Gas tank reserve

D

Dad_Eh

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Forgive my posting this question, no doubt it's been posted before and I tried searching for it.

Riding a 09 Yamaha V-Star 950cc touring.
Was advised that when the low fuel warning light comes on, I have approx 10Km to 30Km to refill.
Is this accurate / can I get a better idea as a 10 to 30km range is quite large and don't want to experience that side of the road stranded feel.

Thanks everyone and looking forward to replies (without large Km ratio) :)
 
Do what I did. Carry a 1-gallon fuel jerry can and ride until the warning light comes on, switch to reserve and set your odometer to "zero" and ride until you run out of gas, then take a look at your odometer and you will know exactly how many kilometers your reserve lasts.

P.S. you should fill up when the fuel goes a little bit under a quater tank anyways.
 
Pegassus said:
Do what I did. Carry a 1-gallon fuel jerry can and ride until the warning light comes on, switch to reserve and set your odometer to "zero" and ride until you run out of gas, then take a look at your odometer and you will know exactly how many kilometers your reserve lasts.

P.S. you should fill up when the fuel goes a little bit under a quater tank anyways.
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That's a way to try.
P.S. No fuel gauge on my baby
 
Everyone i know has done the walk of shame at least once in their riding careers....but at least you'll know for sure.
 
Pegassus said:
Do what I did. Carry a 1-gallon fuel jerry can and ride until the warning light comes on, switch to reserve and set your odometer to "zero" and ride until you run out of gas, then take a look at your odometer and you will know exactly how many kilometers your reserve lasts.

P.S. you should fill up when the fuel goes a little bit under a quater tank anyways.
Click to expand...

This is the only way to know for sure, except don't bother with a Jerry can and stick an old water bottle with gas in your backpack (more convenient than a big jerrycan).

Each bike is different, my old SV gave me 7 clicks less than expected by MPG figures, by comparison on the BMW it's actually more than expected.
 
I thought I knew but was wrong .:confused1:....so ran out a few hundred yards from home on a side street - better there than the 401.
NOW I know that both markers flashing is the last 1.5t. About 30 klicks on the Burgman - it has two levels of warning - one at 3 litres and the other at 1.5 - for some reason thought there was a third......duh

3.7 should get a lot farther than 10-30 klicks.
Running it out is a good idea and seeing how well you can nurse it also. Burgman gives me KM per litre readout which I really like.
 
You can also just check how much gas you put in to fill it if yourè on reserve. For example, my bike was telling me I had 50 kms to go till empty when the reserve warning light came on. I ran it down to 5km left to go (that wasn`t my plan there just weren`t any gas stations). When I filled up it took 17.2 litres. My tank holds 17.5. Therefore, I was very close to screwed and the reserve guesstimate on range that my bike gives me is accurate. BTW, it varies from 40-60 kms in range (which is about 3.5 litres) when it goes on reserve depending on how I`ve been riding. Seems the Germans built some clever crap in their that assesses immediately preceeding fuel consumption when determining what range I`ll get with what`s left.
 
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Big time lesson in Northern Ont and Que and especially backroads PA etc.....fill up EVERYTIME you can within reason.
Down to half? - tank - fill it.
You just never know and the one that used to be there may be closed or under construction.
Nothing worse than the middle of nowhere on fumes ( especially at night ).

Learned that lesson on the James Bay Road - we did the 380 k stretch just fine as we had full spare tanks and were careful.

But dufus ( me ) didn't think about the other half and at 150 the gas mileage just sucks.....
So really pushed the limit and drifted into town with 1/2 litre left.

The irony......10 litres spare fuel tank sitting behind me......empty. :confused1:

As there were two of us and Jay's tank was bigger I would have not been stranded for long - but still - hunched over the Burgman at 40kph nursing the km per litre to 25 was not my idea of fun way to arrive in Matagami after 1000km day.
and seriously dumb not to have put at least some fuel in the jerry can.

Knowing how far you can stretch it tho is a good idea....and smaller bikes just drink fuel at high speeds so keep in mind in the boonies.
 
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MacDoc said:
fill up EVERYTIME you can within reason.
Down to half? - tank - fill it.
Click to expand...

+1 with my SV when I hit 200KM's on my trip-meter. I start looking. My low fuel light works but I never temp fate. I do that enough just by riding...
 
Pegassus said:
Do what I did. Carry a 1-gallon fuel jerry can and ride until the warning light comes on, switch to reserve and set your odometer to "zero" and ride until you run out of gas, then take a look at your odometer and you will know exactly how many kilometers your reserve lasts.

P.S. you should fill up when the fuel goes a little bit under a quater tank anyways.
Click to expand...

It also depends on how you ride... street will always yield a lower mpg while at regular speed on highway will be higher.
 
I like the fact that my GSA tells me how many km's are left on the tank. Its not 100% accurate, but you know when your down to 10km range that you REALLY need to get some gas pronto. I never tested the exact range on my reserve fuel, I just learned how many km's I would get on a tank till I hit reserve, then once I knew that, I would just fill up before I hit reserve.
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