Finally ran out of Gas

Gcontroller

New Member
Joined
Mar 18, 2013
Messages
43
Location
California
Wanted to push the gas mileage and see what I could do on reserve. Well I did it today. I actually ran out of gas on the I5 freeway today just before the Lyons offramp which was up hill. Felt the bike shut down a couple of times when I gassed it so I pulled in the clutch in sixth gear and coasted right off the freeway dead engine and all right into a gas station. I was actually laughing at the thought that I just may not make it so close. But I did. Glad I took the short way home today. Strange thing is I only was able to put 5.48 gallons into the tank after 251.8 miles an average of 45.9 mpg. Of those miles 51.1 were on reserve according to the display. I use the Fuelly app so I track all my miles. On my 4th fuel up I put in 5.51 gallons at 229.2 miles for an average of 41.6 mpg but I seem to remember I was on reserve for only 25 miles. Anyway I don't think I will be able to use all the as advertised 6 gallon tank but overall great mileage. So after exatcly on month I managed 1651 miles. Love the bike.
 

AlsoRan

Member
Joined
Sep 7, 2011
Messages
467
Location
West Coast
You must have made the Chevron station at Lyons? I remember climbing up the hill on 89 trying to get to Flagstaff but pulled off at the first station a few miles out of town with 238 miles. Just didn't want to risk it not knowing where the next station was but probably could have made 250.
 

thfraser

New Member
2012 Site Supporter
2013 Site Supporter
Joined
Jul 12, 2012
Messages
563
Location
Northern VA
I ran out a few months ago on mine. I had to call for road side service to bring me some gas. I had about 240 miles on mine when it ran out. Since they put in about a gallon of gas and the next station was a few miles away, it also appeared that I was only able to put in slightly more than 5.5 gallons. I wonder if the fuel filler tube in the tank has something to do with it.

Based on my experience and running it low a few times, I'm good for about 40 miles after the low fuel indicator comes on. And that is if I don't dog it. I've done the 40 mile thing a few times now.
 

trikepilot

Active Member
2014 Site Supporter
Joined
Aug 21, 2012
Messages
1,184
Location
Roanoke, VA - Past: Asheville, NC & Fayetteville,
Good info. I have wanted to know what I had left in the bike once the low light comes on.

I almost found out a few days ago. At the last minute, I decided to try the work commute on the S10 so I swapped everything over to my bike bags. In the process, I did not look through the pockets of my backpack and I did NOT transfer over my money clip with ID, debit cards and cash. I drove off to work in 60 degree temps oblivious. The next morning when I came out of the hospital it was 38 degrees and I was going to see if my gamble to commute on the bike would reward me with a chilly 20 minutes ride home. Well, I must have not been paying attention on the ride in the night before but the S10's fuel gauge was blinking as "low." I had no idea how long it had been doing this - for the full 22 miles to work or less? And to make matters worse, I had just replaced the stay on the front end of the bike and in doing so the speedo had to be unhooked which reset the trip odo. So I had no idea how many miles I had on the tank. So there I was with a low fuel light blinking, no wallet, and no idea of how far I could go - all the while contemplating a 22 mile ride home. So I had no choice but to take my chances. I hypermiled the S10 home trying to milk the throttle so that the mpg gauge maxed out as much as I could. I ended up making it home and found that there was a cupful or two of fuel sloshing around the bottom of the tank.

I will take it that I can get 40-50 miles once the light comes on based upon what ya'll are reporting. Does the S10 tank have a "feature" like the KLR650 where you can lay the bike on its left side to shift fuel to the dependent side of the tank that holds the fuel drain?
 

greg the pole

There are no stupid questions, only stupid people
Joined
Apr 18, 2012
Messages
3,343
Location
Calgary AB
interesting read.
I love the fact that my us imported bike shows both mpg and L/100 km.
for the most part, the best I have ever seen was close to 400KM to one tank, and about a liter and a half left over. That would translate to about 5.25L/100 Km, or 44.8 mpg.
I'm sure I can do better, but this was on the highway, and not in town. In town, she drinks about 5.75-6.5l/100 km, depending on how giddy I feel with it.

I have run out once, in the middle of no where, but luckily my 1 Gal rotopax saved my ass.
On our cali trip, my buddy ran out twice on his zx14r, and I had to bail him out with the rotopax. it's paid for itself.
 

Icecold Dan

New Member
Joined
Jan 30, 2013
Messages
128
Location
Cape Fear Coast
This is interesting. My low fuel indicator comes on in the 160-170 mile range. I've only gone as far as 20 miles before filling up, but when I do, It never takes more then 4.5 gallons. I should run it dry a few times so I have a more accurate understanding of the actual mileage I should expect. My concern is that there are a few long distances between gas stops on the TLH that I will be running this summer. Trying to decide if a rotopak will be needed.
 

