its a honda varadero 2003 XL125
i switched the reserve on but it wouldnt start still, like that was empty too.
how does the reserve tank work? do i need to have the switch onto the on position for it to get fuel into the reserve when i fill the main tank up?
my mum had to rescue me in the end. i had no money left too to buy more fuel 
are you sure you’ve got the switch in the right position?
below from a varadero forum…
Turn fully anti-clockwise for off and fully clockwise for reserve. Middle position is normal and gives you about 15 litres from a full tank - reserve gives you another 2 litres.The tap should be marked - Off, Fuel, Res - but might be difficult so see.
How often to you switch the reserve tap on? Could be a blockage or dodgy petrol tap, not uncommon.
Did you open the filler cap and look in to see if you had petrol? I assume you did that as you’re not an idiot.
The ‘reserve’ tank is just a petrol outlet at the bottom of the tank. Your main outlet is a bit higher up, when the petrol level falls below that the engine will cut out. You then switch to reserve and the engine draws the petrol through the bottom of the tank.
Silt and muck from the petrol will often sink to the bottom of the tank, it’s possible your reserve outlet has been blocked by this.
Just had a qwick look for pics of ya fuel tap, looks like its gravaty fed , not vacuum , so probably dont have a prime on the tap,
If the tap is blocked, in the reserve position ,theres a chance u have cloged ya jets too ?
while the tank is empty , might be best to take the tap off , just to check, and clean the tap filter tube, make sure its clear in both normal and reserve positions .
( edited to remove info about injection , as just found urs is carb ,lol )
if ok could you have a look later please
my vara is carb and has a choke, no injectors (the vara’s from 07 had fuel injection and a fuel light)
and yes, i looked in the tank, couldnt see any fuel. i can normally hear it swishing about too.
the fuel switch has 3 settings. on-off-reserve
it was on when it conked out, i then switched it to reserve. i dont leave it on off though, ever…
i have filled it up again with fuel, so cannot check the pipes for now. but i did think it was a separate tank completely for reserve. that would be a better design! or stick a frigging fuel gauge in the beginning so i wont get stuck! ffs
could be a dodgy petrol tap letting by on reserve. Get the tank off, put some petrol in it and see that the tap behaves correctly.
thats a daunting sounding job…
i can fix computers, but im hopeless with mechanics
thinking back, i did use the reserve successfully once before…
I am doing an aprilia service tonight but if your west London I can probably make enough time to look at that if you get it going and come to me .
I suggest you find time to see Numnum, in exchange for some future computer fixing! 
Or I could help you out if you’re in SE London…
The computer is okay just now . However I have only one can of premix gin and tonic left
thanks for the offer numnum
Conrad B, yes SE is better for me.
i work in blackfriars road, live in bexleyheath.
where are you?
I’m in Peckham. So the bike is not running currently? Where is it? I’d be happy to come have a nosy but it would have to be tomorrow evening!
On older/simpler bikes/scoots a manual reserve switch just
allows the last few pints of petrol to flow out. When set to
main the fuel flows from an input an inch or so above the
bottom of the tank, when switched to reserve it flows from
near enough the bottom of the tank.
If you’ve not managed to switch over to reserve when it
was still running you may have to crank it over for a while
after you have stopped and switched it to reserve.
And make sure you switch it back to main when you fill up
or next time you run out there will be nothing in reserve :w00t:
there is no crank start
Conrad, ok thanks. ill confirm tomorrow if thats ok. will you be down oakdene tonight though?
bikes working, but not sure if reserve is
