I brought the bike to work this morning knowing I needed to get gas. I had 188 miles on the odometer and the low fuel light was on. I filled it up, taking in 4.5 gallons of fuel. I ride on to work and park about 1 mile. As I shut down and lock the bike up I smell gas. Assuming it was just vapors after possibly filling to full? It is a fuel injected bike. I head out for lunch to take a quick spin and grab some food and see a puddle under the bike near the kickstand on the left side. As I approach I wondered if that was there earlier this morning. It was wet and it was black and seemed like oil. I looked under the bike in the same area and see no obvious leak. I then figure it was there this morning before I parked as a co-worker has a van that has a oil leak in the pan, and is trying to fix it. As I start it and drive off I looked at my path and see what appears to be drops of liquid following my path.. I look down and see the same thing, I turn around and park the bike again. This time it seems like fuel is leaking.. I call my buddy to bring his 14' enclosed trailer over and we load it up (tied it down in two places pretty good or so we thought). Get it home 7 miles to park in garage. I will not have time to look at till SUnday. We arrive home and somehow the bike tipped to the right and the throtle, mirror, and break lever went thru the side of the trailer. We get it out, and it was leaking more I park it in the garage and there it sits. I am extremly disapointed. My wife and i took a 200 plus trip this weekend and it was awesome and the bike ran very very well. This leak and issues just happend after fueling it up of course. My initial thought is that hte fuel pump has a loose or cracked hose, but I do not know where it is located at the moment. I do have a service manual! I do not know what "oil" would have been leaking if any and where from? (oil leak was opposite side from oil tank not that it does not mean it is not engine oil)

Also I noticed that the handle bars are loose or move now since the slight mishap in the trailer. Not sure what to do about that at the moment either.

I am very frustrated and upset about this whole ordeal, and might opt to take it in to get worked on correctly and right the first time.

Any thoughts, ideas, or suggestions.. I am open to any positive advice! FWI... I just picked this bike up in April and have just under 2,000 miles on so far in the rain soaked summer so far....

 

Holy crap! What a bad day so far. It's normal for a bike overfilled to leak out the overage. It's also normal for a very full bike to vent some overfill as it heats up and expands. Tipping the bike over is a good way to increase the amount spilling. I'd clean everything up, siphon a gallon out just to make sure it isn't overfull and see how it goes.

Tightening the handlebar clamp on the Heritage is pretty straightforward. Just make sure the bars are straight and square with the top clamp and tighten evenly. When the top clamp is tight check the 3/4 bolts up into the risers. It doesn't sound like you have as much repair to do as your buddy does to his trailer!

 

I say the gas tank was overfilled. I had the same thing happen a few weeks ago. It was leaking out of the EFI plate under the dash and running down the middle of the tank and dripping off the fuel line that connects the tank to the throttle body. I rode and so much gas was flowing out of the gas overflow that the rear wheel was getting squiggly on me. I rode it for a few miles and all was good. Next time I filled it a bit less and all is good. My bike is an 02 fatboy. I went in a tightened up all the screws on the top late on teh tank a few days ago but i will be mindful of how full the tank gets when i am filling it now. I checked the o ring in my fuel line, it is still there and cracks or leaks.

Drew

 

Thanks for the reply and making me smile a bit DaddyK! That is the first time I was able to chuckle a bit since lunch!! I am hoping to get the bike on my jack tonight, check around for leaks first, and see any obvious signs... but I do not have much time as I might just be able to get it on the jack.... As far as the handlebars... the clamp and bars seem to move together, unless that was my frustrated imagination...

Drew.. I think you and DaddyK are on to something.. I know I definitely topped it off trying to get it to the nice round $.25 instead of $.23.. probably will not be doing that again!

Thanks for the quick replies and making me feel a little better.. now to figure out the oil leaking issue! And see if I brave enough to look into the handle bars...

 

Did you consider the gas had softened up the asphalt? Gas eats away at it and leaves an oily looking spot. Maybe?

 

Is that possible? It was definately black and when I put my finger in it (you just have to do that right?) was was oily and smelled like oil and not gas... Plus I am not so positive it was from my bike, but it was way off to the side as I park the jiffy stand on the white line and it was under the primary... no clues on the bike after a quick inspection.. more time tonight to investigate.. Hopefully I find a "wet" location or something obvious, otherwise it will bother me! The handle bars "wobble" with the clamp.. it seems like the clamp is tight, and itself is moving... the throttle does not snap back as it should... sounds like so much going on!!!

 

I was thinking the same thing as kbob2000 regarding the oily spot.

 

I just did not have time to investigate it myself this past weekend. Had dealership pick it up. They got it done last night, and going to pick it up tonight. Turns out that nothing is leaking, and everything is up to par. They figure it was fuel leaking (expansion) and hitting the black top making the oil residue. They fixed the handle bars, throttle, a quick once over and out the door... Lesson well learned, especially when just after filling and parking on black top... Just still too new to these Harley's and got concerned something major was wrong. But at least I feel better as I had them double check the brakes and the noise coming from them. I have been told it is a normal noise from HD....

Thanks much for the help, and many of you were right on with the fuel expansion and overflow issue!!

Now I can ride on in confidence once again!

 

Now you better start talking about repairing your buddies trailer or you might be looking for a new friend.

 

Paranoia runs deep with Harleys...