1975 GL1000 project, first Goldwing

[rcmatt007]

no.. tail up is reserve. tail down is on

[brewer013]

no.. tail up is reserve. tail down is on

Well that would explain how I drove through the reserve...

[CYBORG]

how you drew it is reserve. How the actual lever is positioned is off. If the lever was pointing down, it would be the normal, main tank on. With the lever in the pointed down position the fuel will flow from the main supply of the tank. When it runsout in that position, you can move the lever to the straight up position, and have a reserve of about a gallon.

[brewer013]

how you drew it is reserve. How the actual lever is positioned is off. If the lever was pointing down, it would be the normal, main tank on. With the lever in the pointed down position the fuel will flow from the main supply of the tank. When it runsout in that position, you can move the lever to the straight up position, and have a reserve of about a gallon.

So the lever is the "pointer"... that's why I'm confused and I'm sure I'm confusing everyone else. Because the lever points away from "OFF" so I assumed that to go to "ON" you have to point it away from "ON" which is lever up

[CYBORG]

how you drew it is reserve. How the actual lever is positioned is off. If the lever was pointing down, it would be the normal, main tank on. With the lever in the pointed down position the fuel will flow from the main supply of the tank. When it runsout in that position, you can move the lever to the straight up position, and have a reserve of about a gallon.

So the lever is the "pointer"... that's why I'm confused and I'm sure I'm confusing everyone else. Because the lever points away from "OFF" so I assumed that to go to "ON" you have to point it away from "ON" which is lever up

I think the confusion is which end of the pointer we are talking about. The handle, the part you hold on to to change the position, is the pointer for this conversation. In your picture, the pointer is pointing horizonally, tward the front of the bike. That is the OFF position. Pointer down is main tank ON. Pointer up, is reserve portion of the tank ON

[brewer013]

how you drew it is reserve. How the actual lever is positioned is off. If the lever was pointing down, it would be the normal, main tank on. With the lever in the pointed down position the fuel will flow from the main supply of the tank. When it runsout in that position, you can move the lever to the straight up position, and have a reserve of about a gallon.

So the lever is the "pointer"... that's why I'm confused and I'm sure I'm confusing everyone else. Because the lever points away from "OFF" so I assumed that to go to "ON" you have to point it away from "ON" which is lever up

I think the confusion is which end of the pointer we are talking about. The handle, the part you hold on to to change the position, is the pointer for this conversation. In your picture, the pointer is pointing horizonally, tward the front of the bike. That is the OFF position. Pointer down is main tank ON. Pointer up, is reserve portion of the tank ON

Yes I'm tracking you on what the pointer is for this conversation but can you see my point that it doesnt point to OFF when in the OFF position but then points to ON and RES when you want to select them?

[CYBORG]

I might suggest you look at the shop manual for pictures that show how it works.
or take my word that how I explained it, is the way it works. I have had my GL1000 over 30 years, and THATS how it works

[brewer013]

I might suggest you look at the shop manual for pictures that show how it works.
or take my word that how I explained it, is the way it works. I have had my GL1000 over 30 years, and THATS how it works

I gotcha. Not arguing or questioning you. I have the Clymer manual and it's of no help in this regard. Just trying to explain why the operation doesnt make sence to me and how it led me to the confusion

[CYBORG]

I just looked at the fuel valve on my 1000. I see why you might be confused. Forget what the lettering on the valve says. For one, it assumes the pointer is the opposite end of the lever, as we have explained it. Simplest way to look at it, and to use the lever while riding, is as we have explained it

[robin1731]

Make it easy. Full counter clockwise is on. Full clockwise is reserve.

[rcmatt007]

So look at the queen video for crazy little thing called love. The petcock is on reserve

[ericheath]

I think there’s an itty bitty arrow on the handle.

[brewer013]

Ok... I just got home and was able to take a look and confirm that I am an idiot. I envisioned in my mind that the OFF is stamped on the right/rear part of the petcock and it's not... it's on the front so of course everyone's explanations are correct and surely I can understand your frustration at my moronicy, especially CYBORG.

I believe I had confused myself with the extra petcock I have from a 79 which is opposite. I'm going to fill up again and verify the reserve since I've been running it backwards.

My apologies... moving forward. Haha.

[CYBORG]

no harm … no foul

[82_GL1100]

I think there’s an itty bitty arrow on the handle.

There are arrows on both sides of my 82's petcock control. Maybe they weren't on the earlier bikes.

For me, it's always been a question of remembering to switch back to primary when I re-fuel on reserve. On one long trip across the desert, I was thrilled with the range I was getting until I reached down to check. Sure enough, I was on reserve already. I slowed way down, because the next gas station was still a ways off. I made it to the off ramp, and the bike died at the top of the overpass. I coasted down into the gas station and filled the tank. I was very grateful. It was about 110F+, and would have been miserable pushing or hiking.