Is anyone regularly hitting or breaking 200 miles or more per tank?

[Twisties]

Just as reminder, for some of our newer members, and based on some comments I see here...

You have 5.6 - 5.7 gallons of usable capacity in your tank. Not 6.08.

The fuel gauge does not respond linearly. As well, it has five divisions. The divisions stay lit until exhausted. As a result it is very easy to look at your gauge and see what looks like half a tank (3/5), but actually be just about to the 2/5 mark. On my bike the 2/5 division (the one above the flashing warning) is the smallest, often only 35 miles or so (3/4 gallon). The warning section, bottom 1/5, is about 1.4 gallons for me. Consequently I can see a half tank indication and in fact have less than 2.15 gallons remaining to dry. Just something to be aware of if you are averse to running out of fuel.

As for fuel economy, I guess I tend to get around 45 mpg. More if I go slow, 55-60 mph, about 52 mpg. Less if I go fast, 80-85 mph, 38-40 mpg. Obviously a lot of other factors, but speed seems to be the biggest one. I am pretty confident of a 200 mile tank in worst cases, and could probably hit 300 miles under ideal conditions if I was poking along.

 

[JRTEN]

Sorry, I only read the first 3 pages of this 6 page thread- everyone seems to be concerned that their reserve light comes on and then says they only put in 4 gallons of gas. It is very obvious that the mechanism sensing how much gas left in the tank varies between bikes- if you are getting anythig over 40 mph and the tank is 6 gallons- and your light comes on at 170 miles (like mine!) you just ignore it and keep on riding for another 60 miles ::001::

 

[GrahamD]

Just get to know YOUR bike and you are sweet. They don't seem to change much from new.

 

[Mikef5000]

Just as reminder, for some of our newer members, and based on some comments I see here...

You have 5.6 - 5.7 gallons of usable capacity in your tank. Not 6.08.

The fuel gauge does not respond linearly. As well, it has five divisions. The divisions stay lit until exhausted. As a result it is very easy to look at your gauge and see what looks like half a tank (3/5), but actually be just about to the 2/5 mark. On my bike the 2/5 division (the one above the flashing warning) is the smallest, often only 35 miles or so (3/4 gallon). The warning section, bottom 1/5, is about 1.4 gallons for me. Consequently I can see a half tank indication and in fact have less than 2.15 gallons remaining to dry. Just something to be aware of if you are averse to running out of fuel.

Since this was more or less directed at me...

I've also realized that it's not linear, my first (full) block is the largest, I often get between 70 and 90 miles out of it. The next block is only around 40-50 miles. The third is another larger one, often 50-60 miles. The forth is, like you said, a smaller/smallest one; 35-45 miles. And I've never tapped out the empty block, but I've put 30 miles on it and still only filled up 5.1 gallons.

Is the shortage of fuel (5.6 gallons versus 6.1) due to the pump inlet location above the bottom, or the filler nozzle thing below the top? That's a bit disheartening to hear that large of a discrepancy. Not that it really matters, but I like the thought of a 300 mile range (in perfect conditions etc.)

And despite the fact that I absolutely agree with your definition of 2/5's versus 3/5's tank of gas, especially concerning the non-linear nature of the blocks... It's way freaking easier to call this:

half tank. And therefor, I will forever refer to the third block on the gauge as 'half a tank'.
::008::

 

[Twisties]

Since this was more or less directed at me...

I've also realized that it's not linear, my first (full) block is the largest, I often get between 70 and 90 miles out of it. The next block is only around 40-50 miles. The third is another larger one, often 50-60 miles. The forth is, like you said, a smaller/smallest one; 35-45 miles. And I've never tapped out the empty block, but I've put 30 miles on it and still only filled up 5.1 gallons.

Is the shortage of fuel (5.6 gallons versus 6.1) due to the pump inlet location above the bottom, or the filler nozzle thing below the top? That's a bit disheartening to hear that large of a discrepancy. Not that it really matters, but I like the thought of a 300 mile range (in perfect conditions etc.)

