hey everyone.

So how does the reserve work on these bikes? Obviously I've figured out how to use the fuel valve properly (oops) so where is the reserve fuel? how is it filled? how much does it hold?

What RPM do you typically cruise at? shift? downshift?

Took the bike out for a spin (first time riding a motorcycle other than the several hundred feet of my own street) and I did all right, but I wanted to get some input from you guys. And another note, I really need to get used to leaning before I wind up in oncoming traffic or in a ditch. Luckiy I was riding late at night so I could take my time trying to figure things out. Stop lights suck when you're alone.

Thanks.
-Joe

 

So how does the reserve work on these bikes?If it is newer bike you are into your reserve when the fuel light comes on. Not sure exact distance for the 500 but it should be close to 20-30 miles.

If you have no riding skills I would recommend taking the MSF(motorcycle Safety Foundation) course, it will help you a lot. If not find yourself a big empty parking lot and go practice stating, stopping, turning and emergency stopping. Just remember to stay with in your comfort zone and only start increasing speed when you feel comfortable at the slower speed.

Ride safe and welcome to KF.

 

There is no reserve tank per se.
On the fuel petcock (the valve thingy on the side) there are what appears to be 2 tubes that go up inside the fuel tank.
One tube is much longer and has a fuel filter on the end of it. This is the input feed for the main setting.
The other opening has just a fuel filter stuck into it making the input sit much lower in the tank.
This is the reserve setting. The petcock is a switch that determines which input the gas comes in from the tank and down into the carbs.
When you are running on the main setting the fuel comes from the higher tube.
When the fuel level in the tank drops below this you run out of gas unless you switch the petcock to reserve.
Now the lower input feeds gas and you can continue on.I think the reserve setting is at approx 0.6 US gals. (not sure, I usually work in liters).
There is no warning light or low fuel light so you will have to judge by miles (or when you sputter out of gas on reserve.)
(Real fun at 70 mph to reach down and move the petcock to res!!)
This website has some pics to help explain.
http://www.stevemorley.com/ex500/fuelprob/
PQ

 

Thanks, eskimo, for the detailed response and link!

notstock, I appreciate the suggestion to take the MSF course. I've signed up for the end of june. I am REALLY looking forward to it... I've heard it is exhausting but I think I'll have a lot of fun in the process.


until then, any thoughts on the cruising/shifting/downshifting RPM?


Thanks evryone.!

-Joe

 

Hey Joey.
I typically cruise at 3500-5000 rpm, with occasional spurts beyond that whenever some Harley baditude poser demands a spanking (which seldom requires more than 8,000 rpm.) But I've found that the quantitative rpm you're at isn't as important as the smoothness of your shifting (both up and down.) I scarcely even look at the tachometer when riding, unless I'm not sure if I'm in 5th or 6th gear (because I know that 4000rpm @ 50mph = 6th gear.)

Other than that, you go more by feel than by any memorized rpm-table. If you need more squirt, give it a quick downshift. If the engine sounds a little buzzy, give it a quick upshift.

Smooth shifting is a very detailed, nuanced art that would take too many paragraphs to describe and would probably not make sense. Just practice riding as much as you can and pay attention for those times when you'll really nail a sweet shift. Then try to duplicate exactly what you did that caused that shift to be so smooth:
~the synchronization between rolling-off the throttle while pulling in the clutch, (without getting the VRUM! when the clutch comes in.)
~the unforced, unhurried snicking of the shift lever (without stomping it and making the STONK noise that means you're probably doing to have a bent shift fork before you wear this bike out.)
~rolling the throttle back on while fluidly releasing the clutch lever (matching the engine-speed with the wheel speed, with no sudden jerks either way, but an almost seamless continuation of thrust with only a minimum of interruption.)

Other things you can do to help get a feel for the smooth shift is keep your chain properly lubed and adjusted, pad your cush-drive rubbers with bicycle inner-tubes, and set your clutch-lever's play at the optimum setting for your style (I prefer to have the friction zone in the last few degrees of lever travel, because it seems to make the shifts smoother at the lever.) This takes time and practice, so be patient. Try to stay loose, relaxed and fluid even when your engine rpm is up there--(our natural tendency at high rpm is to get anxious and shift more quickly.)

One thing that helped me get smooth was riding with my girlfriend--I really wanted to show her how much fun motorcycling was (while preventing her from sliding forward on the seat every time I shifted, thereby slamming my nads into the tank of my uber-torquey Honda Superhawk.)

In addition to undamaged jewels, the other advantages to smooth shifting are longer tire, chain, cush-drive, drive-train and clutch-plate life.
Good luck and let us know how it goes.
Peace!
-CCinC

 

Thanks for the informative post, Chris! Based on what you said I think I'm doing well so far. I need to relax my left foot a little when I shift though.... I hit the shift lever pretty hard. I really kinda drop the clutch and gun the throttle on upshifts too. I'll try and smooth that out, and play with the setting on the clutch, too. I noticed there is a dial with 1-5 on it. What changes as you go from 1 to 5? I'll try and figure it out on my own, too... see if I come up with the same answer.

Thanks.
-Joe

 

The 1-5 dial is basically to set the clutch lever reach (the distance the untouched lever sticks out from the handlebar). I like to have it set out to 1, because it seems to make the transmission shifts feel a little smoother at the (foot) shift lever. They have 5 for people with small hands or who don't want to have the pull the lever that far.
I noticed that my ex-girlfriend used to set it to 5 and it seemed to shift slightly more notchy--that's just my general impression and not a hard/fast rule.
Good luck and ride safely!
-CCinC

 

chris,

can i get some more info on that 'padding the cush drive'.? can you tell a difference before and after mod.?

 

The Cush-drive is basically a circular rubber piece that goes between your sprocket assembly and rear wheel. When these begin to wear, you will be able to rotate the rear sprocket back and forth a little, even when the rear wheel is stationary. It's like having a loose chain, even when you've got it tensioned perfectly. This gap (to me) causes an annoying hesitation in the drive-train and neither my ZX9R nor my W650 did it.
But when I ordered and installed a new cush-drive, it still had more than one inch of play! So I cut up a bicycle inner-tube (which had already been punctured anyway) and slipped the pieces on every other rubber space on the cush drive. No more play and smoother shifts!
You can see the rubber portion I'm talking about by removing the rear wheel, then pulling the rear sprocket assembly from the wheel. (Sorry I can't find a photo of one in google images.)
-CCinC

 

I used silicone once to get the slop out of the final (cush) drive before. Not perfect, but I got thru my two days of running the track.

edit: I like the inner tube filler idea! Good thinking for a temp fix and prolly not near as messy of a clean up when the new cush comes in.