Running out of gas

sail2xxs

New Member
Founding Member
2011 Site Supporter
2012 Site Supporter
2013 Site Supporter
2014 Site Supporter
Joined
Oct 24, 2010
Messages
931
Location
Edgewater, MD
markjenn said:
Encouraging. 5.94 vs. 6.08 would be within what I would consider the normal liberties taken with specifications. And although the OM says 6.08, the web site advertises 6.0.

Understand, insufficient fuel capacity is one of my pet peeves about today's bikes. I think the designers of motorcycles are way too caught up in making their bikes look sleek and forgetting that versatility and flexibility also sells motorcycles. I wonder if many of them even ride or if they ride, ever take a decently-long trip on a bike.

Every touring bike should have comfortable 300+ mile range, just like most cars. An ADVENTURE touring bike, that is by nature designed to explore backroads were gas station availability and hours are even more spooty, needs more. The only mfg who has truly addressed this so far is BMW with the 8.9 gal capacity on the GSA.

This article is about sportbike range, but shows how ridiculous the issue is with this type of bike.

http://www.motorcycledaily.com/2011/08/md-opinion-cant-get-home-on-the-range/

- Mark
That extra 2.9 gallons on the GSA is really for helping out the guy driving the support truck. :D

Seriously though, having owned an ST1100 and ST1300, I agree with your point about fuel tank size. However, I would not trade the S10's lower COG for the extra 2.9 gallons of the GSA for the type of riding I do the vast majority of the time. When I do finally get the chance to take a trip where gas stations are more than 250 miles apart, 1 gallon cans could make up the difference, and can be carried lower on the bike.

Chris
 

dave6

Member
Joined
Jul 14, 2011
Messages
95
Location
Powell River BC Canada
On a side note concerning the fuel neck thingy. On my 2005 FJR 1300 a common practice (which I also did) was to take a sharp object and pierce (do not drill as i can cause sparks and swarf to get into the tank) a few holes about an eight of an inch in dia. at the top edge of the inside of the neck on the high side when on the side stand, I think I gained about 2 liters on the FJR. I also did this to my 1990 Super Tenere and got an extra 4.5 liters in it as compared to what you get at the bottom of the neck, the neck on it was about 5 inches high. This allows the air to be displaced from around the top of the neck and to fill to the top of the tank without dicking around. The new Tenere has an extra collar on the inside of the neck at the top so I will have to look at that further. Neither of my bikes ever had gas come out the overflows after filling. Now this practice is not recommended and will probably blow up the bike and render it useless, but I thought I would mention it. I will post pictures and what increase it gives after I do it to mine......lol
 

Koinz

Active Member
Founding Member
2011 Site Supporter
2012 Site Supporter
2013 Site Supporter
2014 Site Supporter
Joined
Nov 13, 2010
Messages
2,100
Location
Newtown, PA
dave6 said:
On a side note concerning the fuel neck thingy. On my 2005 FJR 1300 a common practice (which I also did) was to take a sharp object and pierce (do not drill as i can cause sparks and swarf to get into the tank) a few holes about an eight of an inch in dia. at the top edge of the inside of the neck on the high side when on the side stand, I think I gained about 2 liters on the FJR. I also did this to my 1990 Super Tenere and got an extra 4.5 liters in it as compared to what you get at the bottom of the neck, the neck on it was about 5 inches high. This allows the air to be displaced from around the top of the neck and to fill to the top of the tank without dicking around. The new Tenere has an extra collar on the inside of the neck at the top so I will have to look at that further. Neither of my bikes ever had gas come out the overflows after filling. Now this practice is not recommended and will probably blow up the bike and render it useless, but I thought I would mention it. I will post pictures and what increase it gives after I do it to mine......lol
I actually did this on my BMW, but on hot days fuel would drip out of the vent hoses. That tank was only 4.5 gallons, I'm not sure I would need to do it on this bike. Most of the guys I ride with locally get far less per tank. Still would be interested to hear how it goes.
 
Top