Fuel gage misreading

[tantealine]

Fuel Guage/Gage misreading

:agree:I just purchased a used 2009 with only 250 miles on it. The previous owner filled the tank before delivering it to me. I only rode 80 miles before the fuel light came on, scared the stuffing out of me. I just totaled a Honda that got 150 miles on 3 gallons and here was 7 gallons only getting 100 miles-UGH. Because we filled 2 bikes, mine last on the same pump, I didn't see how many gallons it took. On the next Full tank, 97 miles later it showed over 1/2 full, 30 miles later the light came on. 15 miles later I was home and going to the dealer the next day. Woke up to NO bars, put in exactly 1 gallon, 5 miles later 3 bars, 10 miles later 1 bar. ?? :gaah: The dealer told me after the 650 miles 1st time service, that I wasn't filling it correctly. To fill it up, twice and figure out how many miles per gallon I was getting. He refused to admit that something didn't add up.

 

[bone crusher]

I forgot from whom but the suggestion worked real well for me.

1. Insert the nozzle no more than one inch into the tank
2. Do not fill at top speed
3. Stop immediately when you see a little bit of spitting from the vent holes.

I was able to get that half bar plus the little triangle to lite up every time by following that suggestion. No spills and no gas smell.

Holy crud...your number 1 is sooo right...many gas stations, if you insert the nozzle all the way in, it cuts off instantly anyway...

What you wrote is exactly what I do...and it gets me ALL the bars filled...even that last little half bar!

 

[bone crusher]

:agree:I just purchased a used 2009 with only 250 miles on it. The previous owner filled the tank before delivering it to me. I only rode 80 miles before the fuel light came on, scared the stuffing out of me. I just totaled a Honda that got 150 miles on 3 gallons and here was 7 gallons only getting 100 miles-UGH. Because we filled 2 bikes, mine last on the same pump, I didn't see how many gallons it took. On the next Full tank, 97 miles later it showed over 1/2 full, 30 miles later the light came on. 15 miles later I was home and going to the dealer the next day. Woke up to NO bars, put in exactly 1 gallon, 5 miles later 3 bars, 10 miles later 1 bar. ?? :gaah: The dealer told me after the 650 miles 1st time service, that I wasn't filling it correctly. To fill it up, twice and figure out how many miles per gallon I was getting. He refused to admit that something didn't add up.

You said you had 97 miles and then 30 more...127 before the light went on...this is possible as your riding style might not be refined yet. I'm not meaning this as a criticism, but I went from 26 to 30 mpg over the first 1000 miles and it was likely due to the bike breaking in and the bike breaking me in as well!

 

[dltang]

:agree:I just purchased a used 2009 with only 250 miles on it. The previous owner filled the tank before delivering it to me. I only rode 80 miles before the fuel light came on, scared the stuffing out of me. I just totaled a Honda that got 150 miles on 3 gallons and here was 7 gallons only getting 100 miles-UGH. Because we filled 2 bikes, mine last on the same pump, I didn't see how many gallons it took. On the next Full tank, 97 miles later it showed over 1/2 full, 30 miles later the light came on. 15 miles later I was home and going to the dealer the next day. Woke up to NO bars, put in exactly 1 gallon, 5 miles later 3 bars, 10 miles later 1 bar. ?? :gaah: The dealer told me after the 650 miles 1st time service, that I wasn't filling it correctly. To fill it up, twice and figure out how many miles per gallon I was getting. He refused to admit that something didn't add up.

welcome, I really have no answer as to why your fuel indicator would be so erratic. Maybe one of our many FL SpyderLovers can direct you to a dealer more willing to help you discover the issue. Until such time, reset your trip odometer and every 130-150 miles, fill er up. That would be considered safe in my opinion. I always fill between 130-160 miles on average. This is when my light comes on and I lose my last bar around 150 miles. Of course this is all driving dependent, speeds, roads, do I have the trailer etc. Have some fun with your new spyder.

 

[bone crusher]

welcome, I really have no answer as to why your fuel indicator would be so erratic. Maybe one of our many FL SpyderLovers can direct you to a dealer more willing to help you discover the issue. Until such time, reset your trip odometer and every 130-150 miles, fill er up. That would be considered safe in my opinion. I always fill between 130-160 miles on average. This is when my light comes on and I lose my last bar around 150 miles. Of course this is all driving dependent, speeds, roads, do I have the trailer etc. Have some fun with your new spyder.

Yeah, the 150 mile mark seems to be the magic number for these bikes to fill up...

I figure about 190 miles before you're out of gas and stranded somewhere...yikes!

