Where is the reserve fuel switch... - 2005 Harley Davidson XL 1200 C Sportster Custom

Check the reserve fuel line and the main fuel line to make sure they haven't been switched. I purchased a Suzuki Intruder and was riding all the way to reserve to check the mileage and when I ran out I couldn't start it even though I switched to reserve. Turns out that someone had the tank off to service the air cleaner and had reversed the two fuel lines so the fuel valve was running the bike on the reserve tank tube. so when I switched to the reserve position it was hooked to the taller brass tube in the tank and the gas level was already below it. The tanks just have two brass tubes, one taller than another so gas cannot be sucked below the taller tube when on main and then when switched to reserve it sucks from the shorter tube allowing the remaining gas to be used.

Motorcycle Reserve Fuel Switch Guide ' Best Beginner ...

www.bestbeginnermotorcycles.com/motorcycle-reserve-fuel-switch-guide

That way you don't have to keep opening your gas tank every time you go out to ... to that extra gallon or so of fuel in the bottom of the tank below the main line. ..... back into RES (which does not shut off the fuel to the reserve line because it is ...

Look at the valve on the bottom of the tank ... should say OFF - ON - RESERVE.

Apparently this is a common problem that I also have. Another website said that there is not a true reserve. This bike is designed to slow down the fuel pump when the reserve switch is on the "on" position and the fuel is low to give you the sense that you are running out of gas. My solution, reset the trip meter each time you get gas and make sure you fill up before reaching 100 miles.

Hi there and welcome to fixya,

The reserve notion is just an adjustment by the fuel **** switch. The normal fuel intake from the fuel tank will drain fuel 2 inches higher than the bottom level. The reserve part will take .5 inch or even lower. Switching the fuel **** to ON will take fuel from the former state (higher) while selecting RESERVE will drain fuel from the later (lower). Making it look like there's a reserve part on the fuel tank when in fact you just drain fuel from different fuel levels.

Hope this helps

There are two 'pipes' that stick up into the tank from the fuel valve. Your fuel valve has three positions ... Off (obvioius), On (connected to the longer pipe) and Reserve (connected to the shorter pipe) If you run on 'reserve', you wilol run out of gas.

The longer pipe sticks further up into the tank ... when the fuel drops to this level, you immediately know because the engine stops running. Flip to reserve and you switch to the shorter pipe which immediately takes suction.

Fill your motorcycle every 100 miles and you will always have fuel and never have to rely on the reserve.

Typically there are three positions to choose from. On means you are using the main tank. Reserve means reserve tank and off means no fuel available from either tank. the off setting is used when trailering your bike.

by fuel tap i take it you mean to select between the reserve tank, and to switch the fuel off... on from 'new shape' models (2006 onwards) there is no switch: it has a vaccum system which sucks any unused fuel back into the tank..

when the fuel light comes on the 'reserve tank' is in use, so go fill up with some juice!