Running out of gas

[biting_point]

i just fill up 19L for running 347KMs.. the reserve blinks at 320KM..

normally i fill it all the way up to the neck..
i reckon i could hit 400kms and pump 22L with my current fuel consumption..

 

[markjenn]

I wouldn't take the insert out, as it provides an expansion space. The volume of gasoline can change pretty rapidly with changes in temperature. Without the expansion space, the next softest thing would probably be the shape of the tank, the gasket for the pump, or even the pump housing.

It's not that bad. The tank is vented. Assuming the vent is working properly, it will just overflow, either to the canister on CA bikes or to the ground on non-CA bikes. But you're right - the expansion space is designed to provide room for this. And on a CA bike, liquid fuel in the canister is not desirable.

- Mark

 

[fredz43]

In looking at all the Yamaha and STAR motorcycles in our dealer's showroom, they all have that thing in the tanks. I hadn't noticed that before.

 

[Mellow]

I kinda like it... makes it easy to get most of the tank filled when using a pump int those plastic overspill doohickies.

You can fill it around 90% quickly... then nurse it the rest of the way. I'm not sure how much it will take to fill it to the rim, I add a little more but my patience typically gives out as the pumps are usually all ON or OFF and some aren't as easy to regulate the amount of gas. It sure doesn't look like much more than 1/2 a gallon to me.

If I fill to the whatchamacallit, I'll get about 50-60 miles before the 1st bar on the fuel gauge drops... if I fill it past that, I'll get about 80 miles before the 1st fuel bar drops..

 

[colorider]

In looking at all the Yamaha and STAR motorcycles in our dealer's showroom, they all have that thing in the tanks. I hadn't noticed that before.

My FJR had it and after 3 plus years, it was still a PITA!

 

[3putt]

Some of the K12GT guys removed theirs, but I believe it was plastic. I will keep mine. May toss in the MSR bottle and carry it around till I run out local sometime.

 

[markjenn]

I don't know of a big road bike today that doesn't have some kind of filler neck insert in the tank that makes it difficult to squeeze the last few ozs of fuel in so I don't think this is so much a S10 problem as a modern bike problem. I believe this design "feature" became more/less universal when the mfgs started producing CARB-compliant bikes - you have to have a fairly large air space above the fuel level to allow for expansion in worst-case conditions (cold fuel/hot weather) so you don't vent liquid fuel into the carbon vapor recovery canister which essentially trashes it. The filler neck inserts are the solution to this problem. And since the mfgs are not going to engineer different tanks for the 49-state vs. CA markets, everybody gets the filler neck inserts (which also serves to prevent pumping fuel overboard on a 49-state bike... if it works properly - there is another thread that indicates maybe it doesn't).

You're supposed to stop filling when fuel reaches the bottom of the filler neck so complaining that it is difficult to fuel above it seems a bit spurious to me. But.... what does annoy me is if you can't get the advertised fuel capacity by fueling like you're supposed to to the bottom of the filler neck. As other threads have discussed, it sure doesn't look like you can get the advertised 6.0 gal of fuel in when fueling by the book. (It's not even clear you can get a full 6.0 gals in by overfilling.)

- Mark

 

[Don in Lodi]

You're supposed to stop filling when fuel reaches the bottom of the filler neck so complaining that it is difficult to fuel above it seems a bit spurious to me. But.... what does annoy me is if you can't get the advertised fuel capacity by fueling like you're supposed to to the bottom of the filler neck. As other threads have discussed, it sure doesn't look like you can get the advertised 6.0 gal of fuel in when fueling by the book. (It's not even clear you can get a full 6.0 gals in by overfilling.)
- Mark

Somebody has got to go out and do it. I nominate... Mark! Go out this weekend and do 250-270 miles with a measured reserve container on the back, be about 45 miles from a station when you run out, and lets see how much fuel this thing holds. Me? I doubt Yamaha would over estimate how much fuel fits in the tank. They say 6.08, I believe there has got to be something close to that amount or more in there. Now, fuel gauge accuracy? That's a whole different thread. I ran forty some-odd miles on the count-down meter and still took .6 less that 6.0 gallons. That's up to having a little gas puddle in the bottom of the neck at fill up, every time. ( I like the neck, works so much better than my '97)

 

[~TABASCO~]

I wouldn't take the insert out, as it provides an expansion space. The volume of gasoline can change pretty rapidly with changes in temperature. Without the expansion space, the next softest thing would probably be the shape of the tank, the gasket for the pump, or even the pump housing.

