Catching Fire

Ok, serious question about motorcycle fires... If you’re at the side of the road and have no fire extinguisher to hand, what is the best course of action?

Most of us would probably leave it parked on the stand, stand back and whatch our P&J destroyed. But surely that leaves the petrol tank sitting above the flames, pretty much making it a bomb ?

Is it best to open the cap to relive pressure and at least prevent it becoming a bomb?

Or perhaps lie the bike on its side, so the flames are no longer under the tank?

Perhaps open the cap when it’s on its side and let as much petrol poor away as possible and burn ‘harmlessly’?

Or something else ?
 
I would guess opening the cap would just shorten the fuse.... perhaps? All those volatile fumes... Same with on it's side, to expose the petrol so close to a naked flame. And who knows where it will run to...
 
Sit & weep at 50' if it's your Norton, or go tomorrow and purchase a small one at the hardware store and figure out how you're going to carry it.
 
If the fuel tank contains a mixture of fuel and air and is almost empty, it is a bomb. But that doesn't reach the explosive mixture until you open the cap and most of the fuel burns off. If you open the cap, you just end up with a much bigger fire until most of the fuel has gone, then you get the bang. Many years ago a friend of mine rebuilt his magneto at my home. I went to bed - then there was banging and crashing from the side of our house as he fell over push-bikes in a panic. He'd tried to start his bike by pushing it down our street. It went up in flames, so he removed the fuel cap to relieve the pressure. By the time I got out there, the flames were a metre high above the bike. I hit it with a bucket of water which knocked the flame out where the cap would normally be.
It takes a long time to burn a tank of petrol when the cap of the tank is open, but the more heat there is under it, the bigger the fire.
 
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If the tank contains a fair amount of fuel, it is usually pretty safe in a fire. You usually have sufficient time to put the fire out, if it is only fuel around the carbs which is burning - unless you have plastic oil lines. If the oil burns, it is very difficult to extinguish. It keeps setting fire to the petrol.
 
Methanol fuel probably has a higher flash point than petrol and it's calorific value is lower. The problem is that when it burns, you cannot see the flames. I don't like petrol - I was once in a laboratory fire with petroleum ether. The heat is horrendous.
 
After my great fire of 82 I was lucky my fuel tank wasn't bolted or strapped down and after the fuel lines melted I was able to pull the tank away, to this day my tank is still not bolted or strapped down, back fire and leaking fuel tap was the cause of the great fire while I was on it, I also no longer use VS and no air filters, lesson learned the hard way, bike was back on the road a week later as had to get the seat redone, had it rewired the next day after the fire, but the Boyar black box died a week after it was back on the road 100 miles from home.

Ashley
 
Please try some Varsol…. At least it won't flash off in your face. If I'm out of it then I too am guilty of using whatever is handy at times.
 
acotrel said:
If the fuel tank contains a mixture of fuel and air and is almost empty, it is a bomb. But that doesn't reach the explosive mixture until you open the cap and most of the fuel burns off. If you open the cap, you just end up with a much bigger fire until most of the fuel has gone, then you get the bang. Many years ago a friend of mine rebuilt his magneto at my home. I went to bed - then there was banging and crashing from the side of our house as he fell over push-bikes in a panic. He'd tried to start his bike by pushing it down our street. It went up in flames, so he removed the fuel cap to relieve the pressure. By the time I got out there, the flames were a metre high above the bike. I hit it with a bucket of water which knocked the flame out where the cap would normally be.
It takes a long time to burn a tank of petrol when the cap of the tank is open, but the more heat there is under it, the bigger the fire.
Click to expand...

I well remember first year Physics demonstration where a 'tin' of coal gas was allowed to burn merrily until it reached that critical ratio, then.... Kerboom!!! Doubt elf'n'safety would allow it these days.
 
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EstuaryBoy said:
I well remember first year Physics demonstration where a 'tin' of coal gas was allowed to burn merrily until it reached that critical ration, then.... Kerboom!!! Doubt elf'n'safety would allow it these days.
Click to expand...
Ha! Got that beat:
High school chemistry class, studying oxidation reactions. Prof had us all take a wad of paper towel, held by tongs, and dip in a beaker of something he had concocted. Then had us slowly meander downhall, downstairs and out onto parking lot. After a few minutes each kid was freaked out as the paper towel burst into a

Cannot fathom how we all survived it.
 
Must be a reason why all have to bring our own extinguisher on roadracing. And all marshal posts have one too. Friends who are marshalling at the IoM TT told me they had an extra briefing about how to handle crashed burning e-bikes. More dangerous than ordinary bikes. At the TT pit crew must have protective clothing and one man ready with an extinguisher.
 
Mike40M said:
Must be a reason why all have to bring our own extinguisher on roadracing. And all marshal posts have one too. Friends who are marshalling at the IoM TT told me they had an extra briefing about how to handle crashed burning e-bikes. More dangerous than ordinary bikes. At the TT pit crew must have protective clothing and one man ready with an extinguisher.
Click to expand...
The modern F1 cars have a kinetic energy recovery system with high power lithium charge holders....they had to mandate an emerg shut off switch to the outer top of the bodywork so marshalls can disconnect system before anyone touches the bodywork (carbon fiber is conductive) while still standing on the ground. Of course there is also the risk of a battery cell fire which produces massive heat/energy and very toxic chemical smoke. Tesla's are getting real issues with fires in crashes now.
 
During high school 3 of us went on a fall wknd river run with an aluminum boat powered by 9.9hp OB motor , took a spare 5 gallon tin can full of gas , we were very cold/wet first night and tried to get a fire going on shore , all the drift wood was wet , so my brilliant buddy takes the small cap off spare gas and starts soaking the fire just after other guy had dropped half a dozen lit matches in , well the fuel caught , buddy let’s go of can and it stands up beside fire with flames shooting out of cap hole ... the smart guy kicks can , and fire rains down over campsite , panic !!! .... meanwhile I search around for cap , find it and calmly replace it on spout turning down snug , fire out ! .... later the can kicker notices his expensive new sleeping bag has ‘bout 50 holes melted right through , he had spread the thing out to dry after long wet day on river .... the next night was even more fun as we managed to dump entire load including us into the river during a rough water section ... God we had fun that trip ! .... Guess just “shit house luck “ I snuffed fire so casually ?
 

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