Sounds like the Seinfeld episode where Kramer convinces the used car salesman to see how far he can drive on reserve. That's a particular good one, if you like Seinfeld, FWIW.
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1.3 Gallon Gas Tank Reserve
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mcatrophy
Privileged to ride a 2018 FJR1300AS
On my '06, the bar gauge went to flashing with about 5.9 usable* litres left (somewhere between 5.8 and 6.0). That's about 1.56 US gallons.
I once did some fundamental measurements when thinking about improving its resolution when near empty. That failed when I found out the gauge sender bottomed out around 4.7 litres (1.24 US gallons).
* Measurements made using the bike's fuel pump to remove the fuel.
I once did some fundamental measurements when thinking about improving its resolution when near empty. That failed when I found out the gauge sender bottomed out around 4.7 litres (1.24 US gallons).
* Measurements made using the bike's fuel pump to remove the fuel.
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ionbeam
2 FUN
4 years after this thread was originally started kwoodham posits
The 6.6 gallon gas tank holds at least 6.6 gallons.
Of the 6.6 gallons, the fuel pump can pump out 6.6 gallons when the motorcycle is vertical.
If your FJR gets 40 mpg worst case that = 264 miles
No matter when the gas gauge starts to flash, your worst case distance before flame-out is 264 miles
Your gas gauge starts to flash, you immediately pull over and put gas in the tank, a fill to the bottom of the 'strainer' = 5.3 gallons
that means that 1.3 gallons remains in the tank, if you fill consistanly to the same mark, this volume will be the same
that means that you have 52 miles remaining @ 40 mpg
that means that you your full tank would yield a total of 264 miles, regardless of when the gauge starts to flash
When I ride with Cota95 I seem to get 48 mpg
When I go on a Fred led ride with pillion I get 44 mpg
When I ride with just pillion I get 40 mpg
When I ride by myself I get 34-36 mpg -- my gas gauge can start flashing as low as 170 elapsed miles
I'm aware of this mileage variation and take it into consideration. Here in New England it's hard to be more than 20 miles from a gas station. When riding out west I have seen times where there may not be a gas station for 100 miles. Adjust your gas strategy accordingly......
and reignites the gas tank/mileage conundrum.
The 6.6 gallon gas tank holds at least 6.6 gallons.
Of the 6.6 gallons, the fuel pump can pump out 6.6 gallons when the motorcycle is vertical.
If your FJR gets 40 mpg worst case that = 264 miles
No matter when the gas gauge starts to flash, your worst case distance before flame-out is 264 miles
Your gas gauge starts to flash, you immediately pull over and put gas in the tank, a fill to the bottom of the 'strainer' = 5.3 gallons
that means that 1.3 gallons remains in the tank, if you fill consistanly to the same mark, this volume will be the same
that means that you have 52 miles remaining @ 40 mpg
that means that you your full tank would yield a total of 264 miles, regardless of when the gauge starts to flash
When I ride with Cota95 I seem to get 48 mpg
When I go on a Fred led ride with pillion I get 44 mpg
When I ride with just pillion I get 40 mpg
When I ride by myself I get 34-36 mpg -- my gas gauge can start flashing as low as 170 elapsed miles
I'm aware of this mileage variation and take it into consideration. Here in New England it's hard to be more than 20 miles from a gas station. When riding out west I have seen times where there may not be a gas station for 100 miles. Adjust your gas strategy accordingly......
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Yep. If I fill my '07 when the flashing starts I consistently get 4.8 gallons in. I know 40 or 50 miles on "reserve" is easily doable. I did go to 70 once but a) I had spare fuel just to see, and 2) I didn't like it. That was along, long time ago.
hppants
Well-known member
I ran the Gen I out of gas twice, both times in Arkansas. Both times the bike took 6.6xx gallons on the side stand.
I know that then the Gen III '14 bike flashes, it will take 5.0xx gallons on the side stand. I haven't run this one dry yet, but I do know that when I'm 6.4xx gallons from full on the side stand, in a right turn aggressive lean, she will bog a little. I don't care to do that again.
Is the "range" on the Gen III display based on the "AVG Fuel MPG" or "Current Fuel MPG"?
I know that then the Gen III '14 bike flashes, it will take 5.0xx gallons on the side stand. I haven't run this one dry yet, but I do know that when I'm 6.4xx gallons from full on the side stand, in a right turn aggressive lean, she will bog a little. I don't care to do that again.
Is the "range" on the Gen III display based on the "AVG Fuel MPG" or "Current Fuel MPG"?
mcatrophy
Privileged to ride a 2018 FJR1300AS
As far as I can tell, current. It goes up and down like crazy, and goes to zero something like 10 or 20 miles into the blinking gauge and 'F' display. I ignore it.
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Yeah, unfortunately "range" in not distance to empty, it is actually distance to hit reserve.
