FUEL GUAGE ACCURACY

[Bob Denman]

Well you can disagree all you want but IF you live in an area that changes the formulation seasonally, then the "summer" blend has a slightly lower energy density. The energy density goes down as the temperature of the fuel pumped goes up too.......but the underground tanks don't vary that much in most areas.

Are you telling us that you actually RIDE in the winter in New Yorks state ??

IF you really care about this, do a Google search on "winter blend gasoline".

The only Month that I've never had the pleasure to ride in, is January.
Having said that: do you actually believe that I don't notice a difference in the fuel economy of the RAV4 that my Missus drives?

[cognaccruiser]

With a 2014 RTS:

1. I always fill my tank to the brim. When the gas nozzle is all the way in and the tank shuts off, I pull the nozzle out to the edge and continue filling. Have NEVER had a problem from doing this.

2. No, I don't ryde my Spyder in the winter but from cars and trucks driven in the winter in Canada, I can say with certainty that we do not get any where near as good mileage in the winter with the winter blend gasoline. A widely held belief in Canada at least by those of us that have lived in some of the colder parts. Is it the winter blend gas or the fact that vehicles just aren't as efficient in the winter? Possibly a combination of both? Gasoline storage tanks being under ground helps keep the gas cool and at close to the same temperature summer or winter in those tanks. Once in the vehicle seasonal temperatures take affect.

Gary

Meant to add that I have always been happy with the accuracy of our analog gauge on our 14.

[RTman10]

Over my first 750 miles since it came out the crate it's averaged 42 mpg. But that's Imoerial gallons which are 1.2 something US gallons. Makes a difference but if course doesn't increase the distance it will go.

[Bob Denman]

If your Imperial Gallons are about 20% larger than ours; does that makes yours "economy-sized"?
BTW 42 mpg Imperial: works out to about 35 mpg of our tinier gallons.

[RTman10]

If your Imperial Gallons are about 20% larger than ours; does that makes yours "economy-sized"?
BTW 42 mpg Imperial: works out to about 35 mpg of our tinier gallons.

Economy, you must be joking. Work this out. 1 ltr of fuel here costs on average £1.16. Times 4.52 to the gallon, a Total of £5.24 per gallon. A Pound is today 1.29 USD.

[Bob Denman]

Economy, you must be joking. Work this out. 1 ltr of fuel here costs on average £1.16. Times 4.52 to the gallon, a Total of £5.24 per gallon. A Pound is today 1.29 USD.

I never said that this was a Sport for the meek and timid!

[Easy Rider]

Having said that: do you actually believe that I don't notice a difference in the fuel economy of the RAV4 that my Missus drives?

Honestly I don't know what to think about you some times.

I am not a mind reader so I don't know what other vehicles your family has OR what you have observed with them.

[Bob Denman]

Honestly I don't know what to think about you some times.

I am not a mind reader so I don't know what other vehicles your family has OR what you have observed with them.

Did I EVER say that my experience was only limited to my eight years of riding Spyders?
That would forego the 45 years of driving on the road (legally), and the dozen or so years of crashing mini-bikes into things.

If it had a trip odometer, and I knew how much fuel went in: I recorded the fuel mileage.

[mcalva]

The typical analog voltmeter has a full scale range of 0 to 15 volts or so.
When the system is working right, the charging voltage runs around 13.4 volts.
When it goes bad, it drops down to 12.5 or a bit less.
That ONE VOLT drop equates to about the width of the needle.
It is almost impossible to NOTICE that slight movement of the needle.

At 12.0 volts, the battery is half discharged already......but the gauge still hasn't moved much.
The engine likely will stumble OR it won't turn over enough to start before you notice anything with the meter.
Analog voltmeters are USELESS in most common situations.

To be useful, you need a digital meter with two digits after the decimal point: 12.85 volts, for example.

Thank you very much!

[IdahoMtnSpyder]

also, remember your fuel is used to cool the fuel pump. so you want to have some gas level in the tank at all times.


no one ever did say if the 14 and newer rt's have the digital
gauges when the analogs are unhooked. WELL, do they ?--irv

Yes. I removed both gauges to install ram mounts for my tablet and phone right after I got the Spyder. Been looking at the bars on the cluster screen ever since.

[Cleg]

I have found that when the low fuel light comes on, I have about a gallon and a half of gas left. Thats when I start looking for a gas station. I have gone 250 miles on a tank but I dont generally push it that far. Also the Spyder doesnt start sputtering when you are about to run out of gas, they just stop. You can guess how I found that out.

