This is quite a common problem but it only happens to me once in awhile when I get a defective pump nozzle that doesn’t click off. I put the nozzle in to the stop, and pull up on the handle to angle the nozzle upward – it may be superstition, but I think that helps. I also fill at a low speed, I don’t squeeze the trigger all the way. I try to listen for the change in pitch or gurgle that comes just before the tank is full – but sometimes there is too much noise from other vehicles in the vicinity to hear that.

When the pump clicks off, that’s it – I don’t pack the tank. On the rare occasions that the pump does not trip off resulting in some spillage, I cuss some, wipe off the spilled gas with one of those coarse paper towels that they usually have near the pumps – and as soon as possible I wipe down the area with the Honda spray cleaner and polish (now marketed through Next Dimension) that I keep in the garage, buffing with a soft towel. That has prevented any permanent staining of the black plastic.

If this is happening to you 1/2 of the time, you need to work on your technique. It shouldn’t be a frequent problem. I think it happened to me 2 or 3 times this year (in about 12,000 km of riding).