Once the count-up starts you are pretty much on your own to know how far you will get on reserve.
Not the way I would have designed it, but... it is what it is.
Once the count-up starts you are pretty much on your own to know how far you will get on reserve.
Not the way I would have designed it, but... it is what it is.
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hppants
Well-known member
Agree, Fred. On reserve is when you REALLY need the range display. Even if it uses AVG fuel mileage, that would be better than doing math while riding.
On the Gen I, I always used 60 miles for the reserve to zero. Figured 1.5 gallons at 40 mpg will get me there.
On one trip, MikeP1300 and I were pushing the limit. I'm 20 miles into reserve and GPS says there is one gas station 40 miles from me. Next one is 20 miles past that. I hope the GPS don't lie, cause if it does, we are gonna be walking. Thankfully, the oasis was real and I think we both took like 6.5xx gallons.
I remember these things from my bike trips. Adventurous....
On the Gen I, I always used 60 miles for the reserve to zero. Figured 1.5 gallons at 40 mpg will get me there.
On one trip, MikeP1300 and I were pushing the limit. I'm 20 miles into reserve and GPS says there is one gas station 40 miles from me. Next one is 20 miles past that. I hope the GPS don't lie, cause if it does, we are gonna be walking. Thankfully, the oasis was real and I think we both took like 6.5xx gallons.
I remember these things from my bike trips. Adventurous....
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gixxerjasen
Well-known member
Just remember, the F is telling you that if you don't pay attention, you will be F'd.
HotRodZilla
GOD BLESS AMERICA
Jasen, that's funny.
The Avg MPG on my bike seems to be just that. If I hit the f somewhere away from a station, I'll look at that to see about how much range I should have. Like 'Pants said, 40mpg x 1.5gal is 60 miles. If I'm really pushing it, I'll even zero the Avg MPG to be sure my current average is accurate. The regular MPG screen is only looked at when I'm screwing off. Haha...
My Avg MPG has never shown zeros. If I zero it, it shows -- for the first mile or two and then gives a number. Don't know why anyone else's would be any different.
The Avg MPG on my bike seems to be just that. If I hit the f somewhere away from a station, I'll look at that to see about how much range I should have. Like 'Pants said, 40mpg x 1.5gal is 60 miles. If I'm really pushing it, I'll even zero the Avg MPG to be sure my current average is accurate. The regular MPG screen is only looked at when I'm screwing off. Haha...
My Avg MPG has never shown zeros. If I zero it, it shows -- for the first mile or two and then gives a number. Don't know why anyone else's would be any different.
MCRIDER007
Well-known member
My experience on my GEN3s is a little less straight forward, the reserve usually goes on when the range count goes down to 20 and at that point there is 1.5 gallons left in the tank.....so I usually add 40 to the range count to estimate my actual miles to empty.
RossKean
Well-known member
The Average MPG indicator updates exactly once per kilometer or 0.62 miles (yes, I have a USA bike registered in miles). Despite the instrument cluster, it really is a metric bike. I have somewhere around 1.5+ gallons left when I hit the count-up. I have gone as far as 70 miles. (I was a long way from a gas station and did 50 MPH so I could get there without running out)
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gixxerjasen
Well-known member
So...maybe something like 1.58503 gallons?
hppants
Well-known member
It's interesting to see that others pay as much attention to this as I do. This is particularly important to me when I'm touring. In unfamiliar territory, when I hit reserve (if not before), I go to the GPS and find a town in the 60-ish mile distance, and then find gasoline near that town. Then navigate to a station there.
Of course, it there is only ONE gas station in the neighborhood I'm shooting for, that simply won't due. Here is how I ran out of gas the first time in Arkansas. I just knew I could make it to that station, but unfortunately when I got there, the pumps were out of gas. The next town with a station was 8 miles away and I ran out well before that.
Another possibility of course could be that the station went out of business and nobody told Tom Tom this handy piece of information.
So when searching for fuel, I try to pick one that appears to be in the midst of several. If there is only 1 station at the "60 miles" mark, then I usually start back sliding toward wherever I am now so I don't have to walk.
BTW - at least on the Gen I, when out of gas, hold the bike absolutely upright, then move it left to right about 10 degrees several times to slosh around the last mouthful of fuel. Then get entirely geared up, and with the bike in first gear and the clutch pulled, attempt to start the bike. If it starts gingerly take off and try to go up the gears as judiciously as possible. When she farts dead, pull the clutch and coast to stop. I was able to do that 3 times. Try one got me to about 45 mph and a total distance of about a mile. Try 2 - 30 mph and another 1/4 mile. Try 3 - 20 mph and another 1/8 mile or so. Made the walk shorter!!
On a long mileage day, it's such a PITA to put all the gear on, ear plugs (ear buds), etc. that sometimes it helps to just keep going closer to empty.
I imagine Iron Butt riders pay much closer attention to this issue than me.
