Gas mileage on a new 48
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Intermediate
Joined: Aug 2019
Posts: 41
Likes: 20
From: Colorado
Gas mileage on a new 48
I just got a 2020 48 sportster about a month and a half ago. I am getting about 40 to 50 miles before the gas light comes on. Is this because it is new? Will it get better gas mileage down the road? It has about 230 miles on it and I can not believe that it does not go very far before it runs out of gas and the light comes on! I know it is not out of gas when the light comes on and I know that it is a small tank but man it is surprising.
When the light comes on, it usually takes about 1.4 to 1.6 gallons to fill it back up. One time, to see how far I can actually go, I ran it till it was sputtering, all the way out of gas and the trip A odometer reading was like 65 miles!
When the light comes on, it usually takes about 1.4 to 1.6 gallons to fill it back up. One time, to see how far I can actually go, I ran it till it was sputtering, all the way out of gas and the trip A odometer reading was like 65 miles!
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 5,067
Likes: 394
From: Edmonton Alberta Canada
Yup, that 2.2 gallon peanut tank is pretty but range is not it's strong suit, 50 miles to the light and 70 to pushing on the side of the road seems to be the normal, my 3.3 peanut is slightly better at about 80 to the light and 100 to dead.
Tourer
Joined: Jan 2017
Posts: 348
Likes: 122
From: Wichita
I bought a new 2018 48. Bone stock, from day 1, 45 to 48 mpg. However I use non ethanol premium gas which is about 8% better mileage. My light comes on about 65, 70 miles. I think owners manual say 45 mph +- or so. When I fill it I really stuff it in about eight of an inch above the stop plate
Last edited by blacktop37; May 5, 2020 at 07:35 PM.
Road Warrior
Joined: Nov 2015
Posts: 1,278
Likes: 465
From: anywhere
my 2005 with the 3.2 gallon tank gets 130 miles before I turn on the reserve and I have gone another 40 miles before filling up and still not out of gas. That is running at 75 miles an hour on the highway
Road Warrior
Joined: Nov 2015
Posts: 1,278
Likes: 465
From: anywhere
mpg
I just got a 2020 48 sportster about a month and a half ago. I am getting about 40 to 50 miles before the gas light comes on. Is this because it is new? Will it get better gas mileage down the road? It has about 230 miles on it and I can not believe that it does not go very far before it runs out of gas and the light comes on! I know it is not out of gas when the light comes on and I know that it is a small tank but man it is surprising.
When the light comes on, it usually takes about 1.4 to 1.6 gallons to fill it back up. One time, to see how far I can actually go, I ran it till it was sputtering, all the way out of gas and the trip A odometer reading was like 65 miles!
When the light comes on, it usually takes about 1.4 to 1.6 gallons to fill it back up. One time, to see how far I can actually go, I ran it till it was sputtering, all the way out of gas and the trip A odometer reading was like 65 miles!
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 5,067
Likes: 394
From: Edmonton Alberta Canada
The FI tanks from 07 and up have the fuel pump in the tank which consumes a half a gallon or so of fuel space.
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Road Warrior
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 1,686
Likes: 242
From: Glen Mills, PA
I used to reset the trip at fill up and then get gas at or before 60 miles. If you are flogging it then 40 could be right. If you are modding it with pipes and breather it means you can pump more fuel through the bike and the mpg goes down.
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Tourer
Joined: Apr 2020
Posts: 490
Likes: 271
From: PNW
OP said 40 to 50 BEFORE the light comes ON, not 40-50mpg!!!
That is really bad mileage. At what RPM do you shift? How much do you bend the cable (peg the twisty thing)? If I ride hard, the light can come on as low as 51 miles and I've seen as high as 79 miles just putting around mountain roads. Try different stations, make sure you fill to the neck, and try shifting sooner and letting the torque do its job. Then post back results.
That is really bad mileage. At what RPM do you shift? How much do you bend the cable (peg the twisty thing)? If I ride hard, the light can come on as low as 51 miles and I've seen as high as 79 miles just putting around mountain roads. Try different stations, make sure you fill to the neck, and try shifting sooner and letting the torque do its job. Then post back results.
Club Member
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 45,429
Likes: 2,897
From: Bedford UK
You have not run out of gas when the light comes on! It's little different to reaching reserve on an old style gas tank with carb, as you have a reserve. The light is your guide to alert you to refuel within a certain mileage, which you have to learn. I've been riding for over 50 years and we each of us have to go through a brief learning curve, with each new bike we buy. You now know you can ride 50 miles before the light come on. Refuel asap, to measure how much gas you put in. Your owners manual tells you your tank capacity, so you know how much fuel remained when you just refuelled. You now know how far you can actually ride before running dry. I suspect you can ride 100 miles before refuelling, however work that out for yourself. That should still provide a small amount of fuel for a few extra miles!
Ride on and enjoy! Beware that your fuel consumption may increase, not improve, as you get more familiar with your new bike and start riding it more enthusiastically.
Ride on and enjoy! Beware that your fuel consumption may increase, not improve, as you get more familiar with your new bike and start riding it more enthusiastically.
Last edited by grbrown; May 7, 2020 at 03:44 AM.