Check the manual, my Indian has a lip just inside the tank the manual says just as it comes over that lip your “full”.
Yep, my old Honda bike was the same. Little ridge at the top of the tank indicating the “full” line. Don’t overfill!
Also, keep in mind that the bike only holds 2-3 gallons normally, so be careful because it can fill up faster than you might expect if you’re comparing to a car refueling. It’s more like refilling a lawn mower.
It's not like filling a car, you have to lift the nozzle up and be careful (don't squeeze the trigger all the way).
Usually you want to fill to either the level of a metal plate that sits under the filling hole, or to the base of the filling hole itself, depending on the bike.
Don't sit on the bike while filling it.
Nothin worse than riding home with you balls doused in gas. It's like overfilled Zippo in your pocket. Yikes! Don't do that
I prefer to sit on mine to fill because it only has a side stand and I want it to be upright so I can get more fuel in. Then I put the nozzle just past the highest point to which you should fill the tank, hold it steady there, press all the way until it shuts off automatically. Works well for me.
This is the most clear description I got, thanks for that! This is also what I've been doing by not knowing any better, although I've been doing this while standing next to it while the bike is on the side stand. Mostly because I have yo get off to get to the (pre-)payment terminal anyways.
Well, if it ever goes wrong, because you slip on spilled diesel or whatever, I hope nobody gets hurt.
That can happen as you drive off, too, which is only part of why this was super uncalled for
When people ride off their filler cap is generally closed.
It's uncalled for to hope people don't get hurt?
Sorry, but your phrasing isn't neutral or constructive. In my experience, if you're genuinely trying to be helpful, you'll be more successful if you try to be neutral and constructive in your language.
That said, I do want to understand where you're coming from. I do think that if someone's not confident they can keep their bike upright while sitting on it, not having it in neutral, having the engine off, having the side stand flipped down, and having both feet flat on the ground, they shouldn't be riding. I also have trouble picturing a gas station where a gas spillage would be a real hazard- I don't think that'd be up to code over here. Can you explain your reasoning? If I understand, I'll reevaluate my stance (no pun intended).
My reasoning is that sometimes things don't go to plan, either by one's own mistakes or some outside influence.
In terms of filling a bike while sat on it, you have an open container of flammable liquid between your legs and no ability to run.
I always fill mine (vtx 1300) while sitting on it because I can level it out and see better inside the tank.
I've never slipped or spilled a drop in the 15 years that I've owned it. I guess I'm just more careful than some others, and don't put my feet on oil slicks thinking it's going to hold my weight.
Good for you! I've never had a VTX 1300 so couldn't comment about their fuel filling needs ... I've had about 30 motorbikes over the last 40 years of riding (I've currently cut back to only 10 in the garage), and never felt the need to have any of them upright while filling up.
I have had a few occasions of putting my foot down and slipping on diesel unexpectedly though - usually because I wasn't paying attention. I'm not perfectly vigilant.
I usually put in somewhere between 3 and 3.5 gallons, but I do feel it's a lot easier than a sportbike to fill since I sit a lot lower and have my feet flat. And really, I don't suppose that I feel it needs to be straight up, I just like doing it that way and am a nerd like that I guess.
I've only owned a few motorbikes in my 25 years of riding. I'm super impressed that you've had 30! Definitely a little bit jealous of that :)
Back when I lived in the UK it used to be very easy to flip bikes, I got in the habit or buying a couple every year and then selling them after a good clean, service, maybe a carb clean or similar, and a few thousand miles of enjoyment.
I don't think I ever had a bad motorbike, but the couple of metric cruisers that passed through my hands were hard on my back! Most were either dual sport or sport bikes.
Now I live in Europe and changing vehicles is much harder. Out of the 10 bikes I currently have only 4 get ridden regularly and I keep telling myself I should sell the rest ... unfortunately, though, I'm lazy.
US, west coast, we have systems on the nozzle which prevent dispensing gas unless the nozzle is well seated, in order to pull gas fumes back into a return built into the hose. Here's an article.
I usually have to forcibly override it by pulling back on the plastic ring around the nozzle's base, otherwise I'd only get 2/3 of my tank. I stop a bit below the inlet of the tank, gasoline from a cool underground tank will slightly expand in summer heat.
Good idea for the environment, little bit of an annoyance but no big deal.
I don't live on the west coast but when I've visited I was annoyed by having to fumble with the foreskin every time I tried to fill my bike.
If I lived out there I would definitely give one of these a try.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/224910032421
It's a card that you slip over the nozzle that holds the foreskin back for you so you don't have to hold it back with your hand.
Nah, just more crap to buy. I keep my moto gloves on and do it manually. Thanks though.
the foreskin...lol...
I put one 500 yen coin into the machine. Sometimes I get change back. :P (I drive a lil super cub).
but yeah like others are saying, just fill it mostly to the top. No worries.
My Honda Metropolitan has a little bar at the bottom of the fuel fill hole. Pretty simple. My older XR500 though is just a big hole at the top...
@wellbudyweek just lift the nozzle, hold it higher. 😉
Ask someone from the fuelstation to help you the first few times if that makes you nervous. Let them do it the first time, have them watch when you do it the first time. Etc.
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