ey-up,
i hope this isn't answered anywhere else on forum

it's ages since i've ridden me mk3 off-road & i haven't got a clue how far it could go in tough conditions.

¿is it better to try to avoid going onto reserve 'cos you might have a lack of throttle response at a crucial point when you have to turn the petcock?

nicko wrote:ey-up,
i hope this isn't answered anywhere else on forum

it's ages since i've ridden me mk3 off-road & i haven't got a clue how far it could go in tough conditions.

¿is it better to try to avoid going onto reserve 'cos you might have a lack of throttle response at a crucial point when you have to turn the petcock?

Much to many variables to give an accurate answer.IMO, about an hour [ 8.5 ltrs] of reasonable throttle action should bring up the need for reserve to be needed.
Mike

in my experience ( which is quite a lot since my reserve isnt working still )

the bike gives plenty of warning...starts to rev high in a weird fashion as the mixture starts to lean out...

maybe u can deliberately run into reserve a couple of times to get the vibe before the race?

fishtail wrote:in my experience ( which is quite a lot since my reserve isnt working still )

the bike gives plenty of warning...starts to rev high in a weird fashion as the mixture starts to lean out...

maybe u can deliberately run into reserve a couple of times to get the vibe before the race?

As Mike says, there are too many ariables and to do what you suggest, you would need to use the same conditions as the course. The there is if you drop the bike and fuel comes out etc.

it certainly does!

u cant be lying around 'relaxin' when the bike is on the floor - can be pissing out the overflow - or depending how far over it is the tank petrol cap can also be a leaking..

I've had my run dry on as low as 40 km from fill up... that was lots of droppin and lots of steep hills that required a fair bit of clutch slippin.. wheel spinnin ( altho recently I've got better at not digging trenches.. -

brill, thanks a lot for the replies.

i'm used to it leaning out when needing to go onto reserve, from when i had it on the road a few years ago. Trouble was that a siezing piston has similar symptoms so i had the back wheel lock up while my left had was finding the fuel tap

i ran out at 70km today- I just started the bike up and literally got up to the top of my road... and it was revving high - funny i thought sounds like its running lean..

luckily I live 5 pushing mins from a gas station - they thought it was very amusing seeing me push the bike....

*must* get my reserve switch working....

fishtail wrote:*must* get my reserve switch working....

i took me fuel tap off yesterday (i've been having what i think are blocked jets) and it's scary, there's a long plastic tube which got stuck in tank and an o-ring, i think the tube feeds into the tank thru a rubber bush or summat, it wuz quite difficult to shove it back in without collapsing the strainer section in t'tube. after all that me bike still doesn't fire-up

the plastic tube is to set the height of fuel in the the tank before the bike goes on to reserve...

do u have spark at plug?

if thats a yes - then carb might be blocked..

try the lazy clean - no need take carb off - loosen its clamps - remove throttle slide.. rotate carb 90 degrees take out jets
and blow some air up the holes and thru the jets.. clean any crud u see...

fishtail wrote:if thats a yes - then carb might be blocked..

ta for the guidance. I had a spark last time i looked but am going to check again because it's still dead as a dodo but has started easily (properly) in the recent past. Blocked carb is most likely, i've taken it apart and given it a good clean out several times but will do again - i like your quick insitu technique

fishtail wrote:do u have spark at plug?

if thats a yes - then carb might be blocked..

try the lazy clean - no need take carb off - loosen its clamps - remove throttle slide.. rotate carb 90 degrees take out jets
and blow some air up the holes and thru the jets.. clean any crud u see...

It's invariably the pilot jet that blocks, so it's best to carefully loosen the 4 pozi headed screws underneath the float bowl.
The bowl might need a sharp TAP, with the blunt end of a screwdriver to persuade it to move.
The pilot jet can now be unscrewed and checked for obstructions/crud.
When your not working on the carb roll it back into it's working position. The pin that holds the float in place will want to leap out of it's position as soon as you look at it, be very aware.
Now you can give the whole works a good de-gunging.
Mike