G'day Gav,chicaboo wrote: Hey fella, aren't you worried about the fumes building up under the seat and coping a spark from the battery? I know there's a cute little plastic door there, but still... And does your underseat area smell like a Corroboree now?
I've thought about using one of my 5L jerry's for just in case situations, but I'd be worried about transferring the smell to my helmet or jacket later on.
Gav.
I was careful not to spill any fuel when filling the jerry, so with the lid on properly, there weren't any fumes coming from there. The funnel would have some residual fuel in it after filling, but I would give it a good shake and kept it in a separate plastic bag. I haven't noticed any smell from under the seat.
My advice would be to carry a jerry if you can spare the room. A benefit you may not have thought of is that you will then be even less tied to the petrol stations, only having to visit one every 450km or more.
Regarding tying one to the backseat etc, I try to keep things as out of site as possible, especially for this ride as I was trying to give the impression that others were carrying too much gear and it wasn't necessary. If you do tie one down, it might be wise to tie down an additional container (rectangular bucket etc) and sit the fuel can inside the bucket. I have heard of a few occasions where a rider has pulled over on empty to refuel from their jerry to find that it has fallen off somewhere back down the road.
Another thing you may all be interested in is tyre wear. I had a brand new set of Pirelli Diablo Scooters fitted (the only kind the shop had) not knowing how soft they were and how long they would last. As it turned out, they have lasted quite well. With 9000km on them now, the rear tyre has squared off considerably due to the lack of corners in this land of ours, but is still well and truly legal. The front looks fine and I would estimate has 40% tread remaining. They weren't any good on the dirt (as expected) but provided plenty of traction for the 14hp.
