Remember: Buddys run better on gasoline

jprestonian · Post by **jprestonian** » Tue Jun 19, 2012 1:03 am

Riding home this evening, and had just rolled off I-40, heading into Charlotte Park... when I spot what appears to be a red scooter on the shoulder of White Bridge Road in the opposite lanes. I safely navigate across, and discover that it's a red Buddy, so naturally, I know the rider from the ESS days. He'd run out of gas.

Since I was under three miles from the house, I rode and got my gas can, hit up the Shell station and was back with Dan in about 15 minutes. Hopefully, he made his guitar lesson. :)
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skully93 · Post by **skully93** » Tue Jun 19, 2012 1:26 am

Nice rescue!

Rob · Post by **Rob** » Tue Jun 19, 2012 1:43 am

That's much better than our AAA service. What do you charge for rescues in the Chicagoland area?

Rob

Capt_Don · Post by **Capt_Don** » Tue Jun 19, 2012 2:09 am

Citation for conspicuous gallantry to you!

PeteH · Post by **PeteH** » Tue Jun 19, 2012 3:08 pm

Well done, JP.

The one and only time I ran myself out of gas was on probably the hottest day of last summer. I was out on a long-ish ride and had just crossed the bridges back into Missouri. I had checked the gauge right about then and saw that I was at the top end of the red zone. Great, I figure, I've got a quarter tank. No problem getting to civilization. Less than 15 miles later I sputtered to a stop. Damned non-linear gas gauge. I knew I'd probably stroke out pushing the Buddy a couple miles to the nearest station I knew of.

I called my son to come bring me the gas can ('the big one under the deck - NOT the little one'). An hour later he shows up with the little one (gas/oil mix for the weedeater). GRRRR.

"Didn't I say the big one?"

"Yeah, but this one had more in it." <headslap>

jprestonian · Post by **jprestonian** » Wed Jun 20, 2012 3:21 am

I stop and at least offer my phone to any two-wheeler on the side of any road I encounter. I think this should be our informal Code of Behavior at all times. I just didn't expect to see a Buddy broken down so close to home, but I'm glad I stopped and got to see Dan again, and helped get him on his way after a fairly minor issue was addressed. :)
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Edwub · Post by **Edwub** » Wed Jun 20, 2012 3:38 am

What are the effects of running out of fuel on a scooter? Any difference whether it's carb or FI?

I don't actually know. I'd heard generic stuff (particulates in the bottom of gas tank may be thrown into the system and mess it up), but wasn't sure what the actual effects are.

Clearly your engine won't implode, but you also clearly want to avoid it as much as possible. So what actually happens?

Dracolibris · Post by **Dracolibris** » Wed Jun 20, 2012 3:58 am

LOL! How embarassing that would have been if it was me, but you are a scooter angel for stopping and helping him so nicely.

My husband was leaving his office in downtown Dnever last month when he noticed a younger girl with a Chinese scooter having troubles starting it. eing the gallant gentleman he is, he went to check up on her and ask what was wrong. "It won't start," was all she said, so he asked if he could give it a try. But once he got on it to try the kickstart, he noticed the fuel gauge was on E for, duh, empty. So he told her she was out of gas, and she said "No, it should be all right. I looked into my gas tank and I can still see the gas in there."

0_o

So he tried a trick by putting it up on its center stand, tilting it way back and starting it from that position. Imagine her surprise when it started right back up and he yells at her (nicely, of course) "Get to a gas station, stat!"

So a lesson for us all to remember: Just because you can see the gas, doesn't mean you really have gas. LOL.

Rusty J · Post by **Rusty J** » Wed Jun 20, 2012 4:17 am

Edwub wrote:What are the effects of running out of fuel on a scooter? Any difference whether it's carb or FI?

I don't actually know. I'd heard generic stuff (particulates in the bottom of gas tank may be thrown into the system and mess it up), but wasn't sure what the actual effects are.

Clearly your engine won't implode, but you also clearly want to avoid it as much as possible. So what actually happens?

The particulates, yes. Fuel filter SHOULD catch them, but consider replacing it as soon as possible. If your fuel pump is built into the tank and relies on the fuel as a heat sink (no idea if these do), it may overheat and sustain damage if run dry -- but on a scooter, when you're out of gas, you're out. Older bikes with gravity-fed carbs obviously won't have this issue ever.

-Rusty

PeteH · Post by **PeteH** » Wed Jun 20, 2012 12:38 pm

It's not like the good old motorcycle (or Stella) days where you had a two-way fuel valve, and most of your tank above the feed tube was 'main' and the bottom bit was 'reserve'. It's all-or-nothing on the Buddy, but that's the price we pay to have an automatic fuel shut-off valve.

KABarash · Post by **KABarash** » Thu Jun 21, 2012 1:45 pm

My neighbor called me one afternoon, seems he ran out of gas in his 'China Scoot' on his way home for lunch. BTW: His fuel gauge hadn't worked since week 5 of ownership so he kept a small gas can handy to fill up at home but in a rush that morning he'd forgotten.
So I grab his can, put on an orange vest and a suction cup stick on yellow strobe light on the top of my helmet. He fell over laughing when he saw me coming over the top of the hill........

k1dude · Post by **k1dude** » Thu Jun 21, 2012 5:36 pm

KABarash wrote:My neighbor called me one afternoon, seems he ran out of gas in his 'China Scoot' on his way home for lunch. BTW: His fuel gauge hadn't worked since week 5 of ownership so he kept a small gas can handy to fill up at home but in a rush that morning he'd forgotten.
So I grab his can, put on an orange vest and a suction cup stick on yellow strobe light on the top of my helmet. He fell over laughing when he saw me coming over the top of the hill........

LOL! Excellent! I would have loved to have seen that sight.