Fuel Leak After Filling Up

[lwbrown]

Filled up my tank last night, to the brim, pretty much. Took off, parked it, woke up the next morning, took off, got to work, looked down and LO! there was fuel dripping out the left side of the bike. Didn't notice the night before, but wasn't looking for it. It stopped dripping after awhile, but it appeared to be coming from the plastic piece on the right side that exits the tank at the top of the fuel line. I have read some about this, and realize I will probably need to replace this with a metal fitting, and that there was even a recall.
After she left a little oily puddle of fuel under the kickstand, it stopped, but briefly started to drip again when I turned the ignition on, not started the bike. Left with no choice, I hopped on and hoped for the best. But the weird thing is that the leak stopped when I righted the bike off its kickstand with it started. I kept an eye on it all the way home and at stops, I didn't notice anymore leakage. I parked it a few miles from home, put her on the kickstand, and still no leak, but for the faint smell of fuel. Got back on and rode all the way home, parked it, and still no leak.
I'm wondering what's going on here, and if maybe I just overfilled the tank?
Any thoughts?

Thank you.

[lwbrown]

I also realize the fix might just be replacing that O-ring. You would think that if I overfilled the tank, the fuel would be coming out the overflow, but this appears to be exiting around the fitting, an egress that is illogical, i.e. eventually dripping off the... alternator, I think; either way, where no overflow would logically terminate.
Blah, take the damn tank off and check! I know...

[KitNYC]

Remove the seat and undo the Allen head bolt securing the right rear fairing to the frame. Pop the right fairing peg out of the tank. You should now have enough flexibility in the fairing to see the fuel pump plate and the fuel drain above it. Dry the fittings on the tank and the fuel drain tube and/or nipple. Turn on the ignition so the fuel pump starts up. Do you see gas leaking anywhere when the tank is pressurizing? Did anything you dried off get wet?

If there's gas on the plastic part of the fuel fitting, the fitting is cracked and needs replaced with metal. If the leak is where the male fuel hose plugs into the female tank fitting, the fitting still needs replaced with metal soon, but the current problem is just the o-ring. If none of that stuff is wet, drain tube becomes the primary suspect...

Cheers,
-Kit

[lwbrown]

Thank you!

[KitNYC]

No problem, let us know how it goes!

Cheers,
-Kit