Yup, no sputter just a cough and coast! Restart was no issue though!

[jerrydonna]

where are you able to drive 55, except the school zone

I strongly suggest that you disconnect/remove the fuel and temp gauges and then you will get the much more accurate digital versions on the center screen.

Once I did that my mileage capacity per tank increase by about 50 miles. I used to fill up when it was reading very close to empty and I would only get 3.5 gallons in the tank. Now with the digital I regularly add 4 - 5 gallons, and there is still room for more.

Try the experiment, pull the panel with your guages, disconnect the wire to the two, and turn on the Byke, the new guages will appear. Then remove them and add maybe a volt guage or charging ports.

Joe

50 miles difference on a tank at 75 mph compared to 55 mph

[jerrydonna]

30 miles from gas, now that is pretty hard here on east coast

The RTs with the 998 engines had fuel gauges that were... pretty dang inaccurate!
It was ALWAYS best to ride by the tip odometers.

But the 1330 bikes have fuel gauges that are accurate and repeatable. Run them down to when the "Low Fuel" light comes on, and you'll invariably take right about 5.5 gallons.
So that leaves you with over a gallon of fuel for finding an open gas station!

[Bob Denman]

My point is that the gauge is accurate enough, that you CAN use it reliably.
Nobody ever said that you HAD to run it down that far!

[Easy Rider]

where are you able to drive 55, except the school zone

Get OFF of the freeways.

There is a lot of beautiful country out there.......and it is best viewed at a leisurely pace.

If you pick a US route that roughly parallels an Interstate, the pavement is usually good, the traffic is light and you have an "out" if you need to get in a hurry for some reason.

[Easy Rider]

My point is that the gauge is accurate enough, that you CAN use it reliably.
Nobody ever said that you HAD to run it down that far!

It is repeat-ability that you need.
Absolute accuracy isn't that important......unless maybe the tank goes empty BEFORE the gauge hits bottom.

[Bob Denman]

I addressed the issue of repeatability in an earlier post...

[CrashDavis]

I removed both gauges to install ram mounts for my tablet and phone right after I got the Spyder. Been looking at the bars on the cluster screen ever since.

For those who have removed the gauges for 12 volt and/or USB ports, where did you get the right size to fit in the holes?

Thanks

[Peteoz]

The other option, that I use, is the Fuel feature on my Garmin 590. Set max distance to 200 miles, set warning to 170 miles, and up pops a "refill required in 30 miles" type warning, and it displays the nearest fuel spots (including those behind you, just in case.) I also reset Trip A to zero, just as a fallback. Mind you, once you get on our outback country roads out here, you have to set the warning to 195 miles

Pete

[marty1096]

I've gotten 210 miles on my 15 RT-S w/ 2up and towing a 622 trailer packed. Then again I fill till it wont take any more. You know you can keep putting in at the top till it wont go down any more. Once I got 6.755 gal. squeezed into it. What is the most anyone has put into there bike? I thought it only had a 6.8 gal tank. And BRP syas I should be able to get 252 miles on a tank. ya right.

5.93 gal 2016 RTS 13k mi. Never got 200 mpg due to way I ride.

[rustynail51]

when I travel I spend many miles in North and South Dakota when I see a sign giving the distance to the next town I check my gauge I have filled up with half a tank left just to be safe especially on a Sunday. I have learned to pay attention to the distance I must travel and the availability of gas between points A and B I was running low on fuel in North Dakota and pulled into a small town [name forgotten] asked a local fellow if there was a gas station directed me to a house in town there was a single pump in front of the house and you had to knock on the door and hope they were home we were lucky I start looking at about 1/4 of a tank depending on location don't want to get that low again.

[george123]

I disconnected my gages to run some wires on my 2016 RTL, but I didn’t see any digital gages
appear. Do you have to do anything else?

[IdahoMtnSpyder]

I disconnected my gages to run some wires on my 2016 RTL, but I didn’t see any digital gages
appear. Do you have to do anything else?

You disconnected all three wires from both the temp and gas gauges, right? Are you saying you aren't seeing the two sets of bars under the temp and gas icons on the cluster as shown in this pic?

cluster.JPG

[george123]

Nevermind!!!! I DO have that. I guess I was looking for a normal looking gage. Thanks for the picture. I got in too big of a rush last night to realize it was there.

[Docster]

For those who have removed the gauges for 12 volt and/or USB ports, where did you get the right size to fit in the holes?

Thanks

I just got some blanks from these folks;

https://www.rallysportdirect.com/par...ank-black-52mm