It's where Honda wants you hang the little gremlin bell....
Tank Bar?
- Thread starter Mr.E
- Start date
- Joined
- Sep 16, 2018
- Messages
- 408
- Location
- Northern Baltimore suburbs
- Bike
- ST-1300A '09/'12
- 2024 Miles
- 000298
+1. Airplanes have this same tab so you know how high to fill. Actually, some have 2 (higher and lower) so you can still fill accurately if you dont want to completely filll the tanks. I fill to this line for consistency so I can track my mileage.
Kevcules
Site Supporter
On side or center stand?
I believe that would be on wingtip or gear.
I use to fiddle and put the bike up on the center stand to fill but found on longer trips, with it fully loaded, I was spending unnecessary energy for little to no benefit.
Now it’s fill from the left on the side stand up to the bar.
On a recent LD trip I averaged 550 kms (341 mi) per tank fill. YMMV.
Now it’s fill from the left on the side stand up to the bar.
On a recent LD trip I averaged 550 kms (341 mi) per tank fill. YMMV.
I normally stay on the bike when filling. Unless I'm going straight home or otherwise parking soon, I will fill, wiggle, fill, wiggle, and fill to the top.
pee, wiggle, pee, wiggle pee
then I'm empty...
then I'm empty...
I always did that with all my other Hondas as they were cake to put on the center stand. Sometimes I put the ST on the center stand and sometimes I just straddle it up right when filling up though I may risk a fiery death. Just depends how I feel as I pull up to the pump.
Not really caring about such minutiae I've only occasionally wondered if there's a downside (npi) to filling while on the center stand or straddling the bike with both wheels on the ground. If filled on the stand does some gas then immediately go to the canister or someplace other to where the engine can eventually make use of it?
This is something that after posing the question in my head it's immediately dismissed for a few years. But as I had time on my hands and I was here I figured I'd type it out. Maybe it'll be cathartic. But then I'd really have to be concerned in the first place to benefit from some catharsis. Maybe I should have a slice of pie.
Filling on the center stand allows one to put more fuel. One is likely to reach the bar quicker, while on the side stand. That is about all I can think.
Uh yeah. That's the reason for putting on the center stand in the first place. But the original context was side stand vs center stand where the difference could be somewhat significant depending on projected/practical MPG. I'll rephrase I— was wondering if the fuel in the tank when fueled on the center stand would go somewhere it shouldn't once the bike was taken off the stand and returned to a perpendicular position with both wheels on the ground.
This puts the bike's rear tire lower than when on the center stand. It's a fair insignificant amount of fuel yes. That is unless it goes into the charcoal canister immediately when coming off the stand. Does this make it "excess fuel" that can't be burned by the engine? Does it or doesn't it would be my question. I've never noticed a puddle the one or two times I bothered to check. But if the gas went out some vent/drain system then I'd just be pouring money on the ground. Still in the range of Insignificant but well in the range of Why Bother. I threw away more little gray cells on this instance than in the last decade.
The shape of the fuel tank decides how much fuel goes in it 
For instance, in my Harley Davidson CVO Roadking, if I fill the tank with the bike sitting on a K&L Center Jack (Level & Upright) it will hold less fuel, than if I filled the tank while its on its jiffy stand (side stand for you non-Harley folks) etc.
When the bike is leaning, the filler cap on the Harley is at a higher point.
For instance, in my Harley Davidson CVO Roadking, if I fill the tank with the bike sitting on a K&L Center Jack (Level & Upright) it will hold less fuel, than if I filled the tank while its on its jiffy stand (side stand for you non-Harley folks) etc.
When the bike is leaning, the filler cap on the Harley is at a higher point.
Andrew Shadow
Site Supporter
I don't think that I have ever filled the tank on the centre-stand be it my ST1100's or my ST1300. With the large volume of fuel that the ST series of motorcycles holds, I never felt the need to squeeze in every last drop of fuel that I could. So I'm curious to know what the difference actually is and if it is enough to be worth thinking about or to bother with.
How much of a difference in fuel volume does it actually make between the two methods?
How much of a difference in fuel volume does it actually make between the two methods?
In my experience the difference is about half gallon.
Enough to make the difference between making it to the gas station vs pushing it or using a gas can.
My Harley surprised me when I filled the tank up while it was on the table lift, up to the full line, and I ran out of gas about 50 miles short of where I normally get.
On the side stand I get almost a gallon more in it.
On the side stand I get almost a gallon more in it.
Its probably the way your gas cap is situated on the Harley. On the ST 1300 it would spill out if I expected to put the same amount of gas as if on the center stand.
Kevcules
Site Supporter
I wasn't sure what the difference between the two levels was either, (using side or center stand to fuel up) but it seemed like a fair amount because I always fill up to the bar on the side stand and have noticed that the last fuel gauge "full" bar doesn't stay on very long afterwards.
I haven't seen the need to fill on the center stand where our tanks hold so much fuel and I didn't want to chance some fuel migrating to the charcoal cannister.
Can we safely fill the tank to the "bar" when on the center stand and not worry about fuel going to the charcoal cannister and drenching it?
I haven't seen the need to fill on the center stand where our tanks hold so much fuel and I didn't want to chance some fuel migrating to the charcoal cannister.
Can we safely fill the tank to the "bar" when on the center stand and not worry about fuel going to the charcoal cannister and drenching it?
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Andrew Shadow
Site Supporter
That is more a function of planning versus the difference in fuel load between the two methods. Even with a 200 gallon tank a person would be in the same boat if they didn't fuel up until they were running on fumes.
Andrew Shadow
Site Supporter
Now that surprises me. Even though I didn't think that it would be that much, I still wouldn't bother filling on the centre-stand unless I knew that I would be pushing my luck until the next available fuel, which doesn't happen often with an ST.
I only ever once filled up to the brim on the centre stand. Couldn't get the bike off the centre stand as there was a slight uphill incline on the forecourt. Very embarrasing!