Fuel Tank Capacity

[Alan Doak]

I'm a little confused here. I recently returned to an FJR, Gen III. I rode the bike until I got a LO reading on the dash, and so I thought that it was on reserve and about to run out of fuel. When I filled up the tank took 19-20 litres so I still had 5 litres left. Does the display move from LO to something else? I was already around 380km so figured I had probably another 80 km fuel left. I'd really like clarification on this as I plan my IBA rides meticulously and need to understand how far I can push the limits. I ride very consistently, so don't get big variations in consumption from ride to ride. Looking forward to hearing from you fine folk.

 

[Ignacio]

The tank hold 25 liters or 6.6 gallons. We have found the FJR tanks to be fairly true over the years.

If you filled up with 19-20 liters to the brim and and it was completely full when you started, you likely had 5-6 liters of fuel left. Can the FJR use the very last deciliter? Probably not.

Also a factor are individual floats and also floats of different generations. There's variation when the low fuel light will come on.

If you're wanting to "push the limit"--then you'll need to setup an experiment yourself to purposely run out of fuel and see. However, remember that running a fuel pump dry is hard on them as they're cooled by the very liquid they are pumping, and may come at the expense of a shorter life.

* And I'm purposely avoiding fuel economy as that's the not your core question and inevitably will hijack this thread and litter it with, 'i get x mpg' or 'i get y km per tank' and drift away from the core OP.

 

[RossKean]

Yep, capacity is 25 litres. If the bike is upright and I am riding (not on side stand), the fuel gauge starts flashing with somewhere around 6 litres left in the tank (2011, Gen II). Mine seems to be pretty consistent under these conditions although it will indicate low earlier if the bike is on the side stand. I have put over 24.8 L into a tank before - bike was sputtering as I coasted into the station. You can get almost all of the gas the tank holds. before the engine quits. As far as fuel pump is concerned, failures are fairly rare on FJRs - I routinely run down to a couple of litres with no issues and have never had a problem. As long as you know how YOUR fuel gauge behaves (they all seem to be a bit different). If I'm not flogging the bike, I can get 100+ kilometers after the low fuel indication before I am likely to be walking, under most conditions.

 

[bonami00]

25 liters , 400km if driven like a scooter , 250 on S mode an ride like a bat out of hell

 

[rbentnail]

RTFM, it's all explained there. If you don't have one, a pdf can be downloaded for free here -> https://library.ymcapps.net/library/om/app/index.html?baseCode=6150&langId=02. Helpful to have on a phone, tablet, etc.

Both my '07 and my '13 are very consistent (and matching) with fuel remaining when the fuel gauge switches over. Both have a touch over 1.6 gallons left, so right at 6 liters.

 

[vzhq16]

6.6 gallons total with 1.1 gallons of that being the reserve.

 

[Camper333]

I have done multiple IBA rides on a 2015 FJR1300ES and I don’t punch it past 300 km high speed on highway or 350 km backroads
I am putting a 4.5 gallon auxiliary tank on for 2025 for the extra distance I will need to ride in the 2025 Ironbutt Rally

 

[RossKean]

I have done multiple IBA rides on a 2015 FJR1300ES and I don’t punch it past 300 km high speed on highway or 350 km backroads
I am putting a 4.5 gallon auxiliary tank on for 2025 for the extra distance I will need to ride in the 2025 Ironbutt Rally

Your backroads must differ from mine. I often see 450 km on a tank averaging 80 kph; sometimes more (although deeply into reserve).

 

[bonami00]

450km??????? sure you didn't miscalculated your miles in km???

 

[RossKean]

450km??????? sure you didn't miscalculated your miles in km???

450 km is only 280 miles. Not unusual, if riding at a reasonably leisurely pace. That is only 18 km per litre (5.5 L/100km).
Edit: I am in Canada and we generally use kilometers and litres (as I did in my post). Never mentioned miles at all.

I have managed a bit over 500 km on a tank, but under unusual circumstances - mostly under 80 km/hr, decent roads, virtually no stopping/braking, warm temperatures, no headwind, few elevation changes etc. A number of people have reported 50 mpg here with equates to 21.3 km/L or 532 km per tank if run to empty.

 

[rbentnail]

450 km is only 280 miles. Not unusual, if riding at a reasonably leisurely pace. That is only 18 km per litre (5.5 L/100km).
Edit: I am in Canada and we generally use kilometers and litres (as I did in my post). Never mentioned miles at all.

