Hey Everyone!

I recently purchased a 2017 Harley Sportster 48. I was driving on the freeway home and noticed the fuel light came on. When does the fuel light come on with these bikes? Also what is the Miles per tank or per gallon?

 

Any answer I give is just a WAG.I have 4 HD's from '76- 18 and none are the same. My suggestion is get a 1 gallon gas can fill it up and fill your bike. Ride till the light comes and take note how far you've gone. Then ride till empty. Then you will know what YOUR BIKE does.

 

The fuel light is useless. Use your trip odometer. That way you have a better idea of how urgent is a gas stop when the light comes on.

 

Hi, Gameover48, I'll chime in here with my first post.

I bought a new 2019 48 Special a year and half ago and have 57XX miles on it so here's my experience with the fuel light.

The fuel light is certainly not useless as it's the only indication at all as to the gas capacity and it has been very accurate for me. It should illumine at half a gallon left to act as a "reserve." Resetting the tripmeter has shown it will come on anywhere from 51-75 miles after full. Most of the time I have filled up within another 5 miles of the light's illumination and the pump is pretty consistent in saying it took 1.6 gallons US to fill up. I have seen 1.4 and 1.8 as well. It just depends how far to the next station.

Now what is NOT consistent is the MPG. The spec sheet says "48 MPG" which is cute since it matches the name. But the numbers as above would say anywhere from 32-47MPG using 1.6 gallons. Thus I fully rely on the light and not miles driven as that is the least accurate means of gas usage.

What factors cause this discrepancy in MPG? Believe me, I have tried to find out. Some of the best tanks I was ripping it hard and others just putting around so throttle usage doesn't seem to affect it. The most consistent number is 64 miles when the light appears (40MPG). Last fall it was down into the 50s before the light so I checked the tires and they need almost 5PSI which immediately helped the next tank. Other times it has been the weather being cold or maybe the station itself. There are several expensive stations near me and one cheap one not-so-near. The cheap one seems to provide better mileage.

In the end, I completely and fully rely on the light as the miles used differs extremely from tank from tank. If I always went to 70ish miles I probably would have been stranded a time or two. Using the light tells me when I've hit the "0.5" range to empty and I reset the tripmeter every tank which gives me the MPG. Hope this helps!

 

It means you need to pull into a gas station and get some gas some time soon. No need to panic, but your gas is getting low. It's a warning. You usually have 40 or 50 miles or so before you run out, but it could be less so don't take a chance.

It's miles per gallon.

 

Doesn't the light come on when the tank is 1/3 full like with the 3.3G tanks? If so...

Reset Trip A when you fill the tank up.
Look at Trip A when the gas light, lights up.
Divide that distance by two.
That is your maximum range left.
Reset Trip B at the same time and remember what your remaining range was.

 

I really appreciate the detailed response this is going to help me with my bike and insuring I’m not out stranded anywhere! I really do against appreciate this thanks so much!!

 

Very close, actually. Book says Low Fuel Light at 0.65gal. That's 31% of full. In my experience, even when going immediately to the station (within a few blocks), I will fill up 1.5 to 1.6 gallons. I figure I've got half a gallon with the light. If there's a few more drips in there well, I've erred on the side of caution.

 

Here's the thing after 40 years on an HD - Bike to bike with in the same model, the reading could be and usually is different. So what works on yours may not be right on his. I had an xl1200 that the light occasionally would not light up (and it was a 2 to 3 yr old bike). I had a WG where it would light up on the fumes or with 3 gals left.

My advice, today if you want rely on the light. You'll do this until its 2am and youre by yourself and the stations are closed - ask me how I know. Go by the miles on the tankful. But we each have our secret sauce.

 

I'll just take your advice, then: I'll do what works for me and what HD designed since it's been completely accurate for over 5800 miles. The light is the ONLY way I know how much gas I have left as, like I've already explained, the engine MPG is all over the map. If I used your method, I'd be running out in the middle of nowhere since it either gets 30 or 45 mpg and anywhere in between. Maybe they improved the technology since the Dynas? (WG has a gas gauge which Sporties don't). In fact, it just came on today. I drove a mile to the gas station and put in 1.45 gallons. Pretty. Darn. Accurate. Again.