Range on a full tank

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SDMAX
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Range on a full tank

Post by SDMAX »

Getting ready to take my R1200R 2007 to Alaska; last week did about 1200 miles on a shake down local San Diego club ride to the Central Coast of California.

On the way back I came as close as I ever have to actually running out of fuel. I think the tank holds 4.8 and when I filled I put in 4.6. The gauge said I had less than 20 miles left; I was accelerating on the freeway figuring I could get down to about 10 to go as I have had good luck with gauge......but, I knew I was low as the trip odometer was right at 200. The engine "coughed" and I put it in 6th and closed the throttle as much as possible and took the next ramp to the gas station at the bottom of the ramp. Whew.
I always stop fueling when the nozzle clicks off so I probably could have gotten another 10th in the tank. You know the up on the center stand max fuel idea/
Here's the thing, I always thought I could go about 220 miles; but, I had been in LA traffic and before that really laying into it southbound from Santa Barbara; I'd actually filled up in Buelton.

So now I figure 200 is pretty much the limit. I generally fuel earlier but at least I know the limit....AND I think I saw the famous FUEL STRIP at the bottom of the tank running North\South. Looked to be a white strip. I blessed it and thanked it for continuing to work where all others have failed.
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Bob Ain't Stoppin'
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Re: Range on a full tank

Post by Bob Ain't Stoppin' »

Well Max. If you're going to do any fun riding in Alaska (or the BC route up and back) you need to get used to the idea of really topping up the tank. You can get over 5 gallons in there no problem, and get 250+ miles on a fill up. I'd also recommend taking an extra container with a gallon for reserve. The problem I had on my AK trip was that stations aren't always open. We came across many that were closed down because of a lack of customers. Don't know if the vacation trade has improved in the last couple years, but the economy has reduced the number of travelers, and thus, the number of stations that can afford to stay open. You need some good range to avoid running out if you're going into any remote areas.
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Re: Range on a full tank

Post by Catchina »

Bob Ain't Stoppin' wrote:You can get over 5 gallons in there no problem, and get 250+ miles on a fill up.
+1
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Dr. Strangelove
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Re: Range on a full tank

Post by Dr. Strangelove »

Having had the experience of filling from bone dry to full twice...and that's another story :-X
5.235 or thereabouts to the bottom of the red filler tube
If I put the nozzle in to the stop and let it click off it is at the 4.1 gallon level, so on my copy I can put in another gallon + from the click off to the bottom of the filler tube, just kissing it.

That's where the manual says is the FULL level, bottom of the red filler tube.
There is no way I could get 250 out of a tank unless I was going downhill, with the wind, and had angels as pillion.
So, Bob, do you fill higher than the bottom of the filler tube? Or get very good mileage?

And yes, carry gas with you without fail. And good luck with the ride!
And I would not trust the gauge when you're down in those low numbers, at all, no matter how long it has worked well for you.

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GBag
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Re: Range on a full tank

Post by GBag »

Your tank holds 5.5 gals. You should be able to just make 250mi on this but it will be very close. I usually target 220mi as my refill point and always base it on a trip odometer. Once I made the mistake of using ear plugs and didn't realize I was in 5th instead of 6th. At 200 miles I decided Id get off the next ramp and fuel. It was about 7 miles away and I ran out of fuel right then and there. I opened the tank and shook the bike to confirm my suspicion. No sloshing noise at all. I decided to hit the starter and it fired. I baby'd it to the ramp and hit the first gas station. I put 5.73 gal of fuel in the bike. No doubt it was on fumes. Once I took the bike right to 249 mi on a tank and it took 5.3 gal of fuel. Just my experiences with fuel and mileage. Just remember to use 6th and you should be fine. Also if I'm on highways and doing gas and go. There is a line about 1/2 inch from overflow on the red filler tube. I fill the bike to there but you must gas and go with that much or it will back flow the canister if you hang in the sun for 5 min or more.
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Dr. Strangelove
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Re: Range on a full tank