I have managed a bit over 500 km on a tank, but under unusual circumstances - mostly under 80 km/hr, decent roads, virtually no stopping/braking, warm temperatures, no headwind, few elevation changes etc. A number of people have reported 50 mpg here with equates to 21.3 km/L or 532 km per tank if run to empty.

280-290 miles per tank is the norm for me in the southeast USA straight-n-flat coastal plains. I rode 1 time in Delmarva nearly 2 hrs at 50-55 mph with few stops with a max elevation change start-to-finish of 13 ft. Got slightly over 51 mpg. Wasn't running on fumes but I knew I was nearing the end.

 

[tschutter]

280-290 miles per tank is the norm for me in the southeast USA straight-n-flat coastal plains. I rode 1 time in Delmarva nearly 2 hrs at 50-55 mph with few stops with a max elevation change start-to-finish of 13 ft. Got slightly over 51 mpg. Wasn't running on fumes but I knew I was nearing the end.

My norm is around 230, sometimes I push a tank to 250 (miles). Typically get 30mpg but seldomly run at 50-55mph. Even on a smaller highway (posted speeds 55mph) I'll run 64.

 

[SkooterG]

I've gotten over 300 miles per tank more times than I can count.

 

[bonami00]

i feel ashamed about my consumption. didn't you have speedlimi of 135km/h? 85 mph?

 

[Ignacio]

I've gotten over 300 miles per tank more times than I can count.

I'm sure, but it isn't it way more fun when the reserve light kicks on at 120?

 

[SkooterG]

I'm sure, but it isn't it way more fun when the reserve light kicks on at 120?

You may have a point......

 

[Alan Doak]

The tank hold 25 liters or 6.6 gallons. We have found the FJR tanks to be fairly true over the years.

If you filled up with 19-20 liters to the brim and and it was completely full when you started, you likely had 5-6 liters of fuel left. Can the FJR use the very last deciliter? Probably not.

Also a factor are individual floats and also floats of different generations. There's variation when the low fuel light will come on.

If you're wanting to "push the limit"--then you'll need to setup an experiment yourself to purposely run out of fuel and see. However, remember that running a fuel pump dry is hard on them as they're cooled by the very liquid they are pumping, and may come at the expense of a shorter life.

* And I'm purposely avoiding fuel economy as that's the not your core question and inevitably will hijack this thread and litter it with, 'i get x mpg' or 'i get y km per tank' and drift away from the core OP.

Thanks. I've decided for the purposes of planning distance rides that 340km is a happy distance.

 

[Ignacio]

Thanks. I've decided for the purposes of planning distance rides that 340km is a happy distance.

As a person that's done many IBA rides before, including some more extreme ones, I think choosing an arbitrary distance for tank range is folly.

I find it way more accurate to gauge the rate that you're using fuel, monitor the segments of the display as they drop off, and make a dynamic estimated range based on those variables. The one time I missed was was an unexpected long uphill grade the last 10 miles and mucked up my plans. (and maybe because Ken Meese was on my ass)

If I had done it off an arbitrary amount, I'd have been without fuel many more times. #332.

 

[tschutter]

i feel ashamed about my consumption. didn't you have speedlimi of 135km/h? 85 mph?

This is a shame free zone.

In my neck of the woods, we have a lot of 70mph zones, and if I get 'out of town' a bit, 75. But to get to 85 limit, I think I'd have to be in Montana or something.

 

[SkooterG]

As a person that's done many IBA rides before, including some more extreme ones, I think choosing an arbitrary distance for tank range is folly.

I find it way more accurate to gauge the rate that you're using fuel, monitor the segments of the display as they drop off, and make a dynamic estimated range base on those variables. The one time I missed was was an unexpected long uphill grade the last 10 miles and mucked up my plans. (and maybe because Ken Meese on my ass)

If I had done it off an arbitrary amount, I'd have been without fuel many more times. #332.

What the Fart Smeller above said. Additionally, you have a Gen III which has the average fuel consumption gauge. Reset on every tank fill-up and do the math. For example, if I am showing an average of 45mpg towards the end of the tank, I know I should get 6.6 X 45 = 297 miles to empty. Depending on fuel mileage, the Gen III and IV FJRs I have will get a minimum of 40 miles after hitting the virtual reserve - when the last fuel bar starts blinking, and up to 60-70 miles.

#327