Ran the tank dry

[GoNotShow]

I officially tested the reserve range of the bike this weekend. On my last ride I was on the way home and the reserve kicked in about 40 miles from home. At that point, I didn't feel like stopping for gas so just went really easy on the throttle and got it home without stopping for gas. I had the display on instant MPG and it was showing mid to high 40s as I rode the speed limit on the freeway.

Went for a ride yesterday and could have filled up right at the start of the ride, but my favorite gas station is about 10 miles away. My normal route has a gas station every half mile and is flat or downhill so I decided to see if I could make it to my favorite gas station. Well, I didn't. Came up 1/4 mile short... luckily right in front of a gas station and coasted into the pumps.

The reserve trip meter showed 49.9 miles since it went on reserve. The bike also started stuttering about a mile before running out of gas. A couple times I opened the throttle quickly and the bike hesitated, no doubt because it was on fumes.

I'm not one to push it between gas stops, but I'm glad to know what the limit is just in case... ::001::

 

[dcc46]

Good to know, I was 20 miles into the blinking E ,when I hit the gas station and the bike only took 5.1 gallons. That was 205 on the tank

Sent from my Evo on Tapatalk

 

[whisperquiet]

I've ridden mine 40 and 41 miles after the low fuel light came on.

 

[Maxified]

39 miles after the low light came on with 5.5 gallons to top off for me.

 

[roadlizard]

It's really embarrassing to call the bride and ask her to run by Wal Mart and pick up a gas can, fill it with premium and come rescue your "no gas buying" husband. Had this experience several weeks ago as it was a Sunday and the lone mom & pop gas station near Pendelton on the Arkansas river was closed. I guess since deer season was over and fishing was slow they saw no reason to open on Sunday. So much for plan "A".

 

[markjenn]

I officially tested the reserve range of the bike this weekend....

I recall 52.x miles or something like this, but this required some riding with the bike stuttering and stammering.

Do you recall how many gallons it took to fill? As detailed in another thread, a few of us have run the tank dry and got between 5.7 and 5.8 gallons in when refueling to the bottom of the filler neck (as Yamaha recommends).

- Mark

 

[dcstrom]

I did 62 miles on reserve and took 5.72 gals. I was sweating by the end of that one! I knew it was a long way to the next stop (this was on an interstate) so kept it around 60mph with a steady wrist. The instant readout was fluctuating between 45-75 mpg, depending on the grade and headwind. I think I must have gotten 60mpg for that last gallon!

 

[AlsoRan]

Pushed it to 39.6 on reserve and it took 5.1 gallons. But they got these Cali bikes running leaner than a popcorn fart so that may explain it.

 

[GoNotShow]

Do you recall how many gallons it took to fill? As detailed in another thread, a few of us have run the tank dry and got between 5.7 and 5.8 gallons in when refueling to the bottom of the filler neck (as Yamaha recommends).

Yup, took 5.7 to fill it back up. Which I thought was a bit strange since it's supposed to be a 6 gallon tank. I wonder if the rest of the gas sits below the fuel pump or if getting 6 gallons in would require filling above the filler neck?

 

[Tremor38]

Yup, took 5.7 to fill it back up. Which I thought was a bit strange since it's supposed to be a 6 gallon tank. I wonder if the rest of the gas sits below the fuel pump or if getting 6 gallons in would require filling above the filler neck?

The filler neck has my vote. At least one person on this forum has already cut his filler neck off...I don't recall exactly how much capacity was gained though it was noteworthy. another guy just punched holes in the neck using an awl..fairly soft material.

 

[markjenn]

Yup, took 5.7 to fill it back up. Which I thought was a bit strange since it's supposed to be a 6 gallon tank. I wonder if the rest of the gas sits below the fuel pump or if getting 6 gallons in would require filling above the filler neck?

I think your bike is the third or fourth that is converging on a total capacity of about 5.7-5.8 to the bottom of the filler neck with any variance probably explained by the fact everybody doesn't stop filling at the same spot. I was able to coax 6.1 total in by "burping" the tank or you can drill the filler neck to make it easier. For a 49-state bike, all you risk by doing so if expansion overflow, but on a CA bike, I'd hesitate to recommend this as you could pump raw fuel into the canister.

