Question about Fuel remaining display

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Jul 23, 2009 | 09:20 AM

beary

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Joined: Mar 2007

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From: Edmond Oklahoma

Question about Fuel remaining display

Hi All

Typically the display shows between 240 and 250 r after I fill up. But it only showed 218 on my last fill up. Well it stayed between 215 and 218 mile for about 35 miles then started to tick down as normal. Did I do anything wrong on the last fill up? What tells it how much is in the tank?

I have been wondering how accurate these things are, so I ran it down to 10 Miles Remaining on the last tank and it took 5.5 gallons to fill up again. That seems pretty good.

Beary

Jul 23, 2009 | 09:52 AM

Jeepin79

Road Master

Joined: Jan 2009

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From: Chicago Burbs

I was told when I bought mine to watch total miles on a tank and not to trust the miles remaining or the gas gauge because they are not very accurate. Mine always shows that I have 250 or more miles remaining when I fill up. I usually get to about 175 miles on the tank when I gas it back up, at that point the gas gauge is sitting on "E". It usually shows that I have 70-80 miles remaining at that point and will take about 4.5 gallons.

Jul 23, 2009 | 10:10 AM

emwolb

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Joined: Aug 2008

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From: eastern oklahoma

i usually fill up with the six gallon tank at 200 miles or so. and reset the trip meter each tank. better to fill up than to expect to get the last drop out, and end up on the side of the road.

Jul 23, 2009 | 10:21 AM

beary

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From: Edmond Oklahoma

Quote:

Originally Posted by emwolb

i usually fill up with the six gallon tank at 200 miles or so. and reset the trip meter each tank. better to fill up than to expect to get the last drop out, and end up on the side of the road.

Yes, I agree. But I kind of want to use the extra gallon they added in 08, so I've been watching just to see how close the indicators work. I typically back it up with the trip-meter.

The fuel remaining indicator should be pretty accurate because they measure the fuel-flow and mine has been pretty accurate so far. Last week I rode 77mph into a 25mph headwind. My first clue that I was getting really bad mileage was the fuel remaining indicator dropping fast. That was one time the trip meter was worthless.

What I don't understand is why the indicator didn't reset to 250. Just wondering how they reset themselves.

Beary

Jul 23, 2009 | 10:27 AM

krussell

Cruiser

Joined: Jul 2007

Posts: 138

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From: Tigard, OR

There are two pieces of information available that combined result in the miles to go number. One is the systems perception of how much fuel is in the tank, the other is the systems perception of how much fuel you are using.

I regularly run mine down to 30-40 miles to go and put about five gallons in. This seems about right, indicate that it things I should get 30-40 miles out of that last gallon.

I think the float that determines fuel remaining is pretty accurate. I think that the fuel consumption measurement is accurate as well. The miles to go is in theory then accurate at "any given time."

The trick for the rider is how to interpret the miles to go based on what you know about the miles recently completed and the miles that you have ahead of you. If you have just had a 6000 ft decent with a tail wind and your miles to go is 50, and you are about to turn around and do a 6000 ft climb into the wind, you are not going to get 50 miles. You have to compensate for the differences. The miles to go when you fill the tank is interesting, but is in no way any sort of absolute range. A lot can happen to vary consumption over that 200 miles.

If the conditions of your last say five miles of riding are consistent with the conditions under which you will ride the remaining fuel, then the miles to go can be very accurate.

Every once in a while I'll watch it, see what it says, add the miles to go to the odometer, and see where I end up based on what it thought. Another trick is to watch the miles to go and when it gets to 50 or 100 just reset one of your trip meters and then compare.

Jul 23, 2009 | 10:43 AM

beary

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Joined: Mar 2007

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From: Edmond Oklahoma

Quote:

Originally Posted by krussell

Another trick is to watch the miles to go and when it gets to 50 or 100 just reset one of your trip meters and then compare.

Yes, I've been doing this and it has been pretty accurate. As I said eariler, I was very impressed how the indicator worked with the headwind. I was probably getting about 30 miles per gallon and it was indication that I needed stop for gas because I wasn't going to make my destination.

Being a pilot, I'm used to relying on a fuel flow meter and so far this has been the next best inidcator to that.

I don't get why the gas guage sits on empty when I still have a couple of gallons left in the tank. My 02 RK guage worked a lot better than that.

Beary

Jul 23, 2009 | 11:02 AM

IslandGlide

Cruiser

Joined: Nov 2007

Posts: 236

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From: Charlottetown Prince Edward Island

I'm finding the same inaccurate gas guage on my 09 SG as well. 60 miles (100km) left on the countdown, but the guage is on empty. When I fill though, the countdown seema accurate based on hom much fuel it takes to fill. The interesting question is, how low will it go before you are on the roadside?