How far will it go? How much does it hold?

[jack d]

I bought a 2014 a couple of weeks ago and took off on a 2000+ mile ride without a chance to get a feel for the bike. Part of my procedure on a new bike is to see how far it will go once the instruments indicate that the fuel is gone. Another part is then to see how much the tank will take from empty to full. I put a one gallon can of fuel in a pannier and ride till the bike quits, put in the gallon and go directly to a close station and see how much fuel the tank takes to fill up. The home stretch of my trip took me into the last mark on the fuel gauge and the indicator started counting how many miles I had traveled and how much farther I could go. The range remaining number went to zero at 52.9 miles and the bike quit at 68.4 miles. So at 45-55 mph I had a cushion of ~15 miles. I put in the gallon of gas and rode 1.5 miles to a station. It took 4.8 gallons to fill the tank to the plate in the filler tube and 5.2 to fill the tank completely. The total distance traveled on that tank of fuel was 290 at a mpg average of 52.4. This gives me a better feel for how to determine how far I can go under varying conditions. For the type of riding I do this is important to me. I hope this may be of some value to forum members although it may already be common knowledge.

 

[trikepilot]

I did similar before my TAT trip last summer. My 2012's low fuel light came on at around 230 miles. I then ran it 61 miles of varied riding conditions till the bike quit.

 

[RCinNC]

Aren't the fuel pumps on these bikes cooled by the fuel? Does it do any damage to the fuel pump to run it completely dry?

 

[Don in Lodi]

Aren't the fuel pumps on these bikes cooled by the fuel? Does it do any damage to the fuel pump to run it completely dry?

Just once won't hurt. Over and over again for months will cook it.

 

[MT5265]

I just picked up the 2012 Super Tenere that I purchased and rode the 1300 miles home. Not really knowing the range limit I tended to fill it back up whenever the last bar started blinking. Each time it took about 4.8 gallons. Traveling in North Dakota and Montana with the higher freeway speeds and fighting the headwinds I was only getting about 35 mpg.

 

[snakebitten]

35 is about all I usually get. Can I blame it on Texas speed and winds?

Seriously, I never get good mileage. I heavily suspect my fuel dumping behavior.

 

[MT5265]

35 is about all I usually get. Can I blame it on Texas speed and winds?

Seriously, I never get good mileage. I heavily suspect my fuel dumping behavior.

I thought it was supposed to be better. Driving across Michigan and Wisconsin I was seeing better than 40mpg. But it was slower roads.

 

[snakebitten]

Most report much better.

So, it's either me or my "setup" is rich.

 

[Don in Lodi]

Spend a whole lot of time at or over 75 and the mid 30's is all I get too. Always kinda figured it was California's crap gas because she gets so much better on Nevada gas.

 

[markbxr400]

35 is about all I usually get. Can I blame it on Texas speed and winds?

Seriously, I never get good mileage. I heavily suspect my fuel dumping behavior.

I have exactly the same mpg and experience. I wished they would put a throttle on these thing instead of an off and on switch! ::025::

 

[limey]

If it helps I'm getting 5.88 Liters/100 km

 

[Don in Lodi]

If it helps I'm getting 5.88 Liters/100 km

40.0mpg. ::008::

 

[Checkswrecks]

50-ish mpg plus when commuting, which is a fairly easy bunch of 35-65 mph roads.


Mid-30s when the boxes are on or towing the trailer and I'm pounding away at 75+ all day.

 

[Sierra1]

Yeah, the boxes make a huge difference. When the front of them is covered in bugs, ya' know they're hanging out in the wind. Without them, I rarely drop below 40m.p.g. I've noticed that city riding hurts the mileage more than high speed on a highway. If I keep below 65m.p.h., I get close to 50m.p.h. ::001::

 

[Ron Earp]

I'm consistently 49 to 51 mpg in highway driving at approximately 65 mph or so. Mileage is hand checked and that is with Bumot boxes. If I am riding twisties with a lot of throttle I don't drop below 44mpg. And in town commuting nets around 46mpg.

 

[Sierra1]

OK, so if the bike stops at 5ish gallons, where is the other gallon capacity? Yamaha's advertised 43mpg is accurate, so why is their advertised fuel capacity so far off?

 

[Checkswrecks]

Use a steel punch to put a hole at the top of the filler tube and you'll find it. They are typical in counting the expansion (air) space at the top of the tank.

 

[Don in Lodi]

OK, so if the bike stops at 5ish gallons, where is the other gallon capacity? Yamaha's advertised 43mpg is accurate, so why is their advertised fuel capacity so far off?

I've put 5.8 gallons in a couple times now and haven't run out yet. My math for range uses 40 miles to the gallon and 5.9 gallons capacity; so I know I can reach 236 miles with normal everyday riding. High winds, lower totals. Slower speeds, higher totals. One of those 5.8 gallon fill-ups was over 260 miles, only 44mpg. You guys getting 50+mpg are almost at 300 miles/5.9 gallons. Even 36mpg is 212 miles for 5.9 gallons.

 

[jimmy z]

Use a steel punch to put a hole at the top of the filler tube and you'll find it. They are typical in counting the expansion (air) space at the top of the tank.

Just don't do that and park your bike in the sun after filling,your extra gas will be on the ground.

 

[Don in Lodi]

Just don't do that and park your bike in the sun after filling,your extra gas will be on the ground.

::008::
Or it will run like crap till the fuel gets sucked out of the canister.
Use the restroom and drink your drink before topping off.