r odometer calibration
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Cruiser
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 244
Likes: 1
From: Houston, TX
r odometer calibration
I've been riding my '09 Street Bob for about a month and 1,600 miles. This is the first time I have run the gas tank down to the bottom of the red zone on the fuel gage.
The "r" odometer is supposed to display the remaining miles of fuel in your tank (according to the owner's manual). When I fill up, it usually shows 180 or 190, or something close to that. Never paid much attention to it at fill up. I ride 4 miles home from work every day. Nothing different today. About 1/2 way home, the low fuel indicator light comes on, so I click the odometer button until it reads out r 23. I'm thinking that means I have 23 miles of gas remaining. When I got home (2 miles later) the odometer read r 13. And the fuel gage is pegged on empty.
Nice calibration by the Harley engineers. (add sarcasm icon) Why add a feature if it doesn't work? Lucky I live within "pushing distance" to the nearest gas station. But I hope it doesn't come to that.
I might just add a little bit of lawnmower gas to the Street Bob to make sure I get to the gas station.
The "r" odometer is supposed to display the remaining miles of fuel in your tank (according to the owner's manual). When I fill up, it usually shows 180 or 190, or something close to that. Never paid much attention to it at fill up. I ride 4 miles home from work every day. Nothing different today. About 1/2 way home, the low fuel indicator light comes on, so I click the odometer button until it reads out r 23. I'm thinking that means I have 23 miles of gas remaining. When I got home (2 miles later) the odometer read r 13. And the fuel gage is pegged on empty.
Nice calibration by the Harley engineers. (add sarcasm icon) Why add a feature if it doesn't work? Lucky I live within "pushing distance" to the nearest gas station. But I hope it doesn't come to that.
I might just add a little bit of lawnmower gas to the Street Bob to make sure I get to the gas station.
Club Member
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 10,815
Likes: 16
From: Virginia
I don't have the miles remaining thing on mine since it's an 07 but I do have the low gas light and a gas guage but I don't trust either one. I still reset the odometer at every gas stop and fill up again around 150 miles or 125 if it's mainly city riding.
Road Warrior
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 1,333
Likes: 3
From: Jefferson, Oregon
The read out is a computer estimation and can change as your riding style changes (wide open blasts, fast take offs or just cruising at 55 mph) and is based off the fuel gauge itself.
I know mine will read 202 when I fill it up, and I ride 40 miles round trip to work and back...I get 130-140 miles before it's saying zero and the light sometimes comes on.
I'm also only able to get 3.5 gallons in there too.
My suggestion, do what most do and trust your ODO, not the computer or the gauge and you'll be happier. This is my first bike with both the computer read out and a gauge so I'm used to just using the ODO. *shrug*
I know mine will read 202 when I fill it up, and I ride 40 miles round trip to work and back...I get 130-140 miles before it's saying zero and the light sometimes comes on.
I'm also only able to get 3.5 gallons in there too.
My suggestion, do what most do and trust your ODO, not the computer or the gauge and you'll be happier. This is my first bike with both the computer read out and a gauge so I'm used to just using the ODO. *shrug*
Thread Starter
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Cruiser
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 244
Likes: 1
From: Houston, TX
I was more worried about riding in the rain than I was about running out of gas. I should have checked the gas before leaving for work yesterday morning. My bad!
I shouldn't complain. Even though the high tech fuel gage isn't perfect, it probably saved me from "running on empty" this morning. I'm trusting the r 13 will get me to the gas station 2 miles down the road.
Road Warrior
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 1,699
Likes: 2
From: Deltona, FL
Don't worry too much about it. The range to empty estimate is at best a guestimate. Official capacity for the Street Bob is 4.8 gallons. You can suck it down to bone dry, I've done it on my Fat Bob on purpose. I always do with every bike I own. I like to know exactly how far I can go. If you calculate conservatively with a mix of city and highway riding (38MPG) you should be able to hit 182 miles before you run out of gas.
Always trust your Odometer, never trust the gauge. When I pushed my Fat Bob to empty, I had 204 miles showing on the Odometer, but I have a 5 gal tank. I normally see my light come on around 150 miles which means that I still have at least 50 miles before I'm actually out of gas.
Just my $0.02.
Always trust your Odometer, never trust the gauge. When I pushed my Fat Bob to empty, I had 204 miles showing on the Odometer, but I have a 5 gal tank. I normally see my light come on around 150 miles which means that I still have at least 50 miles before I'm actually out of gas.
Just my $0.02.
Thread Starter
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Cruiser
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 244
Likes: 1
From: Houston, TX
I agree 100%.
Another 3 miles after the r 13 reading, and it changed to r Lo
Filled up. 4.12 gallons.
Trip Odometer 175.1 miles
r Odometer 179 miles
I'm thinking there was another 25 miles worth of gas in the tank.
When I read 150 miles on the trip odometer, it's a good time to start looking for a gas stop.
Another 3 miles after the r 13 reading, and it changed to r Lo
Filled up. 4.12 gallons.
Trip Odometer 175.1 miles
r Odometer 179 miles
I'm thinking there was another 25 miles worth of gas in the tank.
When I read 150 miles on the trip odometer, it's a good time to start looking for a gas stop.
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Club Member
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 753
Likes: 0
From: Yakima, WA
I have found my gas gauge to be very accurate. I rely on it exclusively and it hasn't let me down.
I really pushed it Tuesday though. I was running some fuel system cleaner through it and I wanted to empty the whole tank before refilling. I took off estimating that I had just the right amount of fuel to get to Ellensburg with no gas stations in between. When I got there I put 4.772 gallons into my 4.8 gallon tank!
Steve
I really pushed it Tuesday though. I was running some fuel system cleaner through it and I wanted to empty the whole tank before refilling. I took off estimating that I had just the right amount of fuel to get to Ellensburg with no gas stations in between. When I got there I put 4.772 gallons into my 4.8 gallon tank!
Steve
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