Post by Dr. Strangelove »

There is a line about 1/2 inch from overflow on the red filler tube
I see it...about halfway up the filler tube, right?
Thanks

BTW that looks like the fuel sensor strip crossing under the filler tube. T'aint no "stop" at all, but it will be hit if you put the nozzle in until it rests on it. And there are three wires running right on the superior contact surface. Hitting it and resting on it with a gas nozzle can't be good for it.
A U shaped bar fitted to the bottom of the filler tube would work to stop the nozzle better and avoid hitting the sensor and perhaps flexing it.
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Bob Ain't Stoppin'
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Re: Range on a full tank

Post by Bob Ain't Stoppin' »

Dr. Strangelove wrote: So, Bob, do you fill higher than the bottom of the filler tube? Or get very good mileage?
John
My canister was lost some time ago. I run the tank pretty low, and I fill until I can't get any more gas in. Don't know any other way to do it. I don't find stopping at a gas station to be entertaining, so I do it as infrequently as possible :D
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Woland
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Re: Range on a full tank

Post by Woland »

After 81 fillups my best estimate says its possible to get 21-22 litres in to the tank, but that's with filling it to about 2 cm of filler tube to spare ( or as in almost to the brim). Range is way to dependent on outside factors. I can make my bike do anything from 4,6l/100km to 7,6l/100km over a tank depending on how I ride. On secondary roads, puddling along at below 100km/h its not thirsty. On a highway late in the evening, dead calm and pretty warm, with virtually no other traffic averaging something like 100mph its surprising how fast the tank goes empty :)
David R
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Re: Range on a full tank

Post by David R »

260 miles if I cram it full. From bone dry that would be 6.0 gallons.

I fill at just over 200 on the trip meter.

So far my miles to empty is accurate as can be. The closer to empty the more accurate it is.

I check mileage every tank. It agrees with the computer. I reset trip meter and average miles per gallon every tank full.

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GBag
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Re: Range on a full tank

Post by GBag »

Dr. Strangelove wrote: I see it...about halfway up the filler tube, right?
That's it! Just remember when you fill that high you need to get going quickly or it will overflow.
GBag
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Re: Range on a full tank

Post by GBag »

David R wrote:So far my miles to empty is accurate as can be.
Lucky You! My First R (2009) was dead nuts on as well. My 2011 had the strip replaced at 1st service. The new strip reads accurate on the console but when I look at miles to empty its wrong. I 'll run a 150 miles and it will say I still have 200 miles till empty. We all know what the result of trying to go that far would be. LOL
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Shakey
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Re: Range on a full tank

Post by Shakey »

A couple of weekends ago I brought my R1200 up to my place in Aberdeenshire so I can play on the wonderful local roads when work keeps me here over the weekend.

I had a fair trip over two days - the first of which was spent getting out of East Anglia and slogging north up the A1.
After a pleasant overnight in West Aukland, I got re-packed and kitted up and headed off for the much anticipated A68 over the border into Scotland. As I left West Auckland I saw a fuel station but looking at my strip I saw I had a couple of bars left and as I'd only just set off it'd be a shame to stop so soon right?

As I approached the border country, the fuel light came on! Now I'm in the middle of nowhere and since the "miles to run" seems to count down two miles for every one travelled I became nervous. My Garmin told me there was a fuel station 6 miles further on so on I pressed........ only to find a tiny derelict station where salvation should have been!

As I continued, the landscape became more remote and climbed steadily towards the border itself. I stopped there and asked the Garmin again. It tried to take me off down a tiny road across even more remote country which I figured was not a good idea. Instead I stayed on the main road and rode my bike as lightly as I could.

Thankfully I rolled into Jedburgh town and found a Shell station YAY!

The bike took 19.85 litres of fuel :shock: with the Odo showing 205 miles.

As far as I know the bike only holds 20 litres, so I had around half a can of coke's worth of fuel left.

