Fuel Range on Odometer- Is it accurate?
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Tourer
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 330
Likes: 0
From: Norwalk, Ohio
Fuel Range on Odometer- Is it accurate?
I have an 08 SG. Does anyone know if the fuel range on the odometer is accurate. Mine seems to be pretty accurate, but I don't want to risk running out.
Road Warrior
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 1,321
Likes: 12
From: Shorewood IL
RE: Fuel Range on Odometer- Is it accurate?
I usually fill up pretty soon after the light comes on. I check mileage almost every time I get gas and it stays pretty much the same, between 40 and 44 mpg or about 200 to 220 miles on the odometer. I think most of the threads I have read, the odometer is the most used guage for gas mileage
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 3,159
Likes: 1,079
From: Brandon, Mississippi
RE: Fuel Range on Odometer- Is it accurate?
I like the Mileage to reserve function alot....Use it exlusive in the readout when riding. That said I think its accurate. But you also have to consider its fluid....Meaning lets sayyou have 100 miles on the reserve readout and you start running up a canyon it may be something less/depending on road conditions or perhaps more if you have alot of downhill up ahead. But for the sake of planning gas stops I love it. For an average I find it to be highly accurate. And theguage itself not as accurate after half. I do about 40 MPG on average for road riding.... Around town with shifting something noticeably less.
Intermediate
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 32
Likes: 0
RE: Fuel Range on Odometer- Is it accurate?
The remaing gas guage has proven to me that it is really accurate. It takes the reading from the tank and applies your current driving and calculates the remaining miles as it goes. I've fought wind and then filled up to find that I have 170 miles remaining on a full tank. The device considers the mileage you got on the last tank in its calculations. Once with the wind at my back for a while I filled up and the guage said "r 285" when it reset.
I've even noticed it changing as I drive. I've seen it add miles to the remaining gas because I was going downhill or the wind at my back. Once it went from 175 miles to 185 miles as I crossed the continental divide and travelled mostly down for a while.
It's really cool, it changes its readout based on conditions and speed and gas usage. I love it. I rely on it constantly and almost always have a full gallon reserve when I finally fill up. What it doesn't do is accurately reflect the number of miles on this particular tank of gas so don't use it to calculate mileage.
I've even noticed it changing as I drive. I've seen it add miles to the remaining gas because I was going downhill or the wind at my back. Once it went from 175 miles to 185 miles as I crossed the continental divide and travelled mostly down for a while.
It's really cool, it changes its readout based on conditions and speed and gas usage. I love it. I rely on it constantly and almost always have a full gallon reserve when I finally fill up. What it doesn't do is accurately reflect the number of miles on this particular tank of gas so don't use it to calculate mileage.
Novice
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 20
Likes: 0
From: Central Texas
RE: Fuel Range on Odometer- Is it accurate?
Left work the other night and in about 5 miles my low fuel light came on.....switched the odom over to "r" and it said 37 miles to go. 1/2 way home it was down to 26 while I was running 50 or so in traffic....cleared town and got back up over 70mph and the remaining mileage went up to 31 within a few miles. When I got home it was down to 19. Problem is.....I fired the bike up the next morning to go to work and the remaining mileage said 11. Not sure how well I'd trust the "r" mileage while running down the road after this.....or maybe I just shouldn't trust my wife to stay asleep at night.....must be sneakin' the bike out on me. 
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 3,159
Likes: 1,079
From: Brandon, Mississippi
RE: Fuel Range on Odometer- Is it accurate?
ORIGINAL: Txrealtor
Problem is.....I fired the bike up the next morning to go to work and the remaining mileage said 11. Not sure how well I'd trust the "r" mileage while running down the road after this.....or maybe I just shouldn't trust my wife to stay asleep at night.....must be sneakin' the bike out on me.
Problem is.....I fired the bike up the next morning to go to work and the remaining mileage said 11. Not sure how well I'd trust the "r" mileage while running down the road after this.....or maybe I just shouldn't trust my wife to stay asleep at night.....must be sneakin' the bike out on me.
It is not surprising to me that you would fire the bike up cold, it would be in "Rich mode" and that the calulation would have dropped to 11on a non moving andrunning bike. That to me says it is accurate. Anyway, at 19 miles to reserve you just needed to put gas in it....Most who have used the Reserve feature regular, have been convinced they are highly accurate. But conditions
will change and you see this feature accounting for them, and you did! Its doing exactly what it is suppose to do.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 20,616
Likes: 4,440
From: anacoco, la
RE: Fuel Range on Odometer- Is it accurate?
i just figure on filling up between 150-175 miles. i don't use the guage, or the light.
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Ultimate HDF Member
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 5,788
Likes: 203
From: SW Florida
RE: Fuel Range on Odometer- Is it accurate?
ORIGINAL: Donnylee
I like the Mileage to reserve function alot....Use it exlusive in the readout when riding. That said I think its accurate. But you also have to consider its fluid....Meaning lets sayyou have 100 miles on the reserve readout and you start running up a canyon it may be something less/depending on road conditions or perhaps more if you have alot of downhill up ahead. But for the sake of planning gas stops I love it. For an average I find it to be highly accurate. And theguage itself not as accurate after half. I do about 40 MPG on average for road riding.... Around town with shifting something noticeably less.
I like the Mileage to reserve function alot....Use it exlusive in the readout when riding. That said I think its accurate. But you also have to consider its fluid....Meaning lets sayyou have 100 miles on the reserve readout and you start running up a canyon it may be something less/depending on road conditions or perhaps more if you have alot of downhill up ahead. But for the sake of planning gas stops I love it. For an average I find it to be highly accurate. And theguage itself not as accurate after half. I do about 40 MPG on average for road riding.... Around town with shifting something noticeably less.
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Road Warrior
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 1,321
Likes: 12
From: Shorewood IL
RE: Fuel Range on Odometer- Is it accurate?
I thought this was about using the odometer instead of the gas guage or gas light. You guys are talking about a miles to empty read out on your odometer? Is this an 08 thing, or just something I should have read about in my owners manual? Silly me, do I have to read that thing?
Tourer
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 259
Likes: 17
From: Montana
RE: Fuel Range on Odometer- Is it accurate?
I have an 08 RK and have added a power commander and exhaust/air cleaner mods, so I have checked the remaining fuel readouts quite often along with actual fuel mileage to see how these mods have effected the bike. Before and after the mods I have found the remaining miles read out very accurate. Far more accurate than the gauge has ever been. And I've run the bike 35+ miles beyond where the fuel light came on (which comes on at about 40-42 remaining) andat that point (after the 35 moremiles) the remaining miles just readsLO. If I remember correctlyit changed to LO when it droppedbelow 10 miles left and I put about 5.8 something gallons in it.