Maintenance & Technical > KX500 Original

Shut off your fuel when not in use? Is it necessary?

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mrhoney:
The previous owner of my KX500 never shut the fuel switch off- ever.  It has a large IMS desert tank on it and I've followed suite - mainly becuase the switch is not used to being moved any longer and I don't want to take a chance on overpowering it in turning it and off.

Anyone else keep theirs on all of the time?  Is there a down side to this?  I figure as long as the float valve is working and the fuel is stablized, there shouldn't be a problem - but it's caused me to wonder for my other machines - maybe there is no real reason to turning it off.

Any input?

I did a search of the forums and didn't get any hits on this topic.

kaw rider:
you will know how good you seat and floats are.

jfabmotorsports.com:
I shut mine off all the time. I like to run my bike with the fuel shut off until it leans out before I haul it anywhere. My dad owned an 8N ford tractor and if you didn't shut the fuel off on it after useing it you would end up with all of the fuel in the oil pan. I learned to shut the fuel off on things that have the ability. Besides, they didn't put the shut off valve on them just to make your life easyer when changing the fuel line!

toomany:
On my dirt bikes (Kx500, Kx125) I'll shut the fuel off when tailering, storing, removing the tank or I'm done riding for the day. When I stop to take a break, I'll leave it on (one of the guys I ride with shuts his off everytime we stop...seems to always forget to turn it back on). I'll also shut it off if I need to lay the bike over and can't remove the tank. I'll also shut it off and run most of the gas out of it. If it's going to be more than a few days beforre I will run them again...I'll drain the float bowl.

On my snowmobiles (700XcSp, 600XcSp), the fuel gets shut off for storage only. Even then I shut if off...run the carbs dry and drain the tank. Other than that it's always on.

My street bike (Cbr1000) always gets left on, unless I'm putting it up for the winter. Then again it's shut off, run dry and drain the tank.

The sleds and bike have a vacuum fuel pump, so fuel shouldn't flow to the carb without the motor running/turning over. The dirt bikes rely on gravity to fill the carb. If the float is sticking or out of adjustment it'll keep running.

kaw rider:
toomany
If your carbs are lower then your gas level in tank you will have fuel in motor if you have bad seat & needle.

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