Tested: Bikemaster Super Siphon Fuel-Siphoning Hose

When you want to get gas out of your tank—whether it's to transfer fuel into a friend's empty tank or to drain your own tank prior to removal—a length of hose is your best friend.

BikeMaster's "super siphon" makes transferring fuel a lot easier thanks to a nifty little check valve at the end of the hose. No suction—or subsequent mouth full of gasoline—necessary. To get the fluid flowing, shake the hose up and down. The one-way valve prevents backflow, moving gas up toward the hose's zenith with each movement. Leaning your bike over on its sidestand and placing the tip of the siphon in the lower corner of the tank will ensure you get as much gas out as possible.

BikeMaster offers its super siphon in a ½-inch and a 3⁄8-inch version. The larger model has a brass and glass-marble check valve, but the bulky tip doesn't fit past the fuel-pump guards that are becoming common in the filler necks of today's bikes. The 3⁄8-inch siphon has a low-profile plastic check valve that easily snakes into even the most tricky tank opening.

I’ve had the 3⁄8-inch siphon in my shop for a little more than six months now, and between rebuilding two vintage bikes and draining my racebikes after each race meet, it’s received a lot of use—transferring everything from stale, soupy pump gas to high-octane race gas. I think the latter fluid is the reason the hose has begun to stiffen slightly. It’s not enough to limit flexibility, but it’s noticeable. I suspect the hose still has a lot of life left in it, and if it does eventually harden I’ll be pulling the valve off the end and installing it on another length of hardware-store-bought vinyl hose.

Price: $11
Contact: bikemaster.com

Verdict: Simple, affordable, and effective. Points docked for not using a more chemical-resistant hose.