And despite the fact that I absolutely agree with your definition of 2/5's versus 3/5's tank of gas, especially concerning the non-linear nature of the blocks... It's way freaking easier to call this:

half tank. And therefor, I will forever refer to the third block on the gauge as 'half a tank'.
::008::

Just trying to save folk an unwanted surprise. ::008::

I don't know why the tank is smaller than advertised. It's not a deal killer for me. As Graham put it, I just needed to know how much I really had and how my bike behaved and I was good. I think three people ran their's dry last fall with similar results on usable capacity, so I am pretty confident that the usable capacity in the North American bikes is in the range I stated. I haven't seen any conflicting reports on unmodified bikes. All of us were filling to the bottom of the insert for comparability. You might get a bit more in there with some jiggling and such. I personally would only do so if were going to ride immediately after fueling. The fuel might warm, expand, and overflow otherwise.

 

[MurphCO]

The first time the low fuel indication came on I was sweating it, in the middle of nowhere with gas 30 ish miles away....made it no problem obviously, then researched it here and relaxed a bit.


Took my first decent ride this last week, about a 1000 miles, and just set myself to +/- 200 miles for gas. I was flying by the seat of my pants on route, so if I was close to 200 and near gas I just filled up.


The gauge is as stated for sure, it shows full then a second later indicates about half a tank....funny....thus the just go with about 200 between fill ups if you are out and away from immediate gas opportunities

 

[Curt]

The other day I did ride in the mountains that lasted well into the flashing E. At 215 miles, the bike would not run on its side stand any more. It would only start when held vertical. At that point, I made a beeline to the nearest fuel station where it took 5.4 US gal.

 

[coastie]

I consistently go 205-210 miles before the gas light comes on. If I'm on back roads or getting on it around down then it will come on around 190.

 

[TWOTIME]

169 to 180 on a tank at 70 - 80 mph sometimes 110 mph with bags

 

[RCDantzscher]

Pushing the limits...filled up @ 247 miles today...she was thirsty and consumed 5.5 at the pump...which means I had another 1/2 gal to use, betcha I could hit 300 with wind at my back!

 

[OX-34]

.........I've also realized that it's not linear..................

Here's a pic from the handbook:

Here's a way to get a bit more in:

By punching (not drilling) a hole ( I punched 3) into the filler neck you can access the top "bubble" that otherwise can't be filled. Sure, fill it right up and park in the sun and the overflow will do its thing, but fill right up and ride off and you'll be fine and get farther.

 

[Twisties]

Pushing the limits...filled up @ 247 miles today...she was thirsty and consumed 5.5 at the pump...which means I had another 1/2 gal to use, betcha I could hit 300 with wind at my back!

Another 0.1 -0.2 gallons, more like.

 

[ErnsTT]

Well here are the results from Pays Bas:

During normal stop and go Autobahn traffic teh consumption can grow to 1 litre per 17 kms, but during long hauls the consumption can drop to thet better side of 1:20...
Resulting in an absolute max travel of 456 km (288 miles)

 

[Mellow]

Here's a pic from the handbook:

Here's a way to get a bit more in:

By punching (not drilling) a hole ( I punched 3) into the filler neck you can access the top "bubble" that otherwise can't be filled. Sure, fill it right up and park in the sun and the overflow will do its thing, but fill right up and ride off and you'll be fine and get farther.

I punched about 4 or 5 holes in mine and that little bit allows me to go anywhere from 10-20 miles further 'til the flashing starts. Which puts me right at 200 if not a little past it. So much easier to fill up.

 

[Monty]

When people are quoting their cruising speed, is this using the rather optimistic Yamaha readout or a GPS? That makes quite a difference to the actual speed being done.

At a GPS indicated 80mph (Yamaha 90 or so) on the Autobahn, loaded with passenger and Holan boxes, I was doing an indicated 52mpg with the wind and about 47mpg against the wind.... And it was constant 30mph wind too. Not had time to check how equally optimistic the Yamaha mpg readout is, but I am generally getting 200 miles between fill ups.

Overall seems similar to the 1200GS I had before.

Matt

 

[Curt]

By punching (not drilling) a hole ( I punched 3) into the filler neck you can access the top "bubble" that otherwise can't be filled. Sure, fill it right up and park in the sun and the overflow will do its thing, but fill right up and ride off and you'll be fine and get farther.

