Gas gauge ????

[ffron69]

Last summer the gas gauge took forever to come off the F mark & then would fall fast. Between 1/2 & 1/4 tank the low fuel light would come on, and usually by 110 or so miles I was stoping for gas just in case it was actually correct and it'd take about 3.1 gal.

Over the winter I lifted (not all the way off) the tank to run some wires & now the gas gauge seems to work a little more normal. At about 145 miles I was at 1/4 tank with no light on & it took about 3.6 gal.

Can somene tell me what might have happpened and with no mods to the pipes or fuel/air intake what is normal mileage for a tank of gas?

Thanks

[ringadingh]

On my 1500 I can usually get about 180 miles on a tank of gas, I fill mine up to the neck and usually fill up when the light comes on after a few miles. In cold weather it drops to about 140 miles and my best has been 202 on a tank. Mine stays on the full mark for about 75 miles sometimes a little more and the light comes on around 150- 160 miles.

[cactusjack]

I think they farthest I've ever traveled on a tank was 171 miles. I was sweating bullets the last 10 miles of that. I have never run out of gas.

[AlabamaNomadRider]

Once the low gas warning light comes on start hunting a gas station. You might get 20 to 30 miles out of it before you run dry. As far as the bars those are just an indicater. There probably aren't two bikes that will lose a bar at the same mileage. I have gotten as high as 66 miles on the first bar. It does seem that as the bars disappear you don't get as many miles on each bar. The sensor on your bike could have been out of whack, can't think of a better word, and when you moved the tank it corrected itself.

[schoeney]

130-140 is when my light comes on. 190 is the fathest I have gone on one tank. I have never ran out.

I get pretty consistent 40-42mpg. All stock except debaffle. I use 92 octane.

[macmac]

For get there is a foolish gas gauge... Find out when the bike wants gas before the yellow light comes on and use the trip meter.

I wish there was no gas gauge at all and instead there were 2 trip meters.

Do not ride with that yellow light ON by habit either. That yellow light means you are cooking the fuel pump. They cost 600 bucks!

So far the longest ride I have pulled off on 06 1600 is 198 miles (Uncorrected speedo) to first flicker of the yellow light. I was with in 1 mile of gas and got it there.

But once one many starts and stops over days on one tank I ran dead out of gas with 212 miles. Each time the bike ran out I waggled the bike, and made a few miles more. I did that 3 times and ride into a station.

If I made this a habit my fuel pump would toast..

[gordy]

i like to put fuel in when down to 1 bar left, i had 128 miles on ,figured mileage and was 37 mpg, it varies with speed and wind, i do not get very many chances to go on long runs, as i am married with 4 kids. by the way sorry no picture of my bike, do not know how to add to profile.

[garyo4]

Like Mac says, ignore the fuel gauge. I stop and refill every couple of hours (about 130~150 miles) under normal highway driving (time to stretch the legs anyway by then).

[macmac]

It is important to mention 1500/1600 since the 1500 has 2 different sized tanks, and the 1600 has another.

Where I have my location is just one way to place which bike yoy have.

With the 128 miles i can tell this is a 1500, since I had a 01 once, and took on fuel at 138 miles like clock work.

[mobandy78]

I've never really tested mine. Like gordy, I usually refill with 1 bar left on the readout which is around 130-140 miles. That is normally about 3.5 gallons of refreshment.

I ride an 05 1600, debaffled stock pipes, no engine mods.

[jasperboy]

Much depends on the type of riding I'm doing, and the overall travel speed. I know 70 mph highway actually is a bit worse as I'm pushing alot of air. Typical raqnge is 140-150 miles when I hit 1 bar. Longest I ever pushed was 180's when the yellow light popped on. I have debaffled V&H's and PCIII, along with other mods like my fairing. I typically just assume about 37 mpg and plan on getting gas when it is convienent. I do use the gauge since I often like to hit the trip reset between fill ups to gauge distances. It is accurate enough for me, usually falling at 35-40 mile intervals.