 

[Dudley]

Yeah, the 150 mile mark seems to be the magic number for these bikes to fill up...

I figure about 190 miles before you're out of gas and stranded somewhere...yikes!

I filled up at 184 miles last week. Forgot what it was for sure, but 5.2 gallons seems right.

 

[NancysToy]

Yeah, the 150 mile mark seems to be the magic number for these bikes to fill up...

I figure about 190 miles before you're out of gas and stranded somewhere...yikes!

I'd like to see that someday. 120-130 or less when the last bar and light come on. By morning, after it cools, there are no bars. 5.0-5.5 gallons at this point.
-Scotty

 

[bone crusher]

I filled up at 184 miles last week. Forgot what it was for sure, but 5.2 gallons seems right.

If you're getting over 35 mpg, you're doing a lot better than me...I get a little over 30 and that's about it...then again, I ride somewhat aggressively...will the throttle to have some fun, at times...

 

[dltang]

If you're getting over 35 mpg, you're doing a lot better than me...I get a little over 30 and that's about it...then again, I ride somewhat aggressively...will the throttle to have some fun, at times...

Yup same here, around town and my everyday riding I get about 28-31 mpg average. For highway driving I have topped out at 37-38 mpg but average about 35 mpg on highway. You know what though, I just love the ride and it still is better than my Suburban. Only one time have I hit the 180 mile mark and I put in the most fuel ever 6.1 gallons. I usually end up putting anywhere from 4.8 to 5.3 gallons on average fill up.

 

[Cundiffla]

With the experience of over 30,000 hours of flight time, hundreds of thousands of vehicle driving miles, including motorcycles, I NEVER take the indications of a gage/gauge as definitive measurement. Indications of an electronic or mechanical instrument, to me, are relative to experience and gut feel.
Many aircraft accidents have been attributed to "believing the gauge/instrument."
Know your machine, believe your gut and avoid the misery of running out of fuel. Pushing the spYder to a fuel station wouldn't be fun.

---leo---

BEEN THERE AND DONE THAT!!!!! and the stupid gas gauge was wrong but the trip miles was right..... if only and if only I went by the Mileage there wouldn't been no pushing the spyder around!

 

[retread]

Most of my bikes didn't have guages beyond a tach and speedo, Got into the habit of filling up by mileage, fuel guage generally gets ignored.

john

 

[bjt]

When I had my Zumo 450 on the Spyder 24 / 7, I had that set to warn me of low fuel situations at 130 miles. Works great. I still had a gauge warning and it was mileage based.

 

[NancysToy]

I pay pretty close attention to both the guage and the mileage. I never seem to notice the fuel light. It could have been on for 30 miles. If we were smart, we would probably do like we did back in the day. We snaked a piece of siphon hose in the handlebars of our bikes. That way if we ran out, we could try to bum some gas from a buddy or passer-by.
-Scotty

 

[Director]

Motorcycle Gas Gauge/Gage Accuracy

First of all, props to Dudley for pointing out the alternative spelling of "gauge". I will consider that my language lesson for the week. :thumbup:

Now to my question. Every motorcycle I have owned that has a gas gauge has been notoriously unreliable. My wife once asked me, "If automobile gas gauges are accurate - and they seem to be - why can't the motorcycle manufacturers do the same thing?" I had no answer. Does anyone know why this seems to be the case?

Bruce

 

[NancysToy]

Now to my question. Every motorcycle I have owned that has a gas gauge has been notoriously unreliable. My wife once asked me, "If automobile gas gauges are accurate - and they seem to be - why can't the motorcycle manufacturers do the same thing?" I had no answer. Does anyone know why this seems to be the case?

Good question. I have some theories. First, a motorcycle gas tank is very small compared to a car. Each change in level represents a substantially larger percentage of the fuel tank capacity for a motorcycle, compared to a car. It seems a motorcycle guage would be more prone to error as a result, say 4% of tank capacity per 1/4" as opposed to 2% for a car.

On a similar note, shifting of the fuel from movement either forward, from stopping, or from cornering, will cause relatively larger changes in the level with a tiny tank, percentage-wise. I can often watch my BMW guage change one bar just from stopping, accelerating, or cornering.

Finally, the heat from the engine causes a noticeable change in volume in the gas tank directly above it on the Spyder, and many motorcycles. We have all seen the guage on the Spyder go up when it starts to get warmed up, and down overnight as it cools. A car tank has a temperature stable environment under the car.

Given this highly variable situation, I suspect the engineers decided that "good enough" was good enough. It is only an approximation, no matter how hard they would have tried.
-Scotty