Totally bonkers 'Miles to empty' on Can Am 2023 RTL - can it be fixed?

[VryGryFox]

My Spyder has dementia! Recently, after a fill up, the 'Miles To Empty' value bears no relation to reality.

One recent fill up gave a range of less than 100 miles (and I take care to add more fuel, almost to the point of overflow).

Today, I did a fill up (93 octane, no ethanol) when I got home, about 9 miles, but the miles to empty was showing 126. A couple of times after a short ride the miles to empty actually increased! At fill up time, the miles to empty is rarely above 140.

I get 36~37 mpg, so I can estimate the amount of fuel consumed.

I guess I am going to have to take the Spyder to the 'shop' and see if they can fix the problem.

 

[Woodaddict]

No need for a trip to a dealer, they won't be able to fix it. It's just a lazy computer factoring the MPG. Just use your trip meter to remember when to fill up. This issue has been reported a multitude of times. Even when you start back up, it might read and tell you something different, or it could be correct. You can search here and find other threads about it...

 

[VryGryFox]

No need for a trip to a dealer, they won't be able to fix it. It's just a lazy computer factoring the MPG. Just use your trip meter to remember when to fill up. This issue has been reported a multitude of times. Even when you start back up, it might read and tell you something different, or it could be correct. You can search here and find other threads about it...

Why did the problem not appear for 5000 miles? If something broke, they should be able to 'fix' the problem...

 

[Peter Aawen]

Why did the problem not appear for 5000 miles? If something broke, they should be able to 'fix' the problem...

But nothing actually 'broke' as such, this has been a problem across all models for quite a few years now - so it was more likely that:

1. You were probably lucky in that your computer managed to get close with its calculations due your fill-up regime; OR
2. You didn't notice any earlier how incorrect/erratic it actually was; and
3. Now that there's more history for it to include in the calculation, the computer's results are becoming less useful and more obviously so!

If you want to check out all the previous discussion on this, just type 'Miles to Empty' into the Search field up towards the Top Right of this page; click on the 'Search Titles Only' box; submit the search; and pick which thread to read first.

Do be aware that there's a fair bit more than only those ^ results tho, it's just that to see the rest, you'll hafta search thru ALL the posts on the subject, rather than just looking at the dedicated threads (and there's only 1 page of thread results, but about 10 pages of posts results to wade thru! ) To get all the Posts up, rather than just the Threads, simply un-check the 'Search Titles Only' box & re-submit the search.

Enjoy the reading... or not!

 

[Gwolf]

Just set one of the trip miles to zero when you fill up and when it gets to around 250, fill up again. Do that every time you get gas, or if you stop for gas early, set it to Zero then. That is the way we kept up with it before bikes had gas gauges. It you ride more in the city or pull a trailer some, it will make the miles really stupid on the Can Am miles to empty numbers. Anything that changes the normal routine will confuse the computer, which was not that bright before it got confused. Mine will take about 4.5 to 5 gallons somewhere around 235 miles. It depends if I've been pulling the trailer much or riding the crooked roads where you drop down to 3rd and power back out of the curves.

 

[spyderdave]

If you still have an active warranty, take it to the dealer and explain what is happening; it shouldn't be off that far. They can put a new sending unit/fuel pump in and fix the problem. Mine did the same thing after about four years and my dealer took care of the issue under my extended warranty.

Some things I've noticed over the years:

1. always turn the key ALL the way off when fueling, it seems to reset the digital fuel readout;
2. the computer seem to recalc the "distance to empty" EVERY time you start the bike according to the fuel consumption of earlier rides, meaning that highway rides will yield higher DTE's than grocery store rides; and
3. If you ride with a group of Harley's, most can't, or won't, go more than 150 miles without a fuel stop and a Spyder will cover that easily, so fill when they do.

 

[BamaJohn]

Mine will take about 4.5 to 5 gallons somewhere around 235 miles.

I'd like to mimic whatever you do to get that mileage...
Although I didn't buy my Spyder for gas mileage, the difference between yours and mine is interesting. I do the Trip A thing at each fill up and it takes 4-5 gallons at 175 miles. My average is around 34. After fill up it shows 245 mile range.
I'm a big ole boy and I must be a bit heavy with my right hand.
I'm not complaining, just adding commentary. Not a big deal.