Of course, it there is only ONE gas station in the neighborhood I'm shooting for, that simply won't due. Here is how I ran out of gas the first time in Arkansas. I just knew I could make it to that station, but unfortunately when I got there, the pumps were out of gas. The next town with a station was 8 miles away and I ran out well before that.
Another possibility of course could be that the station went out of business and nobody told Tom Tom this handy piece of information.
So when searching for fuel, I try to pick one that appears to be in the midst of several. If there is only 1 station at the "60 miles" mark, then I usually start back sliding toward wherever I am now so I don't have to walk.
BTW - at least on the Gen I, when out of gas, hold the bike absolutely upright, then move it left to right about 10 degrees several times to slosh around the last mouthful of fuel. Then get entirely geared up, and with the bike in first gear and the clutch pulled, attempt to start the bike. If it starts gingerly take off and try to go up the gears as judiciously as possible. When she farts dead, pull the clutch and coast to stop. I was able to do that 3 times. Try one got me to about 45 mph and a total distance of about a mile. Try 2 - 30 mph and another 1/4 mile. Try 3 - 20 mph and another 1/8 mile or so. Made the walk shorter!!
On a long mileage day, it's such a PITA to put all the gear on, ear plugs (ear buds), etc. that sometimes it helps to just keep going closer to empty.
I imagine Iron Butt riders pay much closer attention to this issue than me.
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gixxerjasen
Well-known member
Speaking of running out of gas in Arkansas, or nearly so...I'd just gotten my DRZ400SM and had put about two tanks through it so I knew when the bike would cut out and I'd have to flip the switch to reserve, about 120 miles or so.. Let's just say that those two tanks were done when riding sanely, putting around town on flat roads. Imagine my surprise when the bike dies and needs switched to reserve after about 75 miles. Apparently flogging it up and down the hills uses more gas...who knew. No GPS, no local knowledge, just a piece of paper telling me my turns to stay on my route, and 0.6 gallons of gas in reserve. I was riding like the biggest pussy after that, through two towns with no gas to finally find me a pump. I'm pretty certain there was more sweat on my forehead from the stress than there was gas in the tank when I rolled in.
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I guess Yamaha's philosophy is that knowing how much fuel you have left is over-rated. My last bar drops off when I have about 3 gallons left. I don't really care, though. I get great mileage because I only ride downhill. I can always coast to a gas station.
I generally don't take anything off except my gloves to refuel. Sometimes if I want to be really quick about it I pull in tight to a pump on my left side and never even get off the seat, just put it on the sidestand, throw my tank bag up onto the handlebars and fill away.
You'd save a lot of time by doing splash and go's a little early, rather than running low on fuel and having to go off course to find gas, or, even worse, running out.
~~~
Here's my "finding the bottom of the tank" story on my old 1st Gen. It was during a group ride on Saturday of EOM in Cumberland Falls, Kentucky. 08FJR4ME was the ride leader and the group was going at a fairly spirited pace. (fuel consumption was in the mid 30's!) There was a stop near the beginning of the route and most folks took on fuel, but I had filled my bike the night before so thought I'd be fine. Mistake.
We meandered down into Tennessee on all manner of rural roads and goat paths and when I got down below 1/4 tank I did a "Where To", "Near My Current Route", "Fuel, all types" on the zumo, and was coming up pretty much empty. I thought, this must be wrong, we'll come across something sooner or later. I think I even made the universal "I need gas" hand signal to Dave.
After I was 20 miles into reserve and we came to a major cross roads (with no fuel) I split off towards a major town that I knew had to have some gas stations that was about 25 miles away. About 4 or 5 miles before I got to the town the bike started to sputter and cough of fuel starvation. I shook the bike back and forth (without stopping) and it was enough to pickup a fresh charge and get me another mile or so down the road under very light throttle. I had to shake the thing three times before we rolled into a station that looked like for all the world it was closed, and the engine sputtered and died just as I rolled up to a pump.
Luckily it wasn't really closed, they just had some of those dark window shades on the windows. Phew! I pumped in 6.6X gallons that day, and now I try my best not to repeat that feat.
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gixxerjasen
Well-known member
Yep, doesn't matter how much fuel is in the tank, if the group stops, then fill up. That way at least it's not you running the risk of ruining the ride, and if you are all on the same bikes, then you can all be out of gas together. Nothing like togetherness to bring a group...um...together.
ionbeam
2 FUN
Standard NERDS procedure, synchronized group gassing
roger dodger
Well-known member
When showing up for group rides, we (almost) always insist on HAVING a FULL TANK ... and the bike running right.
Still, when riding w/ a group of different bikes, (like running from a bear) you just have to stay ahead of the smallest tank in the group.
Still, when riding w/ a group of different bikes, (like running from a bear) you just have to stay ahead of the smallest tank in the group.
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