What's the procedure when you run out of gas on a motorcycle while riding?

I would make sure you have enough gas next time you ride. Fool proof.

@erichw1504 yes of course, that is true. however i am a brand new rider and i filled my tank for the first time to use the trip meter and see how many miles i get before i need to refill from a full tank. so now i know lol.

btw – it was 214 miles.

I would have instinctively coasted with the clutch in, based on my years with manual trans. cars… But as someone who just got my Motorcycle License a couple months ago, I am interested in hearing what experienced riders have to say.

My instructors told us that the fuel gagues for bikes are so inaccurate that they are basically useless… Now you should know how many miles you can go on a single tank, so monitor your odometer.
EDIT: You typed your reply as I was writing this. I’m glad you kept track!

As a mom of a boy who just got his license and first bike, I am glad you’re OK!

@hearkat – yea im 21 and this is my first bike. its definitely fun and i love everything about it. but on the other hand, already i can tell how dangerous it can be if theres a lot of other people on the road. i live in NJ so its right outside the city and its so dense and populated here, that it makes it hard (and less fun) to drive on highways. but most other places in the world should be much more fun. another thing (and please dont take this the wrong way) is that i read somewhere “its not if you drop your bike, its when.” meaning pretty much that EVERY rider is going to drop/crash/lay the bike down at least once. may not even be serious or fatal or bad, but it gonna happen when youre starting. i already dropped mine and im VERY coordinated and fast, with good reflexes. im an athlete and a very fast learner. but when a machine thats 400lbs. is going even 15 or 20mph, the momentum and force is beyond your control if something were to happen. not trying to scare you at all! lol. its very fun and i got right back up and rode home without a scratch…literally NOTHING, no bruise. again, lucky i guess. but just expect it, could be even in a parking lot while backing out, then you learn from it. its almost necessary to show a rider how careful to be, then after that, usually they wont let it happen again. good luck and thanks for the answer!

I would reach under my bike and switch to the reserve.

@ChazMaz i tried, desperately lol! but the bike wasnt motorpowered and it was going 65mph downhill, taking my hand of the handlebar to find the switch and move it while panicking was impossible. and i had to pay attention to my mirrors and looking for cars on all sides. it was pretty scary. if it wasnt downhill, i wouldve (and have) done that. thanks!

@futurelaker88:
You live in NJ in the NY ‘burbs and you’re a Laker fan?!!?!?!?! Blasphemy! j/k
Do you play college ball? Or are you just a fan?

I live a little further south of you, near Six Flags, and the road congestion os one of the reasons why I am not in a hurry to get a bike. If you’re up in Essex/Bergen Counties, you’ll have to head West to find any decent roads to ride. Stay safe!

@hearkat lol yea i know, lakers all the way though. ever since jordan retired, i cant stop watching kobe. yea ive played all my life, until college. i go to SVA in NYC for film editing and because its a trade/art school, they dont have sports teams. i commute everyday from NJ, i live near Wayne, by the willowbrook mall. idk if you know where that is. its literally 20 min outside the city. and yes im in Bergen county lol. thanks again!

As you say, there must have been a substantial incline change because you will normally feel engine misses for a period of time before running out and its more than enough time to switch to reserve. And I can understand your difficulty due to unfamiliarity of a new bike, so practice turning the valve to reserve when you are away from traffic….you should be able to do it quickly and in your sleep. Motorcycle riding is dangerous. The only way to survive is to be aware and know exactly where all cars are, keep some distance from them, and always have an “out.” Never drive where you are pinned into a lane without a prayer, if something goes wrong. If I were to suddenly loose power, the clutch will be in immediately, my turn signals or emergency flashers would be on immediately, I would then hand signal a problem, get the bike in neutral ASAP, brake and pull over. As you get used to the bike and ride more miles, these will become automatic reactions, but you must always ride defensively and be aware of everything. I rode all kinds of bikes for 35 years and not once crashed or laid a bike down, tho I had many close calls (but I always had and exercised an out). Be safe and have fun….Gary/wtf (yea, Lakers!)

Another thing you could have done is fill the tank completely, ride a set distance, and then refill the tank completely to see how much you used. If you know the amount that goes into your tank (which you can figure out for sure if you let the tank get very close to empty before filling completely) you can multiply out and discover how far you can go on a single tank of gas, more or less. Driving conditions will affect your mileage.

The above is what my motorcycle-riding friends do when they get a new bike. It’s safer.

why did you have to pull over to turn petcock to reserve ? just reach down and turn it .