Fuel gauge

[redfive]

Gentleman

Just wondering something my owners manual tells me that the fuel gauge will count backwards from 50 kms when the tank gets low on Sunday I had two bars left then it went to one bar and started counting backwards from about 95kms
when I got home it had 82kms on it
now it got 91kms what the go with this I take it when I put it on the centre stand the fuel splash up on the sender a bit and changed the distance to empty reading ????
and can I trust it ?????

Glenn

[StinkyPete]

Glenn,
When the fuel level in the tanks drops to the last five liters,  the instrument display will show "Distance to Empty".   This countdown distance will vary depending upon your speed, throttle use and so on, so the number will vary a fair bit.    When you get down the the last two liters the display will go blank and you'll have not much more than 15km left to bone dry.

[Biggles]

now it got 91kms what the go with this I take it when I put it on the centre stand the fuel splash up on the sender a bit and changed the distance to empty reading ????
and can I trust it ?????

When you restart the bike while it's in countdown mode, the distance-to-run isn't at all reliable.  I don't know why it can't keep score between starts.  It seems to recalculate according to some inner logic.
I get a reliable distance-to-run by resetting the trip meter when the bar starts flashing.  I then allow 65 km of city travel and 85 km of highway travel before empty.  That gives me a bit of margin (although very little in the city, maybe none!)

[alans1100]

You guys certainly take it to limit before refuelling by the sound of it. Maybe it's a habit from the old switchable reserve days but I'd be looking at refuelling ASAP after the "Distance To MT" came up. Even with 60 to 80 km left after the warning light comes on with the 1100 I'm looking to refuel within the next 30 km unless I have spare fuel with me.

On the car though I have run it down to zero and still kept going while on the way to the servo.

[Gadget]

Coming back from Balranald I went all the way to Wesr Wyalong. The cold weather had increased consumption so the GPS said 76 km when the fuel gauge said 79 km.

A bit of slower riding brought that up to 6 km difference.

When I filled up at WW it took exactly 28 litres and $40.

[Brock]

it took exactly 28 litres

The bike was ready to turn its head and cough, or the bowser was wrong....

 

[alans1100]

it took exactly 28 litres

The bike was ready to turn its head and cough, or the bowser was wrong....

 

1300 has 29 litres so about 1 litre left at time of fill

[Me_3]

it took exactly 28 litres

The bike was ready to turn its head and cough, or the bowser was wrong....

 

As I found out on my last ride, 1300's don't cough.. they just stop! 

[redfive]

Gentleman

Thanks for all the info so if a go say 50kms I shouldn't have to push it to a servo lol that would be fun  or I might put a 5lt jerry in the topbox and run it dry just so I know as this is the first time I've run it this low
these thing happen when you buy a new toy and I take it the top tank is bone dry and am using fuel in the bottom tank

Glenn

[Brock]

I take it the top tank is bone dry and am using fuel in the bottom tank

All the fuel comes from the bottom tank, the top drains into it.

[Me_3]

Thanks for all the info so if a go say 50kms I shouldn't have to push it to a servo lol that would be fun  or I might put a 5lt jerry in the topbox and run it dry just so I know as this is the first time I've run it this low
these thing happen when you buy a new toy and I take it the top tank is bone dry and am using fuel in the bottom tank

If your planning on running it low, 5L isn't a bad idea.. especially when you know your cutting it close...
Just don't put clothes or camping gear in with it.. the fumes can get into everything!

[redfive]

I know the bike draws from the bottom all the time but if am down that low there wouldn't be any in the main tank it would be empty

[Gadget]

Gentleman

Thanks for all the info so if a go say 50kms I shouldn't have to push it to a servo lol that would be fun  or I might put a 5lt jerry in the topbox and run it dry just so I know as this is the first time I've run it this low
these thing happen when you buy a new toy and I take it the top tank is bone dry and am using fuel in the bottom tank

Glenn

I ran mine from Rocky to Brisbane to dry in very warm weather and managed a range of 560 km to dead stop (No cough) it was averaging 5.3 l/100 km on the display.

From Balranald, due to very cold temps most of the way (below 10 °C) the consumption was 6.3 l/100 km. (The engine temp gauge barely got above 1 bar, which had me planning to have the thermostat replaced when I got the bike home) it had only covered a distance of 443 km.

I've done the 5 litre jerry in the pannier and had the heat expand the fuel in the can, leak out into the pannier and the fumes went everywhere. If you must use a jerry can make sure it isn't a cheap one and only put 4.5 litres in it to allow for expansion.

[alans1100]

I've done the 5 litre jerry in the pannier and had the heat expand the fuel in the can, leak out into the pannier and the fumes went everywhere. If you must use a jerry can make sure it isn't a cheap one and only put 4.5 litres in it to allow for expansion.

I use the red 10 litre plastic ones which have the full indication on the side and fill to that point which gives plenty of room for expansion and take into account that usually any container like this isn't calibrated for the quantity stated on the label.



 

[Sabie]

I've found mine goes blank at about the 40 k mark with 2 underscore bars showing up.