Rasher

Active Member
2012 Site Supporter
2013 Site Supporter
Joined
Sep 25, 2011
Messages
1,955
Location
UK
Can you guys use litres :question: At least they're the same size the world over :exclaim:

I typically get the light at 165-175 miles and can only get about 18 litres in at that point, which indicates another 5L to "empty" and implies another 50 miles at a 10 miles / Litrepace, and I reckon if I kept speed below 60mph I could get 12M/L. I know others here have posted @50 miles from light to conked out which sounds about right.

One thing I am certain of is that most bikes will not drain the tank, without bowls like carbs of yesteryear as soon as the fuel pump does not have a constant feed of fuel to pressurize for the FI system the bike will stop.

I have had this before on my first FI bike, you could hear the fuel sloshing in the tank and the bike would start, but as soon as you tried to ride of the bike would stall, in cintrast on older carb bikes I have managed to go fro miles after the first splutter by gently weaving from side to side to get all of the fuel out of the tank and into the carbs leaving a bone dry tank before stopping.

I reckon the last litre will never be useable, BMW actually quoted useable fuel capacity for the GS and I believe from brand new a tank would hold 20L, but they gave 19L as the useable capacity.

I assume the Tenere is similar and take it once the light is on I probably only have 4 litres left which is a fairly easy 40 miles if I don't go mad, and maybe 50 miles if I ride really steady.
 

EricV

Riding, farkling, riding...
2011 Site Supporter
2012 Site Supporter
2013 Site Supporter
2014 Site Supporter
Joined
May 22, 2011
Messages
8,227
Location
Tupelo, MS
Everyone's reserve is slightly to majorly different. The float arm on the fuel pump is a tight fit into the tank and if it gets tweaked during installation, you could have a larger reserve, or a smaller one, depending on which way it gets bent.

I've seen 2.5 gallon reserves and 1 gallon reserves. Bottom line, you're never going to get that last .2 gallons, so once you figure out how much of the 6 gallons you have remaining when you hit reserve, you can come pretty close to figuring out how many miles you can expect under your 'normal' riding conditions. That instant MPG calculator is great when you're looking at how many miles to a gas station and you have an idea how many gallons of gas you have left. I've traveled at 50 mph for a while. staring hard at the instant mpg indicator, and hoping I'll get to the gas station before I run out. (I did)
 

luckylindy

New Member
Joined
Sep 3, 2012
Messages
23
Location
Cottonwood, AZ
If you will punch some holes in the side of the filler neck, at the top, to let the air out of the built in gas expansion area and put the bike on the center stand or stand it upright, you can get close to 6 gal. in it, if it is really empty.
 

Gcontroller

New Member
Joined
Mar 18, 2013
Messages
43
Location
California
luckylindy said:
If you will punch some holes in the side of the filler neck, at the top, to let the air out of the built in gas expansion area and put the bike on the center stand or stand it upright, you can get close to 6 gal. in it, if it is really empty.
Wait what? Punch holes, filler neck, how do you do that? Have you done that? Not a great idea but not a bad one either? Tell me more about the built in gas expansion area where does the gas go?
 

macca

New Member
Founding Member
Joined
Oct 18, 2010
Messages
250
Location
Fog on the Tyne UK
Gcontroller said:
Wait what? Punch holes, filler neck, how do you do that? Have you done that? Not a great idea but not a bad one either? Tell me more about the built in gas expansion area where does the gas go?
Its a mod that was /is? popular with the old 1150 GS(A) owners, did it myself when I had one. The filler neck just under the fuel cap is holed somewhere near the top and this lefts the air out of the tank when filling up so in theory you can fill to the bottom of the punched hole instead of the filler neck. Without a hole its difficult/slow trying to fill past the bottom of the filler neck as the air cant escape easily and the tank tends to burb a bit. I've not bothered with this mod on my S10 as I can get a good 250miles out of a standard tank with care/planning if needed and that is more miles than my butt can stand. One thing to note is if you do this mod only fill up that high if you are going to immediately ride off and do a good few miles as if left parked when full (side or main stand) or only ridden a short way the fuel will expand and leak out the overflows. I'd say for every extra litre you get in due to the mod you need to ride 10miles or so before parking (to get the airbubble back at the top of the tank).
 

Gcontroller

New Member
Joined
Mar 18, 2013
Messages
43
Location
California
macca said:
Its a mod that was /is? popular with the old 1150 GS(A) owners, did it myself when I had one. The filler neck just under the fuel cap is holed somewhere near the top and this lefts the air out of the tank when filling up so in theory you can fill to the bottom of the punched hole instead of the filler neck. Without a hole its difficult/slow trying to fill past the bottom of the filler neck as the air cant escape easily and the tank tends to burb a bit. I've not bothered with this mod on my S10 as I can get a good 250miles out of a standard tank with care/planning if needed and that is more miles than my butt can stand. One thing to note is if you do this mod only fill up that high if you are going to immediately ride off and do a good few miles as if left parked when full (side or main stand) or only ridden a short way the fuel will expand and leak out the overflows. I'd say for every extra litre you get in due to the mod you need to ride 10miles or so before parking (to get the airbubble back at the top of the tank).
Thanks for the info. I'll just plan to fill before 220 miles. I'll need a break at that point anyway.
 
Top