I will never never try to stretch the fuel that far again. I am to old and to fat to push that pig again. :yep:

[rick6375]

On my 800 a couple years ago I went out of town for a couple days in the cage. Got back and rode to work the next day and ran out on the way home, forgot I switched to reserve the last time I rode it the day before leaving to go out of town. Sh@t happens. Live and learn.

[OldSchool]

Not trying to rub any salt in those old wounds but now would be a good time to think about joining "Riders of Kawasaki's " group. Why? because as a member you get several exclusive benefits,one of them being 24 hour roadside assistance. :yep: instead of pushing the beast you could have been pushing buttons on the phone instead. Now here is the salt part. I do believe that if you belong to Vulcan Bagger or Vulcans Riders Association your cost for all this including the roadside assistance would be $19.99. Actually the information is one of the sticky posts right above your post.

[cnc]

Never ran my 1600 out of gas, but I believe than I have heard that others on here have found shaking the bike from side to side gets some of the trapped gas over to the pump side and gets them going again for a short distance.

[smokey]

I went to the light once, and once only, I quickly learned that the first gas station is the best one. I have no intention of pushing my voyager 1 yard, never mind 400.

[tonik]

I ran my 1600 out once. I knew as I left work I needed gas before I got on the turnpike. I forgot. Light came on just as I got on....25ish miles to the first rest area with gas. I went for it. About a mile from it it at 80 it coughed. I dove for the shoulder and pulled in the clutch. It was steep downhill into the station...I coasted right up to the pump and filled it up.

[ringadingh]

Shaking the bike side to side works when its starts stumbling, Ive gotten a couple miles once doing this.

[redjay]

The fuel in the tank cools the fuel pump. Running it low on gas could cause you to overheat the pump resulting in a very expensive fuel pump replacement.

[Dave]

From the title of this post, I expected him to say he bought a Victory.

[Pitchinguy]

I'm too old, fat & lazy to push a 800 lb bike anywhere. When that gauge hits one bar I'm looking for gas.

[duffy]

I suppose it all depends on how well you know your bike. My 1500 holds 5.0 gals and the light comes on after about 135-150 miles under normal around town conditions. There is usually 1.3-1.5 gals left. I get 38-50 mpg depending on where/how I'm riding. A little mental math tells me how far I can go. I pay attention because I am NOT pushing an 800lb bike more than a few feet.

[Vulcan Bill]

Now you know exactly how many miles you can drive after your low fuel light comes on! I've always wondered this about my 1600. Even kicked around the idea of strapping a 1 gallon gas can on the back and deliberately running the tank dry.
BTW...AAA members can call for gas when they run dry too. We've been AAA members for about 20 years. Saved our bacon a few times with keys locked in the car, dead battery etc.

[jjg3]

For years I carried a quart gas bottle but now a Reda Innovations 1 gal Saddlebag Gas Can (http://www.jpcycles.com/product/721-352?utm_source=none&utm_term=[74946744490%3Aproduct_type_l1%3D%3Dvehicles%20%26% 20parts%26%2Bproduct_type_l2%3D%3Dland%20vehicles% 26%2Bproduct_type_l3%3D%3Dmot&adpos=1o1&creative=42616780090&device=c&matchtype=&network=g&gclid=CI2NhOLFyMICFWIA7AodUnwAXQ/). Have not had to use it myself yet but it has helped a few bikers on the side of the road.

[jestephens]

sometimes you can slosh it side to side and get a little more distance

[ponch]

On my 800 a couple years ago I went out of town for a couple days in the cage. Got back and rode to work the next day and ran out on the way home, forgot I switched to reserve the last time I rode it the day before leaving to go out of town. Sh@t happens. Live and learn.

I had a 800 and one of my kids put the bike on reserve and didn't tell me. I was like, I am getting great mileage and then I thought, no way, better check the petcock. I was able to get gas in time.

I've run out twice on my current ride. Well, sort of run out. For some reason the fuel gauge lost some accuracy, which isn't uncommon and I never looked at the trip meter as I usually do reset it. Anyway, it sputtered out 2x less than a mile from a station each time. So what I did was lean the bike to the left to get any fuel from the right lobe of the tank to the left where the fuel pump is. both times it started and I made it to the station. Now I refill before it gets that far.

[owcow]

Oldschool I am a ROK member but I didn't want to wait for the fuel to be delivered. Having to explain to wife why my simple run to the gas station took so long would have been as bad as calling her. She was only 5 minutes away. I would never have heard the end of it :(. I usually fuel up at 150 to 160 miles. I now know exactly how far NOT to go.
Sorry Dave if I bought a Victory I wouldn't call that a screw up. I lust after the nuclear orange Vision. I have odd tastes :). I also like KLR's. I'm also cheap. Lol

[Kawhead]

Boy, do I got some stories! :ohno::cry:

:D

[Navigator]

It happens to the best of us as it did my friend and I while riding R66 which we picked up just south of Chicago. We crossed into California through Needles and thought we could make Barstow, CA to gas up. We didn't. About half way there both of us went on reserve. High head winds had come up cutting our mileage way down. We thought we were totally screwed because it is very desolate out there. As my friend's engine quit just as we topped a rise and saw a sign advertising a gas station a mile ahead. My friend coasted all the way in neutral and my bike quit as I was turning in the the gas station.

And we were both riding Harley Electra Glides. I now have a low mileage and well cared for 2007 Nomad as my touring machine. Great bike.

And on the rocking the bike to shift some gas, the Rocket 3 guys do that. I got rid of my Rocket along with my EG last year.

[hlknvlcn60]

OWCOW.....great weight loss workout.

[nomad ryder]

Have run out of gas on a bike 3 times, twice on the Nomad, pushing the red light, both times on the way to the station. Was able to coast up to a pump once, but had to duck-walk push out of left turn lane and get up enough momentum to make it up the station driveway. Ran out riding a Sportster on the freeway once, that was scary, but when I experimented with the petcock, I found it didn't work like a Honda petcock and was able to get going again. That which doesn't kill you.....

[id-man]

About a mile from it it at 80 it coughed. I dove for the shoulder and pulled in the clutch. It was steep downhill into the station...I coasted right up to the pump and filled it up.My hero!
I've done the same in both cars and bikes - feels pretty neat when you make it - pretty stupid when you don't. :)

[Jared]

Next time considering walking to the gas station and filling an empty bottle. Even 20oz would easily get you there.

[ringadingh]

[QUOTE=cnc;607203]Never ran my 1600 out of gas, but I believe than I have heard that others on here have found shaking the bike from side to side gets some of the trapped gas over to the pump side and gets them going again for a short distance.[/QUOTE

Its worked for me, enough to get it to the gas station just down the street.

[jesse d]

I always never go under a quarter tank, fuel injection is not forgiving when u run out of go juice.............:tup::D

[The Black Knight]

Next time considering walking to the gas station and filling an empty bottle. Even 20oz would easily get you there.

:yep::tup::wave:

[Loafer]

Filling a bottle with a little fuel is a good idea, illegal in some states.

[Scouser]

When doing some maintainance last year I had the tank off, when I put it all back together I put a gallon of gas in the tank and headed for the gas station, but not the nearest on. After about 5 miles, you guessed, I ran out. After stopping the bike and leaving it a for a couple of minutes minute I turned it over and the engine fired up, that got me a few hundred yards. I did this a few more times and managed to get the extra mile or so to the gas station. The scary part was having to stop at the red light to cross a main road. Moral of that story is the 5.3 gal tank is only good for about 4.3 gal of useful gas.