My new Ultra Limited has a quirky gas gauge and the motor company says this is normal:
When the tank drains to about 7/8 full the gauge starts bouncing and fluxuating to about a 3/4 full while riding and when you stop it goes back up. This bounce continues and the gauge starts dropping quickly and reads about half full. That is, at about 60 miles after fill up the gauge reads about 1/2 full while sitting still. When you begin to ride the needle drops down to the 1/4 full mark then goes back up to 1/2 when you stop. The other day the gauge red less than 1/8 full and the tank indicator said I still had about 100 miles left on the tank. In other words, the gauge is all over the place and you really can't get any idea by how the tank reads by where the needle rests.

I admit this is a small problem, but I've owned several harleys and never had a gauge behave like this. I took it to the dealer who called harley who told them that this 'bounce' was normal and they would not replace the gauge. They suggested adjusting the float. Of course, that didn't do anything. The dealer suggested that I call Harley and explain my dissatisfaction. I did and got a reference number. I then called the dealer to schedule a return visit. I have a feeling it will be a cold day in hell before they fix this................

 

Yup - worthless POS gauge. Ignore it. This is one thing Harley does poorly. I've never had a gas gauge worht paying attention to. The odometer is your friend.

 

Ummmm well compared to my 2008 I would say absolutely not NORMAL! My needle stays solid throughout the sweep range. The only thing Normal, is they are not deadly accurate. In my case I am on empty long before I am ready to run out of gas.

 

dont know how the electronics work, but it is peculiar that my remainder mileage seems to be very accurate.....so far. still only trust odometer.

 

Mine fluctuates, though hasn't ever done it as drastically as yours. And it's not even constant. I would say that yours isn't functioning within HD's guidelines of "normal".

That said, as the others do, I go by the remaining miles on the odometer. Much more accurate.

 

my 2009 gauge works right - really - but from what I've read here I can't figure out why

;^)

I know --- till it fails & I run out of gas, so i always reset my trip ... as others have told me here

 

Fairly accurate gas gauges have been around for a while now. No excuse why these are such garbage. Get in a headwind for a hundred miles and maybe push a little harder than normal and its hard to go by the odometer. Make them fix it for f*#k sakes. You just plopped down 20K plus. That has to come with a little service.

 

Both my RG & SG drop a gallon at the 3/4 mark, another at 1/2, another at 1/4 and another at Empty.
I have 2 gallons at Empty and the fuel light comes on with 1 gallon remaining.

 

I would say this is how mine reacts too. I have a gallon left when light comes on.

 

I don't subscribe to this philosophy. I can vary between 30 mpg to 45 mpg depending on what I'm doing with my right wrist. That can be a 90 mile difference per tank!

Get that fuel gauge fixed.