 

[JayBros]

I'd like to mimic whatever you do to get that mileage...
Although I didn't buy my Spyder for gas mileage, the difference between yours and mine is interesting. I do the Trip A thing at each fill up and it takes 4-5 gallons at 175 miles. My average is around 34. After fill up it shows 245 mile range.
I'm a big ole boy and I must be a bit heavy with my right hand.
I'm not complaining, just adding commentary. Not a big deal.

I've refueled the roadster 577 times (2,100 gal.) since I rolled away from the dealership 10 1/2 years ago and have averaged 37.2 with a low of 28 and small change blowing into a vicious headwind on I-40W at 85 mph in OK and a high of 45+ just puttering around on a day in CO in 2017. I learned to plan my refueling stops depending on what kind of roads I was riding and how much time I spent with the engine running above 3K rpm in 6th gear. The most beneficial thing that has happened is I found a 7-Eleven in my hometown selling Exxon fuel with a low pressure pump I can very precisely control the flow of fuel into the tank and I can fill the tank very full with no problem. I've shucked using my local Costco because of the tree-hugger shutoff system on pumps that feed gas at the pressure of a fire hose.

 

[troop]

If you still have an active warranty, take it to the dealer and explain what is happening; it shouldn't be off that far. They can put a new sending unit/fuel pump in and fix the problem. Mine did the same thing after about four years and my dealer took care of the issue under my extended warranty.

Some things I've noticed over the years:

1. always turn the key ALL the way off when fueling, it seems to reset the digital fuel readout;
2. the computer seem to recalc the "distance to empty" EVERY time you start the bike according to the fuel consumption of earlier rides, meaning that highway rides will yield higher DTE's than grocery store rides; and
3. If you ride with a group of Harley's, most can't, or won't, go more than 150 miles without a fuel stop and a Spyder will cover that easily, so fill when they do.

Hmmmm... My buddies (and my past 2009 Electra glide) have 6 gallon tanks, and all get much better mpg's than my 2022 RT S2S, especially when traveling on 80 mph interstate highways.

 

[Gwolf]

I'd like to mimic whatever you do to get that mileage...
Although I didn't buy my Spyder for gas mileage, the difference between yours and mine is interesting. I do the Trip A thing at each fill up and it takes 4-5 gallons at 175 miles. My average is around 34. After fill up it shows 245 mile range.
I'm a big ole boy and I must be a bit heavy with my right hand.
I'm not complaining, just adding commentary. Not a big deal.

I am riding a 2019 Special Series, almost completely stripped down. Got the 115 HP engine set up and gearing with no windshield, only a gauge fairing, no saddlebags, no rear case. Have only small nylon zip bag strapped on the Pax seat, and a small tank bag. Very little wind resistance, and living in a rural area where most of the roads are two lane blacktop with speed limit around 60 MPH. Hate riding on Interstates and avoid them any time I can. I stay fairly close to the posted speed limit on the two lanes because it is mostly agricultural area with plenty of deer, wild turkeys, and other critters which are a bit more than a speed bump. I am around 200 pounds, and that is about all I usually carry. Sometimes I do pull a small trailer with a wheelchair in it or to pick up a few bags of livestock feed, or maybe garden fertiliser. The trailer is super-light homemade. Rarely ever move the EFI to Eco or the Sport Mode. If the pumps have it, I usually fuel with the 95 octane Shell if I can find it. I am also 75+ years old and in no real hurry to get where I am going. Occasionally, I do play on the winding roads that follow the rivers, but not very often.

 

[2dogs]

With all the rides I've owned over the years that only had one gauge on them (and a couple didn't have a gauge at all), it becomes second nature to know pretty close to when it's time to fill up. That one gauge would be the speedometer, and the luxury one had a trip meter. Even when gas was .25 cents a gallon, you didn't waste it needlessly. Today, I consistently get 40 mpg on my 1330, even when riding 2up. It's all in the wrist and reading the road. That being said, when I get froggy occasionally, I can easily drop that 40 mpg to the mid/low 30's if I choose. But that also takes its toll on other wearables and safety as well. I still remember when we'd pull off in a turnout, remove the gas cap, and slosh the tank back and forth to see how much fuel we had left. So, judging your fuel and distance can be a learning experience if you don't have a computer to do it for you.

 

[VryGryFox]

Oh well, i took my Spyder to the dealer today, he scanned manuals and BRP blogs and found nothing...He said he would open an issue with BRP and notify me with any response.

I left the dealer and started my RTL and the miles to empty went from 12? To 19? WOW. Perhaps the problem was magically fixed...I will give it a couple of rides to see if the problem arises again.