Ran out of Gas Yesterday

[Fennellg]

I was returning home from Maryland to North Carolina. I misjudged my fuel status. I got 234 miles out of my tank and it was dry. Locked up my panniers and walked up the highway with my helmet in hand. A fellow biker pulled over. Said He would see what he could do. We exchanged phone numbers via text. His bike had only one seat. It was a sport bike with that plastic trunk molding thing instead of a seat. It was a Suzuki.

I continued to walk and stuck out my thumb. Not 2 minuets had passed and I had a ride. Called the guy he was already there. Told him I would be there in just a minute or two. It was 3 miles up 81 mile marker 158. Got to the gas station. He found me gave me a gas can with gas in it. And said pay it forward. Would not take any money. Walked back to the highway. Helmet and gas in hand. No wait at all, a bmw car pulled over. A guy with his girlfriend picked me up and dropped me off at the mile marker. I just had to cross 4 lanes of divided highway with trees and hill in the middle. It was a snap. Put the gas in then filled the tank up at the gas station. The bmw couple rode and just wanted to help.

My faith in mankind had restored.

If you ever break down carry your helmet with you waking away from your bike. You will get a ride Lickety split.

 

[Sierra1]

Yeah, I learned to leave the ax in the bushes if I need a ride. That's some pretty low mileage, is that normal?

 

[Curt]

Once I was riding home from SF on 101 at 1:00 am, 40 miles after E, and it started to sputter. Not far before the Whipple exit it shut off and I was coasting. It would not restart. I coasted a quarter mile to the exit, then a quarter mile down the ramp, into an ARCO and stopped exactly at the pump. Whew!

 

[Sierra1]

My last fill was 5.3usg for 222 miles. Pretty normal for me.

 

[Bill_C]

Once I was riding home from SF on 101 at 1:00 am, 40 miles after E, and it started to sputter. Not far before the Whipple exit it shut off and I was coasting. It would not restart. I coasted a quarter mile to the exit, then a quarter mile down the ramp, into an ARCO and stopped exactly at the pump. Whew!

I know that area pretty well. You got lucky it died before Whipple because there ain't much in the way of gas once you hit Woodside (if memory serves correctly) and at that time of night you're probably not getting any help from passers-by.
Glad it worked out for ya. Talk about cutting it close though!

Sent from my SM-S906U using Tapatalk

 

[Wenisgoodenuf]

Glad it worked out for you. I second the faith in humanity. Last year I was on a trip with my KLR when I had the misfortune of blowing a piston. It was the second day of a 6500 km 3 week trip. After trying all I could to fix the problem on the side of the road I had given up and started the walk when my guardian angel with a truck and trailer got me 75 km to the nearest dealer and a hotel and also refused any compensation for his time. If you need help someone will always come to your aid. Now on the flipside of this event the Kawasaki dealer would not offer any form or assistance for at least 3 days. Even after explaining my predicament. So U-Haul it was and tuck my tail between my legs and drive the 1350 km all night to bring my trusty steed home. The total lack of assistance from the dealer was very disheartening. Now with the Tenere I look forward to many more miles and adventure. Stay safe out there and try to be prepared as best as you can.

 

[Dirt_Dad]

Great story. Smart to carry your helmet.

I also recently experienced assistance from a stranger. It was greatly appreciated, and yes, it does restore your faith that most people are good.

 

[regder]

Absolute strangers have gone out of their way to help me out on too many occasions. I firmly believe the large majority of people are fantastic, regardless of what the internet wants us to believe.

 

[Fennellg]

I find my gas milage can vary on the highway. I crush a bmw rs with twisty gas milage. 46 to 48 mpg. The opposite holds true for highway doing 70 to 90 mph our bike mpg dips. I also think I shot myself in the foot at my last fill up. The station was unattended looked like it was closed and going out of business. The sign said the pumps work 24 hours. I put 89 in. Well It felt like 87 or 86. Should have gone across the street. It was busy more expensive but I would have a more suitable octane. I think my missing miles were in that missing octane.

 

[Madhatter]

coming back from Utah I missed a gas stop in Texas ..... finally found a gas station in Big Springs , don't remember the exact milage I had gone but I was concerned . filled up and had about .5 gallons from being empty . but to stretch the gas I had to really slow down to get my mpg's up.

 

[Sierra1]

Yeah, West Texas is pretty empty. She prefers below 70mph. She hates above 75mph.

 

[Fennellg]

When riding alone, making a 7 hour plus trip fighting the oncoming night I tend to fly.

 

[AusTexS10]

Yeah, I learned to leave the ax in the bushes if I need a ride. That's some pretty low mileage, is that normal?

And where do you stash the chainsaw and leather mask (er, face shield)?

 

[Sierra1]

And where do you stash the chainsaw and leather mask (er, face shield)?

Depends on how long I'm going to ride.

 

[Checkswrecks]

...That's some pretty low mileage, is that normal?

Pulling the trailer at the 85-ish mph of traffic I've had the mpg as low as 28.

 

[Sierra1]

Pulling the trailer at the 85-ish mph of traffic I've had the mpg as low as 28.

Which is outside the design envelope of a T-12. A trailer, at that speed . . . . Gold Wing or Rocket 3. Won't even notice it's back there.

 

[Fennellg]

I think it’s more like guidelines for uncharted territory. We had a lady pissed. Her odometer on her Prius went back to zero after 300k. She made such a stink it went all the way up to corporate Toyota. They said they did not think they would go that long.

They did two things. Reprogrammed her unit to keep counting miles beyond 300k.
And they implemented the change for all new Prius s.

Last I heard she had passed 500k

Beyond here lies Dragons

 

[Dirt_Dad]

Pulling the trailer at the 85-ish mph of traffic I've had the mpg as low as 28.

You know I've got a smile on my face when I get below 30 on the Tenere or SAS. And probably a sore throttle hand. Good times.

 

[Sierra1]

. . . . Her odometer on her Prius went back to zero after 300k. She made such a stink it went all the way up to corporate Toyota. . . .

Not just Priuses. I have a friend with a Corolla. He was telling me that his odometer stopped at 299,999mi. He had been told that all Toyotas did that. He says that the best guestimate he has is over 450,000mi, and that was a couple of years ago, since his trip odometer works, and he keeps track for oil changes. It is odd that Toyota, with their reliability, only uses 299,999 mi odometers.

 

[Dirt_Dad]

Interesting, I once had a Chevy Nova that was a rebadged Corolla. I personally only took it to 275,000 (on original clutch), so don't know if that odometer would have died at 299K. Guess I got rid of that car too soon.