Fuel Light Question - How much left in Tank?

[colinpollock]

Hey All.

Please excuse my stupid questions. I've only got 1000 miles on my R1150R and am still getting familiar with it.

Could anyone tell me approxiately how much fuel is remaining in the tank when my fuel warning light comes on?

My old Suzuki SV650 had a similar light. When it began flashing, I knew I had 1 gallon of fuel left in the tank, good for another 40 miles at least. When it came on solid, I had half a gallon.

Is the R1150R similar? I suspect the lighting sequence is reverse though.
Light on solid = 1 Gallon
Light flashing = 1/2 Gallon

Is this correct?

[chris]

Hey All.

Please excuse my stupid questions. I've only got 1000 miles on my R1150R and am still getting familiar with it.

Could anyone tell me approxiately how much fuel is remaining in the tank when my fuel warning light comes on?

My old Suzuki SV650 had a similar light. When it began flashing, I knew I had 1 gallon of fuel left in the tank, good for another 40 miles at least. When it came on solid, I had half a gallon.

Is the R1150R similar? I suspect the lighting sequence is reverse though.
Light on solid = 1 Gallon
Light flashing = 1/2 Gallon

Is this correct?

Mine doesn't flash, it comes on intermittently depending on the angle of the bike before it goes solid at about 145-165 depending on how thrashed the bike has been. Usually takes 15 litres or so to fill it so there's about 5 litres left. In theory I could go another 40-50 miles before filling but I have a mental problem riding with the light on so usually fill as soon as I find a station. I get better mileage riding hard round fast roads than I do commuting to work.

[taosports]

My experience is similar to Chris'. Seems the light goes on solid with about a gallon left. I rode 35 miles with the light on to empty the tank for my fuel filter replacement. The light never flashed during that time - just remained solid. Once I removed the gas tank to get to the fuel filter, I had only a few cups of gas left to deal with.

[colinpollock]

Thanks very much. It's good to know that once that light comes on, there is no additional warning. Get fuel or else....

It's good to know a gallon is still in the tank too. I'd hate to be in the middle of nowhere and not know approxiamately how long it will be until I run out of gas...

Colin

[priapismic]

I have it on good authority - from a 50R owner who ran out of gas - that our bikes will take only 4.8 US gallons to fill it once it's dry. So much for that claimed 5.4 gal. capacity.

If I fill up when the light starts flashing, I'll put about 3.6 - 3.7 gallons in. If the light is on solid, about 3.8 gallons. That leaves me with a safety margin of approximately 1 US gallon, which should get me at least 40 miles down the road. Usually a bit more, but to be safe, I plan around that.

[chris]

Fuel aside, how do you like the R!

[colinpollock]

I love it. Just like my previous bike, I was apprehensive about buying a bike I've never ridden before. But 3 minutes into my maiden ride and I knew this bike is a keeper. 1000 miles under my belt on it and I've already dragged the footpegs a couple of times. I still have to outfit it with some goodies such as system cases. I'm looking forward to many more miles on my beemer...

Colin

[chris]

I love it. Just like my previous bike, I was apprehensive about buying a bike I've never ridden before. But 3 minutes into my maiden ride and I knew this bike is a keeper. 1000 miles under my belt on it and I've already dragged the footpegs a couple of times. I still have to outfit it with some goodies such as system cases. I'm looking forward to many more miles on my beemer...

Colin

I did the same, bought it unseen, unridden but as you say, it's a keeper!
Did notice that the spending seemed to really kick in after I got the bike... , ah well, no pockets in a shroud eh?

[challey]

Do you guys really have low fuel lights that flash? Mine's binary - either on or off. It does come on occasionaly when the bike is on the sidestand but goes off when upright for minute or two.
I can safely go about 40 miles around town or about 60 on the highway when it comes on.

[peterbulgar]

I have it on good authority - from a 50R owner who ran out of gas - that our bikes will take only 4.8 US gallons to fill it once it's dry. So much for that claimed 5.4 gal. capacity.

On a recent three-day ride around northern California I put 5.1 gallons in the tank at one stop, and that was just filled to the bottom of the filler opening.
peter '73 R75/5, '04 R1150RA

[Sit]

I pretty regularly will put about 4.5 gallons in my bike when the light comes on. I have ridden 30 more miles after the light and still had a good amount sloshing around in the tank at fill up. I too find that I get better mileage when I am out for a weekend ride through the hills. Normal for a tank while commuting is 140 miles. On a poker run around Mt Hood last year with lots of hill climbs and twisties, I hit 180miles as I pulled into a gas station and my light came on as I waited for a car to pull away from the pump. I figured the light had burned out and I was going to be walking some time soon. When I put the bike on the center stand though, was easy to hear gas moving in the tank and sounded like a good bit. I find too that filling on the center stand, you can get alot more in the tank. The flashing light is just due to the angle of the bike and the sensor in the tank. When my tank is low, I can get it to come on in a good lean or with a fast start or hard stop.

[priapismic]

Do you guys really have low fuel lights that flash? Mine's binary - either on or off. It does come on occasionaly when the bike is on the sidestand but goes off when upright for minute or two.
I can safely go about 40 miles around town or about 60 on the highway when it comes on.

I used the term "flashing" in my post perhaps inadvisedly .... I meant "intermittent on, then off". It'll do that a few times before it comes on and stays on. My bad.

[NHighCotton]

I have it on good authority - from a 50R owner who ran out of gas - that our bikes will take only 4.8 US gallons to fill it once it's dry. So much for that claimed 5.4 gal. capacity.

If I fill up when the light starts flashing, I'll put about 3.6 - 3.7 gallons in. If the light is on solid, about 3.8 gallons. That leaves me with a safety margin of approximately 1 US gallon, which should get me at least 40 miles down the road. Usually a bit more, but to be safe, I plan around that.

I filled up my first tank yesterday and ran 30 miles after the light came on, I was assuming that I would at least get 30mpg on 1.3 gals of reserve. I filled up to the bottom of the neck with 4.4 gals so, I think the 5.4 capacity is before Hans stuffs it with the sending unit and that damn filler neck.

To my surprise I got 49mpg on that tank, cool.

[paroyboy]

I filled up the other day with 197 miles on the tripmeter. That was about 3 miles after the light came on and it took 3.897 gallons. I ws kind of surprised by the 50.55mpg too. That tank did have a fair amount of highway miles on it though.

[gregor]

I get around 16 litres in once the light comes on- about 4 litres plus then left in the tank which is almost an imperial gallon (bigger than US gallon).
Went to 200 miles once before refuelling that was scary. Filling stations I were expecting to be open had just gone - leaving only concrete bases. This was on the A68 Darlington - Edinburgh road in the UK.

[Rog(UK) - Yorkshire Dales]

Greg. It wasn't you I saw in Northallerton on a Tiger Stripe was it? Last Saturday. I was gobsmacked to see a clone of mine!

Rog

[gregor]

Nope, was up that way last August. Mine is plain black.

[dragonmojo]

Thanks very much. It's good to know that once that light comes on, there is no additional warning. Get fuel or else....

It's good to know a gallon is still in the tank too. I'd hate to be in the middle of nowhere and not know approxiamately how long it will be until I run out of gas...

Colin

I plan my gas stops around miles transpired, roughly between 120 and 180 miles on the tripmeter depending on the area I'm travelling. Came too close once to running out of fuel in the middle of nowhere. Good thing to carry emergency needs (cellphone, water, etc). Also, I was also skeptical about the 5+ gallon specs, but a couple to few hours in the saddle between stops is a good break.