Running out of fuel on a motorway

[ncrn]

Ok so basically as I was on my way to Exeter to visit a friends uni, I managed to run out of fuel about a mile from the junction with the petrol station (I cocked up).

When I stopped I wasn't really sure of what to do, I had left my break down stuff in my tank bag and to be honest I didn't think it was necessary for the mile I had left, so I pushed the bike.

I passed one of those emergency phones should I have used one?

Also the highway wombles passed me plenty of times (around 10 of them) and three police cars passed, none of them stopped to check if I was ok, neither did 3 bikers (thanks for blanking me, really).

So yeh was I right in pushing it to the off ramp, or should I have done something else?
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Past: 55 Sym Jet, 91 ZZR250, 03 NSR125R. Present: 97 ER-5.
https://www.nsr125.co.uk - NSR Owners forum.

[Paivi]

[colin1]

police maybe might stop if they have nothing better to do, but you really dont want that sort of attention.

No one else is supposed to stop on the hard shoulder unless they have a problem themselves.

They certainly arent going to stop just to see how you are doing.

Its a motorway. Its not like a normal road.

You arent even supposed to pullover if you want a piss, let alone ask someone if he needs a hand.
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[ncrn]

Ok so what should I have done? I figured walking with my bike was safer than walking on my own as it's a more visual thing.

I couldn't have sat there doing nothing because well no one was able to come to my aid really. And to be honest I would have thought the police would have wanted me off of the hard shoulder? So surely stopping to pick me up would have made sense?
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Past: 55 Sym Jet, 91 ZZR250, 03 NSR125R. Present: 97 ER-5.
https://www.nsr125.co.uk - NSR Owners forum.

[colin1]

If it were me, I would have left the bike, and walked to get petrol. If I passed an emergency phone on the way, I would have picked it up and asked how much it would cost for them to come bring me some petrol.

Im not saying there is a lot wrong with pushing the bike along, the side of the motorway but i dont think you are supposed to do that.
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[Ben.]

i would have pushed it. but if i was in a lazy mood, i would ring up at the box to get someone to bring me some petrol
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[MattEMulsion]

[Wafer_Thin_Ham]

You did the right thing. I've pushed mine off before. Just make sure you're as far over to the left as you can be.
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[Itchy]

running out of petrol on a motorway gets points!,
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[Wafer_Thin_Ham]

[G]

If you've got recovery and don't want to push, then the phones are fine. Tell them the company and should be able to sort the rest out. Be aware if you don't have recovery that they'll charge you a stupid amount.

After running out of petrol once I end up pushing a bike a few miles down the motorway while waiting for the recovery just to punish myself for being stupid. I found another person stopped by their car and managed and a nonchalant " evenin' " as I push the bike past as I if I was on a pleasant Sunday evening stroll. It amused me .
Do keep an eye out behind you.

In another case (not fuel related) I did have someone almost hit me - I was about 100m away from the off-ramp and someone did move onto the hard shoulder thinking it was the off ramp. I did see them in time and they worked out what they were doing.

[hmmmnz]

ive done exactly the same thing except i was a mile to the off ramp, which happened to be an uphill one, and then another mile to the gas station, 1 guy in a van stopped about 200meter from the gas station and that was it,

i run out of gas all the time, ive even run out on the forth road bridge,
no escape there, luckily the maintance crew come and picked me and the bike up with in 5 mins.

i would have done the same thing as you.

ive taken to carrying a 1 litre fuel bottle (like the camping ones) which is mounted in a push bike drink bottle holder bolted to the bike, a litre will only get me a few miles, but its helped me out a few times already
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[jonchivers]

[ncrn]

[TheDonUK]

I would have also pushed, as close to the left of the hard shoulder as possible

[strag]

You did not have your recovery details on you, so what. You know your name and presumably the recovery firm you are a member of. Call them give your name and date of birth etc. They have you on their system and would have brought you some fuel.
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[ncrn]

[The Tot]

YOU CAN READ ABOUT MY ACCOUNT AND EXPERIENCE HERE

I ran out of fuel on my zxr250 on my first trip to london on it. It was just after teddington services on the M1. Police came and checked my documents - i WAS insured on the bike but the bike wasn't registered to me. I told them the details of the previous owner and it checked out. I was foolish enough not to have breakdown cover, which i don't think would have covered me under this situation.

They gave me 2 choices - recovery for £150 (as a student, it was money that i DIDN'T have), or a 4 mile uphill push along the dual carraigeway - i opted for the latter . No points or anything, even though they had every right to do me, but it was because i recently bought the bike, filled up and was unaware of the tank range (i didn't know where the reserve tap at that time was on the bike and if i remember correctly, i switched it onto reserve already!). They were lenient and kindly radioed ahead to other units that there was a bloke pushing a bike along the M1.

Luckily for me, a big chap on a fireblade helped me push my bike to the nearest petrol station, he rested his feet on pillion peg. He was pretty brave and very noble in doing so since he was closest to the traffic. A few other bikers rode past (it was dark and in autumn) but this bloke was the only person to stop and pull up!- he buggered off before i had a chance to thank him and pay for his fuel as a thank you. But i'm still very thankful for his actions to this day - had he not done that, i would have missed seeing my parents off for good at the airport!
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[tsmith]

I ran out of fuel on the GPZ once. I got off the bike, leaned it right over on the same side as the fuel tap (be careful not to drop it) and managed to get it going again on those last few dregs of fuel. Got me to a fuel station that was under a mile away.

[LeeR]

[truslack]

[stinkwheel]

Tank is usually held on with ONE bolt.

Take tank off bike.

Carry tank to petrol station.

Put some fuel in.

Carry tank back to bike.

Re-fit tank.

Continue riding.

I sure as hell would rather walk two miles than push my bike one mile.

Top tip for pushing bike:

Don't. Pull it. Tie a bit of rope/load binder/whatever to the rear grab rail. Tie the other end round your waist and tow the bike along using the bars to steer it.

Top tip for when you appear to have run out of petrol
With the fuel tap on "prime" (or "RES" if it's not a vacuum tap). Tilt the bike all the way over to the side the tap is on (like lie it down). Hold it there for 20 seconds or so then pick it up again.

This should have sloshed any residual fuel over to that side and filled the float bowls with it. Should get you another mile or two if you do it repeatedly.

Obviously, this doesn't work if you have a fuel pump.
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[colin1]

excellent

although i suspect that someone who doesnt know his tank range, may not carry a tool kit to remove the tank

i reckon most petrol stations sell petrol contatiners, so i'd just leave the bike and go get the petrol

in fact i did this once.

im a bit curious about this idea of pulling a bike rather than pushing, but im tempted to try it.

i have used the tilt the bike trick having read it from stink on here before, and it did give me enough to get to a petrol station when i ran out near one
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[i_am_tim]

do people not have reserve lights??

on my bike i get a low fuel light about 20 miles before it runs dry
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[colin1]

It can be a bit tempting to think u will be ok.
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