[shamster]

I just picked up a used 2000 Ninja 500 which didn't have the owner's manual. Anyhow, I am completely new to bikes. I was wondering if anyone can explain the reserve tank to me. Basically, how to get the bike to revert to that and when?

Also, since there is no fuel guage, how do you know when you need to refuel?

Thanks in advance!

 

[Get_1]

damn no fuel gauge sux.. so you'll have to manuall check it.. & the reserve tank i believe has an on/off switch so when your assed on gas

 

[F&D]

First off, you can order a replacement owner's manual from Kawasaki, HERE

Doesn't the Ninja 500 have a low fuel light? Either way, just use your trip odometer to keep track of miles traveled since last fill-up. The bike has a 4.8 gallon tank - I'd guess the reserve is about gallon.

So figure you have 3.8 gallons you can use before needing to switch to reserve. You ought to get around 55mpg with that bike (my wife averaged around 60 with her Vulcan 500, which has the same motor). So by around 200 miles, you should be looking for a gas station and/or switching to reserve.

The reserve is a little lever that you turn down under the gastank on the left side of the bike.

 

[shamster]

Thanks guys! Another question...when filling up the tank, does the reserve get filled automatically too? For example, if 1 gallon of the 4.8 gallon tank is for reserve, when I fill up a complely empty tank, does the first gallon automatically go to the reserve, or would I have to flip a switch or something to fill the reserve separately?

 

[F&D]

There's actually only one tank - "reserve" is not a seperate tank. Works like this: the tank has two pickup tubes in it - one is higher up than the other one. When you have the fuel tap lever on "run", it's drawing from the upper pickup. When you get down around one gallon left, it starts sucking air from that tube and the motor will sputter and die. When you switch the fuel lever to "reserve", all you are doing is changing to the lower pickup so it will suck the remaining gallon of gas out of the tank.

 

[bassboy]

You could check out the post for gas mileage. On my 500R i get about 275 KMs then i have to switch to Res. The tank is a total of 12 liters, reserve takes up 2.2 liters of the 12. what those numbers are in miles and gallons are i have no idea, but simple math can take care of that for you. All the best to you and your 500R.

 

[lightrum151]

that should do it...sorry no low fuel light on 87's

yep.. that why i really like fuel meters...
as said when tha bikes dies out or putters ... it easy to do just take your left hand while riding and turn tha knob .. partice it while riding so when it happens you can do it no biggie.. i have did it @ 100 mph .. i wouldnt change it to reserve till it putters or you might forget to refuel it and then your SOL and WTF i'm out of gas aint gona get it started. and dont want to push it .. tha half swist from holding tha grips while pushin will break your back in half in one city block .... :beer

 

[fireblaz]

just check the gas level before you go out and keep track of the miles the 05 r6 dont
have a gas gauge ether so i had to get use to fueling before each long ride

05r6
94 katana