Trusted the computer: RAN OUT OF GAS!!!!

[ammolab]

Showing gas for 20miles to go, but I found myself coasting to a dead stop on Houston's Interstate 10 west in Rush hour.

Harris County motor assistance brought me a free gallon of gas.. Thanks to all you Texas taxpayers!

Looks like I will NOT be so trusting on that ole computer gas mileage thing. I am filling up
as soon as the light comes on from now on!

[dbrick]

The computer is fun, but not always accurate.

At about 80 miles after my last fillup, the computer told me I had 347 miles left in the tank. Made me smile.

On startup the next morning, the computer produced a realistic number.

[Faylo]

Fill up before you get to 200 miles and you'll be fine. I've run mine out to 235, but it was getting real close. I figure that if I plan on filling up at 200 and can't, I've got a little reserve. Unless I've been running hard, then I need gas at 200 and not later.
-jim

[BoxerSteve]

Looks like I will NOT be so trusting on that ole computer gas mileage thing. I am filling up
as soon as the light comes on from now on!

I wouldn't even trust the fuel light myself, having had my fuel strip fail then come back on for a while then fail again. Now it's working again, for a while.

I fill up after about 200 miles.

Something about this topic seems familiar...

viewtopic.php?f=20&t=22759

[Woland]

This begs the question, is there any bike that has a fuel gauge or on-board computer that is trustworthy?

[pistonbroke]

hi all
nasty running out of fuel , i do watch mine out of interest but use the trip .
piston.

[ka5ysy]

This begs the question, is there any bike that has a fuel gauge or on-board computer that is trustworthy?

Yep... Trip odometer. At 220 I find a pump. Did a deadstick landing off an interstate into a gas station showing 20 miles once myself. Lucky it was a long down ramp!

[Woland]

This begs the question, is there any bike that has a fuel gauge or on-board computer that is trustworthy?

Yep... Trip odometer. At 220 I find a pump.

Well of course all sensible persons uses the trip meter since that one never fails But that wasn't the question...

[jkhomes]

I am amazed how many knuckleheads run out of gas and post it on here. As someone replied on this subject on a different thread, the motorcycle did not run out of gas. The rider did. Even the owner manual says not to trust the computer.

[celticus]

Looks like I will NOT be so trusting on that ole computer gas mileage thing. I am filling up
as soon as the light comes on from now on!

Sounds like good advice.

Mark

[AncientMariner]

The fuel strip on my Classic Black Roadster failed at about 2,800 miles. ( Dealer found that the part was out of stock throughout the BMW system. Conjecture was that perhaps there was a modified replacement in the works.)

Today as I passed about 6,000 miles the f%@#ing yellow pump light turned off, and the computer posted a reasonable miles til empty forecast. Has my BMW's computer fixed itself?

It's time for service. Perhaps this fuel guage will mimick my old Harley's and only work at the dealers...

Bruce

[qfman]

I got myself caught low on fuel between Sydney and Canberra on my way to Phillip Island last year. The gas station I had planned on using was not where I remembered it so I watched as distance to empty dropped from 40 to 20 to 10 etc. I knew I wouldn't make it back to the previous station so I set my speed to 80km/h, tucked in and aimed for Canberra. Fuel burn was well under 4L/100 (60mpg).

It feels weird when distance to empty trips over to '0'. After that, it just flashes like this '---'. I prepared myself to pull the clutch in suddenly and coast to a stop. After about 5kms with '---' flashing the gas station finally appeared in the distance.

I thought +/- 5kms was pretty accurate. These days I always carry some plastic tubing in case I get stranded.

Tom

[Ric]

Mine seems to be acurate to within +/- 20 miles.......

[Anyname]

Your BMW owners manual says in plain language that you aren't supposed to trust it.

[2wheelfish]

I am amazed how many knuckleheads run out of gas and post it on here. As someone replied on this subject on a different thread, the motorcycle did not run out of gas. The rider did. Even the owner manual says not to trust the computer.

I am amazed at how many perfect riders there are on this site that instinctively know that problems encountered are obviously the fault of the "knucklehead" and certainly not the BMW.

[ammolab]

Your BMW owners manual says in plain language that you aren't supposed to trust it.

Yes it does... And now to read between the lines. "We built a perfectly USELESS feature into your Bikes computer, enjoy the latest
price increase"!

[Ric]

In this "I have to have everything absolutely perfect in every way" world......I'd be a little pissed if my fuel gauge didn't work correctly, but I would understand the process and that BMW makes no promises on the fuel gauge accuracy.

At 57 yrs old, ridden since I was 12, owned some 35 bikes of all types and a garage full of them, I know this one truth in motorcycles......

Anyone who trust any motorcycle's fuel gauge and doesn't rely on the trip meter is a motorcycle novice.

[2wheelfish]

OK I did learn the hard way. I thought the Germans could possibly figure out that simple piece of intrumentation, and it _seemed_ to be operating correctly at the time....that being said, why is it so hard to build a reliable gas guage in an MC? Every car I've ever had the gauge works fine, every MC it's a waste of time.

Actually though, I have a Vespa for around town and I've been rather impressed that the gauge actually seems to work pretty accurately and has never failed. Go figure.

[ammolab]

In this "I have to have everything absolutely perfect in every way" world......I'd be a little pissed if my fuel gauge didn't work correctly, but I would understand the process and that BMW makes no promises on the fuel gauge accuracy.

At 57 yrs old, ridden since I was 12, owned some 35 bikes of all types and a garage full of them, I know this one truth in motorcycles......

Anyone who trust any motorcycle's fuel gauge and doesn't rely on the trip meter is a motorcycle novice.

Yep after my "knuclehead day" by the side of the road.... I am going back to the trip meter method I have also used myself since 1963. If I run out of gas now, I can only blame the circuits inside my skull.

That reserve on the old /5 is nice and handy though.....IF I remember to turn it back to 'normal' after I fuel up!

[Bob Ain't Stoppin']

[quote: I have also used myself since 1963. [/quote]


Stop doing that! You'll go blind