Yes, true, Ive seen guys over fill and then park in the Texas heat and come back and the whole side is popped out. Or a cosmetic crease in the tank now is all smooth... you tank is now F..

 

[markjenn]

Somebody has got to go out and do it. I nominate... Mark!

At least for another few weeks, I have the excuse that I don't have my bike.

The Japanese mfgs used to be notorious for publishing fuel capacities (and dry weights) written by the marketing department that were wildly optimistic, but the trend over the last decade or so has been towards more honestly. But something in the specs IS off - either the bike has less fuel capacity or reserve is over 50% bigger than the spec says.

- Mark

 

[colorider]

I don't know of a big road bike today that doesn't have some kind of filler neck insert in the tank that makes it difficult to squeeze the last few ozs of fuel in so I don't think this is so much a S10 problem as a modern bike problem.

Hmmm, I don't remember my '06 ST1300 having one and AFAIK they current ST1300 does not either. There are still some ST1300 folks here so perhaps they can confirm. Joe - you out there?

 

[Mellow]

Hmmm, I don't remember my '06 ST1300 having one and AFAIK they current ST1300 does not either. There are still some ST1300 folks here so perhaps they can confirm. Joe - you out there?

Nope, none of my Hondas ever had one of these. ST1300, GL1800, Shadow Spirit. They did have a filler 'neck' but it is wide open so very easy to go past that if you want to.

 

[Bundu]

Hmmm, I don't remember my '06 ST1300 having one and AFAIK they current ST1300 does not either. There are still some ST1300 folks here so perhaps they can confirm. Joe - you out there?

I was actually under the impression that the neck is there to prevent fuel pumps with leaded fuel being used to fill the bike - Apparently leaded fuel hoses have a nozzle that would be too thick to insert into the neck...

 

[markjenn]

Hmmm, I don't remember my '06 ST1300 having one and AFAIK they current ST1300 does not either. There are still some ST1300 folks here so perhaps they can confirm. Joe - you out there?

Don't ST's have the tank under the seat or something? I used to own a ST11 and I recall it wasn't a conventional tank.

My point was not that every bike was exactly like the S10, but that most have some kind of filler restriction and the days when can easily fill a bike's tank to the brim through a big 3" tank opening are gone. As someone else said, it may have to do with unleaded too. IOW, this issue is not really an S10 thing.

- Mark

 

[colorider]

Don't ST's have the tank under the seat or something? I used to own a ST11 and I recall it wasn't a conventional tank.

My point was not that every bike was exactly like the S10, but that most have some kind of filler restriction and the days when can easily fill a bike's tank to the brim through a big 3" tank opening are gone. As someone else said, it may have to do with unleaded too. IOW, this issue is not really an S10 thing.

- Mark

The ST1100 had the tank under the seat, but the ST1300 has a "normal" tank. My FJR had the same neck as the SuperT, so I'm somewhat used to the neck.

 

[Mellow]

The ST1100 had the tank under the seat, but the ST1300 has a "normal" tank. My FJR had the same neck as the SuperT, so I'm somewhat used to the neck.

Actually, the ST1300 has an upper and lower tank, the lower one is pretty much the reserve tank. Total 7.7 Gallons.

 

[stevepsd]

Hmmm, I don't remember my '06 ST1300 having one and AFAIK they current ST1300 does not either. There are still some ST1300 folks here so perhaps they can confirm. Joe - you out there?

My '08 Tiger1050 does not have it either.

 

[Kevhunts]

Ran 47 miles after the low fuel warning came on and it took 5.1 gallons to bring it to the full mark.

 

[Combo]

Ran 47 miles after the low fuel warning came on and it took 5.1 gallons to bring it to the full mark.

Did you have extra fuel onboard? If not I bet you had a pucker factor going. ::025::

 

[colorider]

Actually, the ST1300 has an upper and lower tank, the lower one is pretty much the reserve tank. Total 7.7 Gallons.

Yeah, I did not want to muddy the water with the extra info. The main tank is all that is of concern since that is where you do the filling!!!
::015::

I did like the 7.7 gallon though! Only thing better was the 9.4 on my old R100GSPD!!!