This morning was running a bit late so got our lass to run downstairs and unchain/warm up the bike while I put my boots on because she’s a good’un like that …
Anyway … got downstairs … threw my leg over and off I went … noticed when stopped at the next set of traffic lights … fuel needle was showing empty … now considering I’d filled up two days before and done about 4 miles since that … I was worried that either I’d developed a hole or some little vandal had cut/pierced the pipe and now I was p*ssing petrol down the road as I went … so pulled over … got off and checked … couldn’t see any immediate holes or smell petrol leaking … so carried on to work thinking maybe it was just my needle was stuck or something?
Got to work … had a word with a chap here down in the garage … said when he was a lot younger … was really common place for people to come along with a bucket … yank the pipe out of your carb … drain the tank … then walk off :w00t:
I’m quite relieved truth be told … that (a) I won’t have to spend £££ on getting it fixed; and (b) I’m not going to spontaneously combust any time soon … but after that - comes quite a strong feeling of annoyance.
So … is this still common place … or have I been unlucky? Should I report it to the police - just so they know there is one more toe-rag out there … or is this just something I am going to have to put up with … and the lesson is - never fill the tank, just do it £3/4 at a time and run on vapours?
when i had a Vespa ET4 it happened pretty much every week due to a design fault on them. saw one chap at the petrol stn once who’d obviously had the same thing, but didn’t realise where to seal the tank back up, and he was merrily filling up, and the fuel was p1ssing out the bottom
Had this happen to me when I had a mk 2 golf. Buggers cut the 2 plastic pipes underneath and stole a whole tank of fuel. Never had this happen on a bike though. If you get one with injection they can’t do this as the fuel only comes out of the tank if the pump is on.
well, this happened to one of my colleagues at work a while ago. After he found out who it was he got home one evening, drained the petrol,shut the tap, put diesel in it, and let the scrotes steal it over night. Then the next morning he drained the left over diesel, put the petrol back in and off he went. On the way he went past the scrotes who stole the diesel, jumpin around a broken down scooter wondering why it wouldn’t work he he he I think you should do the same lol
When I got home and parked up - saw there is a large stain on the tarmac where they must have spilled before managing to get the pipe into their container.
The wierd thing is - they didn’t drain the tank completely … I mean … I managed to get to work this morning … and then get from work to the petrol station this evening … now … I know a 125 doesn’t use much petrol … but if they’d have drained the tank - I’d had have to go onto reserve?
I’ve popped it onto reserve over night … figuring if they come back and do it again 2nd night on the trot … they’ll get a little bit and but not much … where if I turned it to “off” … they wouldn’t get anything - but would probably be smart enough to realise why … perhaps I’m being too optimistic thinking they will say “oh he’s not filled up since we robbed him” … but we’ll see … just hope I was unlucky and it was a one off
errr all the bikes I ever had with reserve positions actually work by opening an outlet that is lower than the normal on position, putting it on reser:w00t:ve will allow them to take more fuel than leaving it on surely?
I was under the impression that there was a separate part of the tank. Hence why - after you’ve gone onto reserve - and filled up - you have to go back into the “on” position - otherwise you will run out.
Not that I ever plan on getting close to running out/needing to go onto reserve - but my new bike doesn’t have a petrol gauge so we’ll see how long it takes before I forget about it and then run out
Urm more to the point how lucky are you to have your Mrs unchain and warm your bike up for you! :w00t:
Did she warm the seat to?
Wish my boyf would do that, he would tell me where to go! hehe
The way the tank works is, there are two pipes, one that goes through the tank and protrudes a little way in, another just goes through the tank and stops level with the tank inside. The petrol is used on the “main” tank until it reaches the level of the first pipe, you then switch to the “reserve” which basically uses whats left in the tank on the second pipe.
So leaving it on “reserve” the scrotes would get all your petrol.
Just to bring this to the forefront again … not a happy bunny
Not been on the bike since Sunday because my tail light had blown … left work early yesterday to get to the shop on time … bought a new one and replaced it after dinner …
I pulled over 5 minutes into my journey because the needle hadn’t gone up any … to discover a very “moist” looking carb … with a dripper on the bottom of it … dabbed it with my glove and it was petrol … and within 5 seconds there was another dripper there … so they had yanked off the tubing again and not bothered putting it back on properly … twats.
Am going to let the police know so they can keep an eye out for any little bastards who are knelt down beside bikes … but apart from that there really isn’t anything I can do is there?
You should sit and wait for them to return tonight, then suggest to them that its quite dangerous playing with flamable substances and that it is possible that they may catch fire purely by complete accident.
Simple way to resolve this is to get yourself one of these.It’s fuel injected so the only way they can get at the petrol is to prise open the cap or drill a hole into the tank! FI is the way forward.
Just be sure to get one of these and a decent ground anchor or they will have the whole bike away before you can say “where’s my bike gone?!” :w00t:
