Removing old gas

[OkieRider]

The weather is improving here and I've got an '06 that's been sitting due to injuries. The gas is old.

The simple question is, what is the best way to drain all the old fuel out. My plan right now is to siphon out the top tank and then hotwire the fuel pump to recirculate fuel from the bottom.

Is there a better or easier way? I'm not even fully convinced the fuel pump will do what I want it to do, although I'll hit the shop manual soon to look for ideas.

 

[SMSW]

Pull the hose off the lower tank and let it drain into an empty gas can. You can turn on the ignition to pump out the lower tank.

 

[GitSum]

If you look at the fuel pump - the return line is the lowest line in the lower fuel tank. So if you pull off the return line (Blue Arrow) and attach a hose to the fitting, you can drain (siphon to get it started) most of the upper fuel tank and the lower tank

 

[Igofar]

Just use a fuel line clamp to cut off the flow from the upper tank to the RETURN LINE (blue arrow) pull the hose off the lower tank fitting, stick a clear hose on that fitting, and watch both tanks drain into a gas can sitting on the floor next to the bike.
No need to run or pump anything (not a good idea fiddling with electrical stuff while draining fuel)
You can also drain the upper tank only by draining from the AIR VENT LINE, in the same method.
However, if you use the return line, it drains both tanks.

 

[Andrew Shadow]

Click the below link.
Draining fuel tanks.

 

[OkieRider]

Just use a fuel line clamp to cut off the flow from the upper tank to the RETURN LINE (blue arrow) pull the hose off the lower tank fitting, stick a clear hose on that fitting, and watch both tanks drain into a gas can sitting on the floor next to the bike.
No need to run or pump anything (not a good idea fiddling with electrical stuff while draining fuel)
You can also drain the upper tank only by draining from the AIR VENT LINE, in the same method.
However, if you use the return line, it drains both tanks.

My hero (again)

 

[GitSum]

I never had the lower tank on a 1300 apart - how far does that 'vent' nipple actually go into the lower tank (I wouldn't think very far, wouldn't that leave most of the lower tank full?)

 

[Chris09]

It's a pretty short, braided elbow between the upper and lower fuel tank and given the age of probably almost all of these bikes, I would not pinch the hose [and I've worked in show business]; your upper tank might hold 21 litres of fuel at any given time and after crushing it, I would not rely on it left laid up in your garage unattended afterward.
Avoid a ridiculous race with yourself plucking gas filled lines off your lower tank and either run the tank down to where you're below 1/5th, or spend 10 bucks on a marine squeeze bulb with some tubing and manually pump / syphon off the upper tank. Clever is cool except when you're standing in gasoline.
Every time that you lift or shift your upper tank, unbolt all of the five seat bracket bolts to ease the tension on the braided elbow as well.
Avoid a problem.