Naturally I have revised my fuelling strategy on long trip since then. 8-[
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ammolab
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Re: Range on a full tank

Post by ammolab »

GBag wrote:
David R wrote:So far my miles to empty is accurate as can be.
Lucky You! My First R (2009) was dead nuts on as well. My 2011 had the strip replaced at 1st service. The new strip reads accurate on the console but when I look at miles to empty its wrong. I 'll run a 150 miles and it will say I still have 200 miles till empty. We all know what the result of trying to go that far would be. LOL

Same for me: Fill the tank, drive 110 highway miles, hit "miles to empty"... See "265 miles"!!!
Only trusted that once.
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psycle.vt
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Re: Range on a full tank

Post by psycle.vt »

Hmmm - I usually fill up around 220 miles (09 R1200R). If I keep the speed down or am riding on secondary (flat) roads here in NJ, I normally see gas consumption readings from the display of upper 40s. On a segment of the Natchez Trace last summer, the bike showed 9 miles to empty when I filled up at 300 miles (not a lot of gas stations close to the Trace).
I have only had the fuel strip fail once (knock on wood - all the way across the country before the Redmond rally), but the mpg reading seems to be pretty accurate.
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SDMAX
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Re: Range on a full tank

Post by SDMAX »

I think Wiki puts tank capacity for R1200R at 4.8 gallons. Really pushing it to the top seems to be maybe 5.0 but then there are, for me, overflow issues and the possibility of screwing up the overflow cannister that should be operated on anyway; but then you remove the cannister and can run into leaking issues.

When I filled after she coughed almost empty I took 4.6; I could have squeezed another .2/10's I'm sure; The reading I've done on the places I'm going in Alaska put the longest distance between stations at about 150 miles.

The suggestion is to fill up everytime you see a station which may be only 60 miles from last fill up; but, fill up anyway.

Also I'll take a small siphon hose and count on being able to grap a little fuel if I have to; I'm loath to rig extra gas cans; trying to keep the weight as light as possible.

I'll report in if I have to walk the thing in a few miles. Litterally, YMMV.
Snapping Twig
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Re: Range on a full tank

Post by Snapping Twig »

Those fuel bottles are easy to pack, I carry one when I go on a long distance (for me) ride.

Pack a couple and you have some insurance.

You won't have much trouble finding a spot to stow them safely.
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Mark_1
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Re: Range on a full tank

Post by Mark_1 »

I usually fill up around 170 miles. Majority of my riding is 20 mile commute on very twisty country road with elevation changes. Riding style is not quite knee dragging. :badgrin: Bike gets around 40 mpg. Most I've been able to squeeze in at one fill up is 5.1 gallons.

My first 2008 R1200R had fuel strip go out twice in 3,000 miles. Have not had a strip problem with its replacement 2009 model in 20k miles (knock on wood). I always track trip mileage and do not use computer read out for fuel consumption purposes. Been there, done that, waited for tow truck.

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Newportcycle
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Re: Range on a full tank

Post by Newportcycle »

I dont know how some of you guys are doing it, I'm refilling at 140 to 160 miles and getting little over 4 gallons in. I'd like to see 200 plus miles on a tank full.
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websterize
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Re: Range on a full tank

Post by websterize »

Newportcycle wrote:I dont know how some of you guys are doing it, I'm refilling at 140 to 160 miles and getting little over 4 gallons in. I'd like to see 200 plus miles on a tank full.
Not uncommon in urban stop-and-go and cold temperatures.
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Re: Range on a full tank

Post by Caol »

Never did fully trust the fuel readings, so I start looking for a fill-up at about the 300km mark and am seriously looking at the 350km point. Have gone over 400km on a single fill-up, but that was unusual circumstances where I was lightly loaded and travelling, in traffic, on two lane blacktop at about 80kph.

In Montana, with their civilized speed limits, and a head wind, I was practically dry at 350km (5.4 gal fill up!).

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