Reserve.........

Finally!

I got out for a good ride with some friends on Saturday..........great day out - covered just over 250kms...nothing too big..

We met at my place around 9am and hit the coastal road towards the Mornington Peninsula......stopping in Mornington for caffeine, regroup and to meet with another mate and his brand new Husqvarna Nuda 900R.....

We had a group of 6, on 5 bikes - one pillion on the GSXR1000, the Nuda, the Duc, my Ape and a Kwaka =D.................game on!


From Mornington we took off down the esplanade road which tacks along the cliff-side, over Mt Martha and into Safety Beach.


From here we hit Arthur's seat for a couple of runs up and down......myself and the Nuda riding off the front, having a play and really using that low down torque to drive out of the corners........nice indeed.



The day continued down to Shoreham and Flinders, over Red Hill, then into Cape Shank and back out to Balnarring - the Nuda pilot......who lives in this area......found us some very nice twisty roads to play on - albeit with a few potholes......still fun and fast.....



At Balnarring we decided to call it a day and start our way back to Melbourne CBD........the Kwaka rider takes the lead back to the Freeway.....before heading off the nominal question is asked..."Fuel?".............nah! She'll be right......we all decline the offer......


RESERVE!

By the time we hit the Freeway my low fuel indicator blinks on.....no problem.......it comes on very early, it's not until the ODO starts the count up of kilometres travelled on reserve until you get worried........oh shit.....I look down......3.5kms counting up.....great!

Riding past the leader I point to my tank and give him one of these to signify I am running low on fuel.....

Reserve count now at ~25kms......I'm getting the yips.....


I have heard that Shivers have about 50kms on reserve.....but I don't want to find out the hard way.....especially not on the Monash Freeway inbound....


By the Toorak Rd off ramp I am sweating bullets.....I chicken out and take the exit......I know there is a BP about 2kms from this exit which has sweet, sweet fuel...........35kms on reserve....and counting

Looking at my fuel readings I am not expecting to be near empty:

Total distance travelled = 252.0kms












Average fuel consumption over distance ~ 5.0L/100kms
(just under, 4.9)


Now - the Shiv has a 15L tank, so if I am using ~5L per 100kms and have clocked up ~250kms I should have about 2.5L to spare......so why on reserve so early!?


The fuel amount at the bowser tells a different story.......I squeeze in 12.98L with tank topped off.....to be honest....probably slightly overfilled......at least the fuel readings are somewhat accurate!




The moral of the story? 
Never say no to a fuel-up offer........AND the reserve reading on the Shiver is like an over-anxious back seat driver.......a nuisance which breaks your concentration but is hard to ignore......

\BitSar




EDIT.................

Vision of the hill climb from the Kwaka.............the Gixxer is in front of the camera.....then the Ape + Nuda....the rest is history :D

--> This guy can handle that little Ninjette eh! Gold!