It is a bit disappointing that Yamaha inflated their spec a bit on fuel capacity when you fill it by the book (which is listed as 6.0, 6.08, and 6.1 in different places), although most of us can get to their spec with a little effort.

Likewise, we've got a lot of good data now that the reserve is right at 1.2 gallons, or about 50 miles at typical consumption levels.

- Mark

 

[elizilla]

Does anyone know where in the tank, the fuel inlet is? On my V-Strom I once ran out of gas, leaned it way over to the left to get the fuel over to the side where the inlet was. I was able to start it again and go another two miles. It ran out again in the parking lot of the gas station; I coasted up to the pump.

 

[markjenn]

Does anyone know where in the tank, the fuel inlet is? On my V-Strom I once ran out of gas, leaned it way over to the left to get the fuel over to the side where the inlet was. I was able to start it again and go another two miles. It ran out again in the parking lot of the gas station; I coasted up to the pump.

I was able to get another 1/2 mile by tipping the bike from side to side, but I don't think the additional fuel you can access is very much.

- Mark

 

[fender5803]

I officially tested the reserve range of the bike this weekend. On my last ride I was on the way home and the reserve kicked in about 40 miles from home. At that point, I didn't feel like stopping for gas so just went really easy on the throttle and got it home without stopping for gas. I had the display on instant MPG and it was showing mid to high 40s as I rode the speed limit on the freeway.

Went for a ride yesterday and could have filled up right at the start of the ride, but my favorite gas station is about 10 miles away. My normal route has a gas station every half mile and is flat or downhill so I decided to see if I could make it to my favorite gas station. Well, I didn't. Came up 1/4 mile short... luckily right in front of a gas station and coasted into the pumps.

The reserve trip meter showed 49.9 miles since it went on reserve. The bike also started stuttering about a mile before running out of gas. A couple times I opened the throttle quickly and the bike hesitated, no doubt because it was on fumes.

I'm not one to push it between gas stops, but I'm glad to know what the limit is just in case... ::001::

Thanks, good to know more. Nice you live in that town of hills and even better it was all down hill that ride. I just did the mod with punching holes in the rim of the filler neck which was harder to do for me with limited "punches" than described in previous thread. Great food in SF by the way. Thanks again for your test-!!

::022::

 

[Tremor38]

Thanks, good to know more. Nice you live in that town of hills and even better it was all down hill that ride. I just did the mod with punching holes in the rim of the filler neck which was harder to do for me with limited "punches" than described in previous thread. Great food in SF by the way. Thanks again for your test-!!

::022::

::006:: Yawn

 

[OX-34]

I rode a 2500km day a couple of weeks ago.

Packed a 10 litre jerry can as the fuel stations are a long way apart.

23 litres in the main tank, right? Add 10 litres from the jerry can in the middle of the night.

Coasted into the fuel station and filled up : 33.31 litres went into the tank.


Since getting home I've done this:

and this:

 

[colorider]

I rode a 2500km day a couple of weeks ago.

Packed a 10 litre jerry can as the fuel stations are a long way apart.

23 litres in the main tank, right? Add 10 litres from the jerry can in the middle of the night.

Coasted into the fuel station and filled up : 33.31 litres went into the tank.


Since getting home I've done this:

I'm still planning to punch a hole in my filler too before the riding season starts.

 

[EricV]

Worth noting is that even though we all have S10s, the point at which the reserve light comes on will vary from bike to bike. I also noticed that before I had my O-ring recall done, (it was not twisted), I consistently got pretty much 200 miles before reserve and the bike took 5 gallons or so to re-fill. After the local shop pulled the pump out and put it back in, I average 185 miles before the reserve starts flashing, but after 20 or so additional miles, I'm still taking that same 5 gallons, and if I fill right at reserve, its more like 4.7. I'm assuming they tweaked the float arm a bit while doing the work. No biggie, I just adjusted how far I'll go in reserve before worrying about it.

 

[stevepsd]

I'm assuming they tweaked the float arm a bit while doing the work.

The fuel pump is a very, very tight fit into the opening of the tank and it would be very easy to tweak the float arm a bit. I ended up removing the float assembly from the pump before pulling mine out as it was hanging-up on the sender assembly, back when I checked my o-ring and did the fuel capacity measuring and cutting out that d**m fuel filler insert.