Inaccurate Miles Left Odometer

[crazyhorse]

So today I ran out of gas on the freeway home with 2 miles left. I was on 'reserve' but the computer said I had 19 miles left to travel. I had only been on 'reserve' (fuel low light) for 3 miles.

I did get a hesitation at hard acceleration getting onto the freeway before my fuel low warning light was even on. This has happened once before but I wasn't exactly sure why. This should have been a signal to me.

Every other bike I have ever had, including my 06 F650GS have given me at least 30 miles left after reserve or low gas warning light. What is up with this on the R12R?

Is this a common 'problem'?

From now on the low gas light will mean fill up immediately for me.

wes

[TT RDHS]

On this note...
I just picked up my 08 RR (slightly used), and on my way home the fuel gauge went out. This was no great surprise, as I have been lurking here for months.
Anyway it gets replaced under warranty, no big deal....
But now the trip computer says I should be getting almost 300 miles on a full tank.
Is this correct??
Or have they incorrectly set-up my fuel gauge?
P.S. Two days after I get the bike home, the battery failed. But I was also mentally prepared for that too. Thanks to this forum.
Despite these small setbacks, (which I was kind of expecting, anyway) I love this bike.
P.P.S. The ride home (after the purchase) was great! Just over 4000 miles door to door. (I'm just glad the battery didn't fail until after I got home! )

So... What is the mileage to expect from a FULL tank???

[ShinySideUp]

Wes, I suspect something's seriously wrong with your sensor, or the computer that interprets its output.

The cutting out under heavy acceleration happened to me twice, both times when my readout showed under 15 miles left. I interpreted it to mean the fuel outlet was toward the front of the tank. One time almost injured me, as I was trying to get away from a side-street motorist who had ignored his stop sign. Now I get gas fairly soon after the reserve light comes on.


But you should have, like all your other bikes, a good 30 miles left once the light comes on. Something's wrong and a trip to the dealer, with warranty card in hand, might be what's needed.

[ShinySideUp]

So... What is the mileage to expect from a FULL tank???

Depends.
What's your cruising speed on the slab?
How hard do you accelerate off the line, out of turns?
What time of year is it and what in what state do you buy gas, and does that state mandate seasonal changes in the formulation?

In San Francisco with mostly slow city driving and lots of hills, I get about 38 mpg.
On the highway at 65 mph, I get about 46 mpg. It goes down significantly over 80 mph.
I usually get about 225 miles from my tank.

Several have reported much better mileages, but I suspect they live where their fuel is actually gasoline, instead of our weird seasonal mixtures. Or maybe it's flat where they live! Or maybe I have a heavy throttle hand.

[LumpyCam]

Several have reported much better mileages, but I suspect they live where their fuel is actually gasoline, instead of our weird seasonal mixtures. Or maybe it's flat where they live! Or maybe I have a heavy throttle hand.

I find the computer optimistic reporting the fuel economy of the engine, as well as the miles remaining. If someone reports mileage from the computer, and another reports it as calculated (gallons/miles), there will likely be a discrepancy.

That said, i just finished a 2,500km trip averaging 45.4mpg (calculated) on the highway. When commuting I get about 32mpg. There's ample variation depending on how aggressive i am with the throttle.

[TT RDHS]

Thanks for the replies,
and sorry for the thread hi-jack...
Looks like I'll be wanting to get my fuel gauge re-calibrated.

[lewellen]

In San Francisco with mostly slow city driving and lots of hills, I get about 38 mpg.
On the highway at 65 mph, I get about 46 mpg. It goes down significantly over 80 mph.
I usually get about 225 miles from my tank.

Several have reported much better mileages, but I suspect they live where their fuel is actually gasoline, instead of our weird seasonal mixtures. Or maybe it's flat where they live! Or maybe I have a heavy throttle hand.

