This needs to be taught to every noob rider
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 2,506
Likes: 416
From: South Florida
Geez, almost 40 posts, and nothing about the petcock. A little hint for a carbed bike; you might want to turn the petcock, that little valve on the side of the engine, to the center position and run that puppy dry when you park it. Harleys will also leak gas from the carb through the cylinders and into the sump. After you shut the petcock off, it'll stop the flow of gas, and then, you can play with the throttle all you want to.
You should also buy a "Turn the gas on, Dummy", sticker for your helmet, because you're going to forget to turn it on once you get into the habit of turning it off. Also, make sure that the long end of that lever is pointed down, because that's regular flow. When the long end is up, that's reserve. You can normally get an extra 20 miles or so before you run out on the old bikes, depending on the stage. If you ride with it up, you have no reserve, and once it runs out of gas, game over.
You should also buy a "Turn the gas on, Dummy", sticker for your helmet, because you're going to forget to turn it on once you get into the habit of turning it off. Also, make sure that the long end of that lever is pointed down, because that's regular flow. When the long end is up, that's reserve. You can normally get an extra 20 miles or so before you run out on the old bikes, depending on the stage. If you ride with it up, you have no reserve, and once it runs out of gas, game over.
Tourer
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 486
Likes: 41
From: north jersey
later model factory petcocks are vacuum operated. meaning no "off" position. fuel stops flowing once the vacuum source stops, which is the running motor - so good luck draining the bowl every time you shut it down.
gas leaking thru carb into cylinders would be a bad needle valve or needle valve seat.
and the petcock diaphram would have to be bad for the fuel to flow on a non-running bike in the 1st place.
so yeah - just don't twist the throttle when your not running it is the easy thing to do.
gas leaking thru carb into cylinders would be a bad needle valve or needle valve seat.
and the petcock diaphram would have to be bad for the fuel to flow on a non-running bike in the 1st place.
so yeah - just don't twist the throttle when your not running it is the easy thing to do.
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 2,945
Likes: 85
From: Florida
This is not true on my bike. I have a 05 Dyna which was the last year they had carbs and I still have a petcock. Same as every other bike I have ever had. On/Off/Reserve.
Grand HDF Member
Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 3,751
Likes: 459
From: Here and now
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