You must have done it in the dark with one arm tied behind your back.  Tank removal is quick & easy and requires no big plastics to come off.  Filter replacement should be a regular service item like brake fluid flush&bleed.

Nope, if you read my comment carefully you will see that what I said was
"I don't think I have ever worked on a bike that the fuel tank was such a PITA to take off"
with the emphasis very much on the I, not anyone else, just I.
If you have worked on bikes with more difficult fuel tanks, then please let me know what they are so I can avoid buying one.

Not one of the bikes I have worked on in well over 43 years of mechanic-ing required the emptying of the tank before removal, required the removal of a tank mounted glove-box or required the flexibility of a gymnast to release that stupid fuel hose clip, which once released proceeded to leak fuel everywhere. Just that there is a ****-poor piece of design. No solenoid to shut off fuel flow when the pump is powered off? 
To be fair it wasn't gushing out but I ended up having to push some hose onto it and then clamp the hose off and there was maximum 2 litres left in the tank.
My garage now stinks of petrol but the job is done.

I'd forgotten about Asif's write-up. I just used the first one that my Google search came up with and it gave me more than enough info. 

Gee Boomer, you must be just unlucky.  Fuel only needs to be removed to make the tank lighter to lift, if need be.  Removing the fuel hose from the pump is best done with the front of the (near empty) tank raised close to vertical and propped there (or held by and assistant).  This gives easy access to the retaining clip.  When the fuel line is removed only a very small amount of fuel escapes, to be soaked up in a rag.  If fuel continues to escape from the pump it's a wonder it the bike ran, as it had an internal leak if I've understood your description correctly.  No fuel cut-off solenoid is needed because fuel will not pass thru the pump by force of gravity unless an O ring within the assembly is leaking.
Anyhow, enjoy the ride and you be better at it next time.   

I think the level of difficulty depends on what it is compared with (what other bikes) and how many times a person has removed the tank from a C-14.

Compared to naked bikes with carburetors, it IS quite a bit more difficult. And it can be tricky, at least it was for me, to remove the fuel line 'cause that little 'C' clip is almost impossible to do by feel alone, at least the first time (Easy Boys! and yeah, I know there are a number of jokes in there....).

That said, it is not too bad, especially if you have a bit of help. The side plastic does not have to be entirely removed but it does have to be removed around the top and 'spread' out (Boys!) so that the tank can slide through the opening. Then it is just a matter of disconnecting two wiring harnesses and the one fuel line, all of which are easy.... the second time a person does it. 

As already said, the tank should not leak any fuel beyond what was in the fuel line and that will not amount to even 1/2 cup. And the tank does not need to be emptied unless it is to lower the weight.

One other thing to be careful of: if the tank is pretty full of fuel, it cannot be just put down on the floor because it will bend the aluminum fuel line that is on the bottom of the tank (actually the fuel pump but that is what will touch the floor first). Doing so will bend the fuel tube and because it is aluminum, it will kink and require replacing it, and it is part of the fuel ass'y. Ask me how I know..... :-(

Brian

Nope, if you read my comment carefully you will see that what I said was
"I don't think I have ever worked on a bike that the fuel tank was such a PITA to take off"
with the emphasis very much on the I, not anyone else, just I.
If you have worked on bikes with more difficult fuel tanks, then please let me know what they are so I can avoid buying one.

Not one of the bikes I have worked on in well over 43 years of mechanic-ing required the emptying of the tank before removal, required the removal of a tank mounted glove-box or required the flexibility of a gymnast to release that stupid fuel hose clip, which once released proceeded to leak fuel everywhere. Just that there is a ****-poor piece of design. No solenoid to shut off fuel flow when the pump is powered off? 
To be fair it wasn't gushing out but I ended up having to push some hose onto it and then clamp the hose off and there was maximum 2 litres left in the tank.
My garage now stinks of petrol but the job is done.

I'd forgotten about Asif's write-up. I just used the first one that my Google search came up with and it gave me more than enough info. 

I've pulled the tank, and removed the pump 3 times so far, and never had more than a tablespoon of fuel leak out from that hose connector... onto a rag..
the last time I pulled it, was to replace the filter element, and was no big deal, the other 2 times was to simply dump the old fuel that sat all winter, again, no big deal, I spilled a bunch while dumping it tho.. but every time I did a dump, it was outside..

I bought a siphon hose on the last go round, thinking I could just use that to empty the tank.. but that was a bust... trying to siphon with the size hose I had was a no go issue, couldn't get it into the tank deep enough to matter.. meh...

Whilst the tank was off I painted the minor rust spots on the underside of the tank with rust killer and then left it overnight.
It wasn't resting on the fuel pump tube and the tank only had about 2 litres in it.
When I came back to refit it the next day about 2 cupfuls of fuel had leaked out onto the bench but it wasn't leaking right then.
I've refitted it to the bike and it runs fine and isn't leaking so I'll worry about that next time I have the tank off.

