95 miles before fuel light comes on
Elite HDF Member
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 4,351
Likes: 461
From: Illinois
Ok, just filled up the tank. Bike took 3.39 gallons to fill completely. If it's a five gallon tank I must've had about a little over a gallon and a half left in the tank.
So...if I divide what I filled up and multiply by the miles traveled according to my trip meter (96 miles) from last fill up then I'm getting about 28mpg.
My math sound about right?
So...if I divide what I filled up and multiply by the miles traveled according to my trip meter (96 miles) from last fill up then I'm getting about 28mpg.
My math sound about right?
As long as the tank was full when the trip meter was set.
Dennis
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 23,399
Likes: 8,509
From: Spartan Country, Michigan
Some call me ****, but i like to know.... I record every gallon of fuel my bike uses. I have a small spreadsheet that I enter the essentials and it will calculate my fuel mileage. I always use the trip odometer. I had Sporty previous to the SG and I used the tripometer as my fuel gage. I have fuel gage in the SG and still use the odometer. But I do know I can get 200-230 on a tank of fuel. I use the fuel gage as reference only.
Suggestion.... fill your tank. Reset to 0.0... ride 100 miles and re-fill. See what you used. Increase the mileage until you know the range of miles you can ride on 4 gal (if 5 gal tank).... then continue to use your odometer as your fuel gage. If you're getting less than 35mpg, it's either your riding style or an engine issue.
wish there was a way i could plug a spreadsheet in here to share....
Suggestion.... fill your tank. Reset to 0.0... ride 100 miles and re-fill. See what you used. Increase the mileage until you know the range of miles you can ride on 4 gal (if 5 gal tank).... then continue to use your odometer as your fuel gage. If you're getting less than 35mpg, it's either your riding style or an engine issue.
wish there was a way i could plug a spreadsheet in here to share....
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Mar 2014
Posts: 15,365
Likes: 24,244
From: NC, USA
After every fill on the SG I zero out the odometer. I start looking for fuel around the 150 mark just as a benchmark. I also carry a Reda 1 gallon can with me so I rarely stress over fuel, best money you can spend if you only use it once.
Thread Starter
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Advanced
Joined: Jul 2014
Posts: 56
Likes: 0
From: Pueblo
Some call me ****, but i like to know.... I record every gallon of fuel my bike uses. I have a small spreadsheet that I enter the essentials and it will calculate my fuel mileage. I always use the trip odometer. I had Sporty previous to the SG and I used the tripometer as my fuel gage. I have fuel gage in the SG and still use the odometer. But I do know I can get 200-230 on a tank of fuel. I use the fuel gage as reference only.
Suggestion.... fill your tank. Reset to 0.0... ride 100 miles and re-fill. See what you used. Increase the mileage until you know the range of miles you can ride on 4 gal (if 5 gal tank).... then continue to use your odometer as your fuel gage. If you're getting less than 35mpg, it's either your riding style or an engine issue.
wish there was a way i could plug a spreadsheet in here to share....
Suggestion.... fill your tank. Reset to 0.0... ride 100 miles and re-fill. See what you used. Increase the mileage until you know the range of miles you can ride on 4 gal (if 5 gal tank).... then continue to use your odometer as your fuel gage. If you're getting less than 35mpg, it's either your riding style or an engine issue.
wish there was a way i could plug a spreadsheet in here to share....
Road Warrior
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 1,423
Likes: 535
From: Oregon
I have a 2003 Road King injected. My low fuel light comes on with about .6 gallons left. I get about 40 mpg. I always fill the tank until the level is just over the plate at the top of the tank. What mods have been done to your bike? I've never gotten less that 32 going into a strong headwind.
Good lick
Good lick
Cruiser
Joined: Mar 2014
Posts: 125
Likes: 9
From: Temple Terrace FL
I was riding into work a couple of weeks ago. I left the house, trip meter said 54 miles left. I live less than 15 miles to the gas station I usually fill up at on the way to work. Less than 10 miles down the road the damn trip meter was down to 24, so a bit of advise to everyone out there, DONT TRUST IT, after the light comes on, it goes fast. I can usually go 200-220 before I fill up, so I am going off the speedometer from now on. Greenhell, my fuel light comes on around 50 miles remaining.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 9,984
Likes: 5,220
From: Michigan
I bought a new 2000 Ultra Classic and in stock form I got about 42 MPG's highway driving at 70 or so MPH.
After having the "95" Big Bore Kit, and a Stage II upgrade my mileage dropped to 40 MPG's at the same highway speed.
Increasing the MPH's of the stock engine or after having the work done of course dropped my MPG's and at 80 MPH's it dropped my bike to 33-34 MPG's.
I now had a '13 CV Ultra with the 110 engine and it has had the "cat" removed, true dual exhaust added with a tuner and has been dyno'ed and I get about 40 MPG's at 70 or so MPH.
I ride with a friend who has a 103, set-up pretty much the same way as mine and at every fuel stop we're almost identical in fuel consumption.
If you're riding your bike only in town that could explain your seemingly bad mileage.
I'd suggest a short (100 miles or so) just to check your mileage.
Another thing I'd suggest that you do is to check/clean your a/c filter and spark plugs.
In my 44+ years of riding a motorcycle, I've never carried an external fuel canister of any kind. However, I do carry an 8' plastic siphon hose...just in case.
After having the "95" Big Bore Kit, and a Stage II upgrade my mileage dropped to 40 MPG's at the same highway speed.
Increasing the MPH's of the stock engine or after having the work done of course dropped my MPG's and at 80 MPH's it dropped my bike to 33-34 MPG's.
I now had a '13 CV Ultra with the 110 engine and it has had the "cat" removed, true dual exhaust added with a tuner and has been dyno'ed and I get about 40 MPG's at 70 or so MPH.
I ride with a friend who has a 103, set-up pretty much the same way as mine and at every fuel stop we're almost identical in fuel consumption.
If you're riding your bike only in town that could explain your seemingly bad mileage.
I'd suggest a short (100 miles or so) just to check your mileage.
Another thing I'd suggest that you do is to check/clean your a/c filter and spark plugs.
In my 44+ years of riding a motorcycle, I've never carried an external fuel canister of any kind. However, I do carry an 8' plastic siphon hose...just in case.
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Joe Kucinski
Advanced
Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 97
Likes: 13
From: West Central Wisconsin
On my 2007 Ultra, fuel light comes on at 145-150 miles. Filling it takes less than four gallons and average 39 MPG. Remember, you'll never get five gallons in the tank sitting on the jiffy stand. You would have to have the bike sitting straight up to completely fill it.
