Tenere fuel range/tank volume

[Checkswrecks]

I don't know why I get less Meg's on every forum I've ever belonged to. It's the same with trucks. I've owned a few different diesel trucks and pulling trailers I always seem to get about 5mpg's less than the rest of the world gets. I'd like to see how some of these guys getting 280 miles out of a tank on a Tenere do it. Or even 220. I don't think it's even possible on mine and I always run Supreme Unleaded gas.

My last commute to work which is 360 miles each way I has my fuel gauge start counting up at 140 miles. This is straight I-15 freeway miles at 75-85mph. Albeit it is a windy corridor.

My mileage is a solid 10% different on summer gas versus winter blend. For highway trips at 75-85 like you described I plan for 37 mpg and am usually a touch better. However, with my 50-60 mph commute if it is a light traffic day where I don't start or stop much, getting 52 mpg is pretty common. Overall average is somewhere around 46-47, largely due to sitting in DC traffic.

 

[EricV]

The odometer seems to be fairly accurate going by interstate mile markers. The speedo is roughly 1-2mph off around 65-70mph with new tires verified with GPS.

The numbers I gave are for local commuting, no high speed interstate, bags on, no top box and I'm sitting around 200lbs with gear. The higher numbers were fairly sedate commuting only. That last tank {the one where I ran out } had a small amount of mountain playing mixed in. When I initially bought the thing I was pretty disappointed in the fuel mileage as I was seeing low 40s and mostly high 30s at first which was pretty much all highway speeds {75-90mph mostly}. One tank went bellow 35mpg if memory serves when I was hitting high 90s/low triple digits in Texas. At the time, I had not gotten used to the pessimistic fuel gage and I was stopping like every 150-175 miles for fuel if memory serves. I noticed I was only putting 4.5-5gals of fuel in but it's hard to ignore that damned gage when you are in unfamiliar areas ain't it! :-\

I have a 2012 model, one of the first batch. I suspect you have a later model if your speedo is as accurate as you state. Mine was 9% off at 60mph. I don't commute via bike. The bulk of my riding is traveling places at speeds varying from 60-85 mph, tending to the higher end most often.

When I lived in Oregon, 55 mph limits, 65 only on "rural interstate" and cooler over all temps, I got better mpg to some degree. W/o E-10 fuel, just strait gasoline, I got much better mpg too. On the last road trip the other day I saw blue nozels and "Pure 88" fuel for the first time. No ethanol gas apparently. It was at a station in a town that caters to ATV activities. Might have to try that, despite the lower octane rating, some time. I get non-ethanol fuel when I can, usually it's premium though, (which I normally choose to run, and Yamaha specs).

As previously stated, everyone's reserve quantity is a little different and it's completely normal to have the reserve bar start flashing and only get 4.5 gallons in at fill up. @TheHelios - I don't think you're really getting 42 mpg. Are you only putting in 4 gallons if you fill the tank when you hit reserve at 160? If so, yes, you do have ~2 gallons of reserve. A bit larger than average from what I've seen reported. Based upon your stated mpg, you have a safe 70 miles on reserve before you need to get nervous. ;D

 

[Rasher]

My Speedo is about 7% off on the GPS, but the ODO is only about 1-2% off on a long run compared to the GPS - and things such as your line through bends can affect that a little as the GPS is not 100% accurate in that regard, and the GPS cannot account for extra travel of wheels over bumps and through pot-holes etc.

My MPG meter seems pretty close when worked out manually - maybe 2-3% off, but if your taking into account the Odo error as well it is more like 4-5% out.

I use it as an indicator of how I am burning fuel, if setting off on a run and re-setting it I can see roughly how quickly I am burning the juice, but in reality I know by the way I ride these days, but it is still a more accurate way of estimating remaining range than the stupid fuel gauge which shows full for ages before plummeting to nothing in a few miles....

....just like every other Bike I have ever owned, my V-Strom does @100 miles on the first bar, and then another 3 drop in the next 100 miles - at which point I still have another 60-70 miles to go once on the last bar.