Yes, since this is the first bike I've worked on with Fuel Injection (I never worked on my Z1300) I expected it to be a bit more difficult than my C10 and most of it was OK, but that fuel hose clip was a PITA until I managed to find the right angle to fit my huge paws in there with needle-nose pliers to release it.
Dunno why they didn't use a standard quick-connect fuel fitting that just requires a push of the recessed button to release it.

Something wrong with either the fuel pump or something not sealed quite right on the bottom of the fuel tank (fuel pump or fuel level sender) because the tank should not leak at all when sitting even if it is full of fuel. The system needs fuel pump pressure to drive fuel out of it and should not flow any fuel under gravity.

Yeah, that clip is tricky the first time or two. Reminds me of the headlight retainer- seems impossible until your hand 'learns' how to uncouple it and then either one can be uncoupled, without tools, in seconds. But both are tough the first time because you cannot have your paws in there and look at the same time, and looking at the fuel coupling is not really helpful, at least it was not for me. It really is a great fuel connector though and is just a tube pressed inside another tube with an O-ring, the clip does nothing but hold it in place.

Brian

Whilst the tank was off I painted the minor rust spots on the underside of the tank with rust killer and then left it overnight.
It wasn't resting on the fuel pump tube and the tank only had about 2 litres in it.
When I came back to refit it the next day about 2 cupfuls of fuel had leaked out onto the bench but it wasn't leaking right then.
I've refitted it to the bike and it runs fine and isn't leaking so I'll worry about that next time I have the tank off.

Yes, since this is the first bike I've worked on with Fuel Injection (I never worked on my Z1300) I expected it to be a bit more difficult than my C10 and most of it was OK, but that fuel hose clip was a PITA until I managed to find the right angle to fit my huge paws in there with needle-nose pliers to release it.
Dunno why they didn't use a standard quick-connect fuel fitting that just requires a push of the recessed button to release it.

Just to repeat:

Removing the fuel hose from the pump is best done with the front of the (near empty) tank raised close to vertical and propped there (or held by and assistant).  This gives easy unlimited access to the retaining clip. 

 

Something wrong with either the fuel pump or something not sealed quite right on the bottom of the fuel tank (fuel pump or fuel level sender) because the tank should not leak at all when sitting even if it is full of fuel. The system needs fuel pump pressure to drive fuel out of it and should not flow any fuel under gravity.

Yeah, that clip is tricky the first time or two. Reminds me of the headlight retainer- seems impossible until your hand 'learns' how to uncouple it and then either one can be uncoupled, without tools, in seconds. But both are tough the first time because you cannot have your paws in there and look at the same time, and looking at the fuel coupling is not really helpful, at least it was not for me. It really is a great fuel connector though and is just a tube pressed inside another tube with an O-ring, the clip does nothing but hold it in place.

Brian

       

A hidden secondary filter is identified & discussed below:

https://forum.concours.org/index.php?threads/09-c14-wont-climb-over-5k-when-under-load.52953/#post-635354

Thanks to some keen observations by Roba and BundyBear of the Australian GTR forum it's now possible to put a part number to that hidden secondary high pressure filter as shown in the pic below.



Yes it's Suzuki part number 15610-14J00  item 7 comes with regulator & O ring.  2010 DL650.

https://bluecitymotorcycles.com.au/oem/suzuki/search-part?brand=suzuki&year=2015&model=3618&section=205353

Link just above no werky.  Item 12 in Busa fuel pump.

https://bluecitymotorcycles.com.au/suzuki-parts?year=2015&model=2394&section=134299

........or get a complete pump - cheap at twice the price!

https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/165269044829?hash=item267acd7e5d:g:VpkAAOSwpLhh1o3q&amdata=enc%3AAQAHAAABIGadhcBfEwyhDdHsSYjM0wUt7UO3OOB0cLOSGNUsB%2FD1ofeoLoWyJr0ojnhFZUM2UAWyDUTydP5doYXU0Bffw2r85RsaEk7fM%2BX2P9SnLFQscmF0DPmRjOjw2U%2FUTgdQJpHChd%2Bqiy8muYRnJIiaTlBGDoynRZtnYIU8DBig%2F5%2FkY8wH2IWtYlQZoqW1kNUlyADvHx9%2BizI75iP%2FguMSmr85qUZoAlwe7s0GaCn0F%2B4UOqTofJLvD150sHtjxVI9Y0m%2FG27h9xUc%2Fm9bTBL0ycnSVLypcCYyBczLzfya%2FDIp9R6SDflii0OHzOR%2BDI%2BcV4OyT5c627p%2FKkQU5LHNHmySWesQrocxB0iQPNgXSMJoNb7ZhekI%2F%2FlxVXI0vtvCNg%3D%3D%7Ctkp%3ABFBMxrWr-sNh

Just swap the base plate and do away with the gauge float.

Update: I got one of these pumps a few days ago - it's junk, don't get it.  It has no hi pressure filter in the top housing and no check valve to prevent fuel flow when off.

Pump fitted with new Suzuki hi pressure filter as detailed above - thanks to Old Neil in Western Australia for spending the $167 to get it.

Freddy, thank you for this...