I wonder if the same thing could be accomplished without any permanent modification to the bike. Perhaps a U-shaped piece of hollow aluminum tubing positioned as shown below in orange?

 

[ErnsTT]

At a GPS indicated 80mph (Yamaha 90 or so) on the Autobahn,, I was doing an indicated 52mpg with the wind and about 47mpg against the wind. Not had time to check how equally optimistic the Yamaha mpg readout is, but I am generally getting 200 miles between fill ups.

The MPG is actually quite accurate with new tires, but running TKC'let it wander quite a bit from full knobbies to worn downs, thats the problem with the speedo taken of from the backwheel.
The backwheel makes a lot more revolutions under duress, thats what makes the tire wear, it actually gummes its rubber away on the street, very noticable with Casey stoners way of riding, he draws skidmarks, the wheel actually spinng 20 to30% faster than his forward movement.

Its horribly inaccurate for the traveled distance, but the actual speed always beying *lower* than travelled has to major benificial factors, you wont get a ticket that often, because traveling 100 miles on the clock will be a safe 90 in realitty
And the more important factor, it will actually tell you way more accurate how much of the fuel is gone, thats why i made a bicycle odometer at the backwheel of my XT500, to prevent me from running dry riding Off-Road, where the backwheel in soft sand or wet mud travels 50% or more above actual travelled distance, running the tank empty in 90 kms instead of the normal 150...

Just put a bicycle speedo on the frontwheel and be amazed how the two meters will vary according to the thrashing you give the bike, at topspeed my GS had a difference frontwheel to backwheel of 22% (TKC's do have a bit more slip at that speeds, but normal tyres will grind down at about 12 to 16% according to other testers...

Just measure the circumference of a new tyre and a worn tyre and you'll have the speede "runnoff-compensation" to do a bit of arithmatics during long hauls.

Because it has positive facts in the ticket and running dry department, but quite negative on the "how far on the map do we still have to do" department


P.S. punching the tank neck will actually have a detrimental effect on your healt a bit, the neck is made to try to prevent the biggest part of the benzene (the now used knockprotector) escaping the tank through the fillerneck, forcing it through the venting system (some bikes even have a carbon filter in that vent) to the underside of the bike.
And if you fill the punch modified tank to far up, you will just leak the surplus on the road, making the exit of the gasstation and teh following corners and roundabout quite hazardous for other motorcyclists...

 

[Rasher]

Not had time to check how equally optimistic the Yamaha mpg readout is, but I am generally getting 200 miles between fill ups.

Overall seems similar to the 1200GS I had before.

The average MPG on my bike seems to be about 5-7% out, it too indicates the same sort of MPG's as the BMW (which I think was similarly innacurate)

I reckon the GS was better at slower speeds, but worse at higher speeds, the average seems to work out about the same, so I seem to get an extra 30 miles before the light comes on, both bikes claim a 4L reserve, but I can't get 18L in if I fill up as soon as the light comes on so I suspect it comes on nearer 5L from empty.

 

[Curt]

The MPG is actually quite accurate with new tires, but running TKC'let it wander quite a bit from full knobbies to worn downs, thats the problem with the speedo taken of from the backwheel.

Interesting stuff. The radius of my new K76's is about 320mm and the tread depth is about 9mm. When the tread wears down to the legal limit of 1mm, the 2010mm circumference of the tire will have decreased to 1960mm (2.5%). If the odometer is accurate now, later on it will read 100 miles after traveling 97.5 miles. Appreciable, but not really a tremendous factor in gas milage measurement.

 

[Rasher]

Just put a bicycle speedo on the frontwheel and be amazed how the two meters will vary according to the thrashing you give the bike, at topspeed my GS had a difference frontwheel to backwheel of 22% (TKC's do have a bit more slip at that speeds, but normal tyres will grind down at about 12 to 16% according to other testers...

On the "Twist of the wrist 2" DVD they have datalogging showing wheelspeeds of a bike accelerating down a straight, it is amazing the amount of "Wheel Slip" that can occur on dry tarmac.

But if the speed and mileage are being taken from the back wheel they should still be accurate, just you would have travelled 12% - 15% less than the speedo reads.