Fuel Tap

[Going2fast]

Hey this is going to sound kind of silly but...
How long do you allow your bike to stand before you turn your fuel tap to off?
Lets say you were doing a 8hour shift at work, would you turn it to the off position or just leave it set to on?

Hope that question is not so silly

Andy
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Passed My Test 15/03/05
BikePics Profile ||| 96' RVF 400 ||| 01' CBR 600 F Sport ||| 2009 Yamaha YZF-R6 Delivered 23/06/09
/-\ndy

[Ste]

Would be quite happy leaving it for weeks set to on, as there is nothing trying to draw petrol through there won't be a problem.

[EuropeanNC30R...]

I have a habit of turning my petrol tap off whenever the bike is going to be off for a few minutes. This comes from when I had a KH100 that used to flood really easily.

[instigator]

Mine doesn't have an off switch, so its not an issue with me. Thankfully

[Frost]

If you think it might drip at all then allways turn it off. I leave mine turned on all the time as its never leaked, my last bike however used to piss fuel out of the carb breather pipes every now and then when the floats got stick, so i allways used to turn the tap off.

[Going2fast]

Okay cheers for replies, how you think my RVF would take it leaving it set to "on" ?

Thanks again
Andy
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Passed My Test 15/03/05
BikePics Profile ||| 96' RVF 400 ||| 01' CBR 600 F Sport ||| 2009 Yamaha YZF-R6 Delivered 23/06/09
/-\ndy

[Claud 14.7 to 1]

I have cbr400, and I leave the tap on all the time. Been ok so far.

I hardly ever even put it on reserve, only when I run out of petrol whilst trying to find a station. I know the fuel level by keeping an eye on it, and estimating.

[Marc_Buck]

Rxs 100, i turn fuel tap off if bike is to be not running for 5 minutes or more.
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94 fzr600r

[DM]

I've never had a reason to turn it off other than when I'm removing the tank or carburator.

[Josh|RD125LC]

Yeah same here. Oh I did turn it off once when I went on holiday
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[Craggles]

Hi,

I turn it off if I intend on leaving the bike for a few days... or if I'm working on it (obviously). I tend to try and think ahead and turn it off as I turn down my road... so any fuel in the pipe is used by the time I reach my garage.

Craig
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If this signature is blue, you're riding too fast

[Mister James]

I'm trying to work out whether the system on my fazer is better or worse than the whole fuel tap melarky. It's got a digital display that seems pretty accurate, and I've run it for over 110 miles without reaching the bit where the display starts flashing to alert you to imminent embarrasment. However, when it runs out, it's out, no magic tap to give you one last gasp!

[TheShaggyDA]

3-4 minutes is probably my limit. Enough time to fill up and pay, anyway. Anything more than that, and I turn it off.
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[mrchips]

I've done it when my bikes have been flooding but apart from that I've had it on for months as there's no point turning it off all the time it nearly seems harder to start then. It may also be good for security though so if they don't know how to work fuel taps you;ll find it about a mile down the road!
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[pipnet11]

Its got indian carbs........its switched off if its left anything over a few mins.
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[8316]

i switch the fuel off when im at school and work. i know some idiots pretend they are cool and open the throttle when its off. very annoying.
as for the reserve switch- well mines bust! my "on" tap has lost the filter, so i cant tell when I'm in reserve or not! so I've run out 3 times now. 1 intentional though!
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Now own a Fireblade!! Speed Limits? Bah!

[steveh]

well now i leave it on, as i kept on turning it off and forgetting, getting half way down the road and shudders to a halt

Steve.
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Current : 06 Zx10r, 07 Wr450f SM, 74 850 norton commando, 63 bsa b40, 1962 Triton 650, 67 Triumph Tr6r, 1955 Triton 750, 1978 TY250E.

[Kickstart]

Hi

You really should not need to switch it off.

Fuel will only get into the carbs from the tank if either the fuel level drops or the needle valve does not close. The fuel level should not drop of its own accord (but it does on the FZR600 for some reason). Only time opening the throttle will be a problem is if you have accelerater pump carbs (which counts out most carbed bikes, and the only ones I can think of are some Guzzis and Ducatis). If the carbs are in good condition then the needle valve should seal properly.

Also most bikes have vacuum fuel taps so should only allow fuel to flow when the engine is running to generate a vacuum (this is why you often have a "PRI" position which is not vacuum controlled).

That said a tiny piece of dirt in the needle valve will allow petrol to flow through. On the Bandit once I was forgetful and left if on prime, and overnight it drained about 3/4 of a tank of fuel through the carbs into the engine and airbox.

Generally I do not bother to turn off the petrol. It can cause other problems with some bikes, and the tiny amount in the float bowl will dry out and leave a residue that can cause the carb to stick (so when you turn the petrol back on it floods out).

All the best

Keith
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[Barker-CBR 600]

Cant say i ever turned mine off on the Dragstar (Honda and Gilera doesnt have one, only an unnerving reserve tank light).

As keith said, cause more problems than good.

Its not really needed, you wont screw the engine through leaving it on, if the Bike is all working, wont do a bad thing at all.

Leaving it off and then trying to depart could cause accidents, say you are trying to pull out of end of road and the bike simply cuts out. That car is coming mighty fast....

Leaving it on prime or reserve will annoy you/the engine... either leave you sitting somewhere at the side of the road with a thumb out... or wake up to find petrol where their shouldnt be like Keith did.
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[Gazdaman]

If I leave mine on the bike tries to kill me in the morning because the garage stinks of petrol vapour.

My petrol tap gets turned off whenever I stop, even at petrol stations, on modern bikes I'd say it's less important.

Gaz

[mchaggis]

[Kickstart]

Hi

Yep, that is the little bugger. Just been sorting them out on the Weber carbs on my car. Surprised the CG has one.

All the best

Keith
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