I went out on the trike today - broke down 3 times!

17 miles there, no probs. Got about 10 miles towrds home and lost power - i thought I'd run out of fuel cos the gauge isn't working atm, stopped, put her on reserve, finally got her started again after winding the starter a while - expected that cos you have pull the fuel thru.
Did about another 3 miles, happened again. This time she started ok, and just about got home and it happened again!

Haven't used reserve for years, if ever, do you reckon I got some dirt in the fuel? Haven't looked at it yet cos dark now, tomorrow is another day! She's never EVER done this before!

i would probably think there is some sort of crap in the bottom of the tank especially as you say you havn't been in reserve for a while

Yup sounds about right but will obviously depend as to wether you were low on fuel to start with..

Might also be a pinched breather for the tank..you have had it on and off a lot latley cause of dare I mention it (clutch cable)

Anyroad hope it is just a bit of crap in the carb

vacuum? caused by air not getting in?

muck in the reserve bit of tank? we had that after going onto reserve with an old car - there was lotsa rattly stuff down there and it blocked everything up

Oh well, top up tomorrow and hope the carbs aren't completely fouled up!

Maybe I should fit an inline filter but there's not much space. Better answer is, get the fuel gauge working again and don't run out of fuel! I'vehad a fuel gauge so long I've forgotten about watching the mileage!

I reckon you'd be better taking the tank off and giving it a good swill out. I think you're right in thinking that the filter in the tap for the reserve part of the tank could be blocked.




The reserve filter is usually the lower one so it's sat in any crap that's floating about in the tank and this can build up to quite a bit over the years.

The trouble with swilling the tank out, as I remember with the tank off my baby bike years ago, is that there's a lip inside the tank so you never get all the crap out anyway!

Spose I ought to take the fuel tap out to check that the filter is intact... somehow I doubt I will if I can get it sorted without.

Consider running your bike on a little Redex. Its winter after all..
Your carbs may need cleening too..


I know this may sound silly, but did you make sure your choke wasnt on? I once had a similar problem and it turned out the bike was running on half choke!

Cheers Motorhead - it wasn't the choke cos I always get her running without choke before moving off - learnt from experience that I can only get halway round our estate with the choke on! She was ok till I ran out of fuel.

Re the fuel gauge - last time I took the tank off I forgot to unplug it and now it's not working so I guess I pulled a wire somewhere. It's a Kwak GT550 - does anyone know how to get at the electrical connections in the sender unit on the bottom of the tank? I don't recall any visible screws so I guess it may be a push fit but I'd rather know before I break anything else!

Well the cover on the fuel gauge sender IS a push fit - it was just aquestion of finding the right place to lever it and it popped off no problemo. Everything inside looks fine, I think the problem was a dirty connection, I'll find out tomorrow. Cleaned it up with electrical contact cleaner - wonderful stuff that! Dirty discoloured connections come up brass again!

Drained all the fuel out, took the fuel tap off, that all looks fine and tbh the fuel looked pretty clean but I've swished it all around and drained it out - what the heck do I do with the old fuel?

Anyway there wasn't much dirt in it. Was going to put some fuel in and leave it overnight to settle but it got dark and cold and I'd had enuff so I'll put some fuel in tomorrow morning and leave it a couple of hours and then see what happens when I ride it.