My bike cut out on the duel carriageway!

[StevenF]

Don't know what happened, was sitting at 70 and the bike seemed to 'choke', "running low on fuel I though". Switched it over the reserve but it kept on coughing a little and just felt like it had died. I was hoping it was fuel and the reserve would kick in, but it didn't It slowed to a stop in the slow lane of the duel carriageway.

For some reason it started up about 30 seconds later and seemed fine. I didn't think it was low on fuel either but I kept it on the reserve anyway.

When switching over to the reserve tank, should the fuel start flowing straight away or does it take a while? I was wondering if it just took a while for the fuel to get through the lines, but I thought it would be instantly.

Any ideas why this could have happened?

Cheers,
Steven
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My Project - Honda CBR 600 F2/FM

[Nemo]

If it's a fuel pump rather than relying on gravity, I would have thought it would be instant, even the gravity way is pretty quick, unless there's like an air lock or something
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Previously owned: Kawasaki KH125, Suzuki GP125, Suzuki GX 125, Honda CB125 TDC '83, Honda ntv 600, Kawasaki ER5, Kawasaki ZZR600, Aprilia RSV 1000 Mille
Now own: Ducati 848 evo

[tutton]

Takes a while to switch on some bikes,
have sat for a good 30 seconds before its primed enough to start on the fzr.
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Past: '05 Peugeot XPS '99 Aprillia RS125 '94 FZR600R
Current: '02 ZX636 A1P '51 CCM R30

[SCHOT_NSR]

hi i had this problem once as i never run low on fuel one day i was out on a run bike started to choke and cough and it stoped put it on reserve still nothing tried it again and away it went thought it mite be all the crap in the tank settling at the bottom clogging the reserve all up
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if everything around you seems to be going well you obviously aint got a clue whats happening

[P.]

I had a GS with a dodgy fuel tap, sometimes the main/res stopped working as the vacuum pipe to the carb was split.
I ended up using "prime" to get home.

[Paxovasa]

When changing to reserve on the bandit it is pretty instant, when changing over on the Xt it usually takes 30 seconds.

Does sound like it just took a while for the fuel to get through to the carbs.
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Suzuki GSF600 K3 (in the fastest colour, black).

[theopj]

My Honda takes about 30 seconds (carbs) - i've had it cut out a few times just like you describe, then starts up again once you have left it a bit. It is a pain when you don't have a fuel gauge so you have to keep an eye on the miles you've done.
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Suzuki Bandit SA 1250 & Honda CB750F2T

[cloric_tzr]

i forgot to switch my fuel tap on my tzr the other day from petty station just got on the duel an she died i managed to fumble and find the tap whiles coasting along and she fired up pretty much instant once i dumped the clutch. gota much bigger problem now!!!
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i dumped my girlfriend the other day! she wouldnt act out one of my fantasy's. all i wanted her to do was come home from work, catch me fucking her sister and join in!!! miserable bitch!
My wifes so ugly, the only thing that goes down on her
Is the internet connection.

[ajbsmirnoff]

The first time* I ran out and changed to reserve it took a few seconds (zx6r) for the reserve to work. Seemed like alot longer though.

*new riders' schoolboy error

[Dazbo666]

Usually switches over within seconds on the Bandit ... and similar with the GPZ, from memory.

For me it's only happened once on each bike, just until I learn the point that it's likely to happen, then fuill up before the tank gets too low.
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1st bike (Sept'06 - May'10) : 1991 GPZ500S / Current bike (since Nov 2009) : 2003 Suzuki Bandit 600N
Word of the day : DILLIGAF

[cb1rocket]

another problem could be due to a block fuel tank vent, you can tell when you hear air rushing in as you take the cap off for filling up

[Thom]

my old gs500 had twin pipes coming from under the fuel tank leading to the tap, when turning it onto reserve there was often a delay as the reserve hose was dry so it took a few seconds for fuel to flow properly - i solved it by finding a Y shaped fuel hose which meant the reserve and main fuel worked on the same hose, in my mind allowing some fuel to always remain in the hose.
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Current Bike: 1996 Yamaha TRX850 (The Japanese-Ducati One).
Previous Bikes: 1990 Honda NSR125 'Rothmans' (The smoking one), 1990 Suzuki GS500e 'Caf? fighter' (The loud one), 1987 Kawasaki GPX400r (The quick one), 1997 XJ600s Diversion (The reliable one), 2000 Kawasaki ER-5 (The spontaneously combustive one)