On several occasions my 2009 Iron 883 has literally been sputtering from lack of gas, I have limped it into a gas station, filled it up, and it has only taken 2.2 gallons.

I asked the guys at my local dealership about it and they were pretty adamant that the bike has a 2.2 gallon tank. However, every piece of info I have been able to find on this bike, including the Harley website, says it has a 3.3 gallon tank. I can't even find an OPTION for a 2.2 gallon.

Am I crazy?

 

I'd find another dealership to take your bike to for service. Obviously, yours doesn't know chit or they are just plain lazy and want to blow off your problem. I am assuming here that your are in fact running out of gas and not talking about the "Low Fuel" light which everyone knows is totally unreliable.

How many miles have you ridden when it ran out of gas?

 

You have a 3.3 gallon tank.
However, I'm not sure why you're sputtering yet can only get 2.2 gallons in there. I have the same size tank and can get around 80-95 miles before the low fuel light comes on. After that, I've been fine going another 30 miles before I start noticing some hesitation. When I fuel up, I can def get about 3 gallons in there.

 

On average, if the low fuel light comes on and I immediately (less than one mile riding) put gas in it, its usually a gallon or less till I'm full.

But no, three times I have had the bike sputtering and feeling like it was going to stop running. I found a gas station lickity-split-no-**** and looked in the tank. Couldn't see any gas. Put in 2.2 gallons (as much as it would hold) and rode off fine.

Like I said, I can only logically infer that the tank is only 2.2 But then why would everything I've seen say it should be 3.3?

Is it possible that there is some sort of internal switch that opens/closes a "reserve" tank?

 

i remember hearing/reading somewhere that it has 3.3 gal capacity but then they put the fuel pump in the tank which takes up fuel space, not sure tho...

 

I usually put about 2 gallons in when my low fuel light first comes on, have put 2.8 to 2.9galllons in when it's been a while to find a station but it wasn't sputtering at that point either.
I wonder if the fuel pick up tube is mounted too high in yours, I'd have the dealer pull the fuel pump and have a look.

 

My old manual says;
1995-1996
xlh883/xlh883 Hugger.........total 2.25 reserve .25

All other models................total 3.3 reserve .50

1997-2003 models............total 3.3 reserve .50

I ride a 1991 xlh1200 so my manual is old.

 

Well it seems everyone is in agreement that the tank should be 3.3 I'm gonna call the dealer again and try to work this out.

 

probably a pointless question but do you have a tank lift?

 

Nope. Totally factory standard.