In Monterey, with my '08, running my usual 5-mile commute nets me 33-35 mpg. Taking it out onto the highway brings it up to maybe 40 - 45 depending on whether I'm riding with or against the wind. I definitely do not have a heavy throttle hand. We should have similar gas mixtures here to SF ... and although I've not kept detailed records the fuel economy seems to be getting gradually worse.

*shrug*

Good roads,

- Lewellen

[famousperson]

I get 35 mpg pure city, 45-55 mpg highway. I use the trip odometer instead of the miles to empty function. I do find the gas gauge useful but don't rely on it. I figure 35 mpg x 5 gal. when I've been commuting and fill up before 150 miles. On the highway I fill up at 45 mpg x 5 gal. = 225 miles. My guess is that on the highway it would be safe to stretch it to 250 miles but I dislike getting stuck too much to risk it. My butt needs a rest way before then, anyway.

[TAG-Caver]

Reset your tripmeter when you fill up and start calculating gas mileage. Once you get a ballpark figure you'll know when you need to start looking for gas. My longest tank of gas has been a little over 260 miles, but that was mostly easy highway cruising. This is my 18th motorcycle and while it's certainly a nice one, I have yet to own a bike with a gas gauge that was accurate. Maybe one of these years...

[websterize]

So today I ran out of gas on the freeway home with 2 miles left. I was on 'reserve' but the computer said I had 19 miles left to travel. I had only been on 'reserve' (fuel low light) for 3 miles. . . .

Every other bike I have ever had, including my 06 F650GS have given me at least 30 miles left after reserve or low gas warning light. What is up with this on the R12R?

Is this a common 'problem'? . . .

wes

I ran out of fuel Friday morning inbound to work — about three miles after the low-fuel lamp illuminated. I was in stop-and-go traffic on an incline. The bike computer's residual range read 33 miles to zero when the engine died. The last fill-up was 218 miles before, and I reset the trip odometer after every one. Calling roadside assistance got me a gallon of gas, and I arrived at the office two hours late and sweaty as hell.

The incident was a reminder that the fuel gauge, fuel lamp and residual-range readout are approximations, as stated in the manual. I will refill 200 miles after the last fill-up no matter what they say. Also, I had $1 in my wallet and had to pay cash for the emergency gas. Luckily, the bike died in front an apartment building with an ATM. So I now keep an emergency $20 in the waterproof pouch under the seat.

[burn_nitro]

Dealer is going to try installing a new sensor in mine. We already tried downloading the software upgrade. Mine is really bad 2 bars on the gauge and 50 miles remaining means 1/4 gallon actual. I've run out of gas twice.

[papasong]

There was some discussion of this on the F800 forum, as well:
http://f800riders.org/forum/showthread.php?t=26490

[websterize]

Ran out of gas tonight en route to Chevron, having ridden 191 miles since last fill-up. I assumed 200 would be safe. The engine cut out in the left-turn lane at a major intersection, and I was No. 2 in line. Put on the emergency blinkers and huffed it across three lanes and coasted silently up to a pump as if planned. Two firefighters enjoying the late-summer evening witnessed all of this. As is the story of my life, there is usually an audience when I look like a moron.

No low-fuel light illuminated. Filled up with 4.8 gallons. Waiting at a stoplight earlier in the commute, the miles-to-zero display read 94. I averaged 42 mpg since the last fill-up. Had a lot of stop-and-go traffic in downtown D.C. this week since everyone is back from vacation.

Guess I need to refill at 150.

[crazyhorse]

Guess I need to refill at 150.

that's what i do now...

wes

[ka5ysy]

My 07 has been pretty accurate, although the miles to empty is a SWAG at best. I ran to 255 miles a couple of weeks ago and got some sputtering close to my destination so filled up 5.4 gallons. The miles to empty was showing 12 at the time. My general rule is to fill at the 210 mile trip odometer or whenever the fuel light comes on to avoid nasty surprises . I have noticed a seasonal variation on actual MPG due to different mixes of alcohol and some other government-mandated crap in our gas to avoid "ozone action days". Never mind the cows around here farting and causing more pollution than the cars

YMMV