How much gas does a 2.5L Rocket really hold ?

Idaho Red Rocket 3

Idaho Red Rocket 3

Living Legend
Joined
Nov 22, 2008
Messages
6,194
Location
Nampa, Idaho USA
Ride
2006 RIII Standard Bagger w/Fairing
My new to me 2023 R3 GT does not have a long range for me. It seams to me that just a short 80 mile ride uses more than half the fuel in the tank. Just the other day I desided to run the tank down to only a few mies left on the miles to empty read out. I stay closer to my favorite Non-Ethanol gas station as I got closer to 0 miles. Finally ran it down to 2 miles and headed to the gas station. As I pulled up to turn into the station it clicked over to 1 mile remaining. I filled up. It took 4.17 US gallons. Is this typical ?
 
From my point of view your idea is wrong - you did not verify the volume of the tank, you checked how much volume you can enter based on an information on the display.

If you really want to know the volume, you have to drive until it stops and then refill.

Problem: this only works with somebody following you and filling you up directly after you stopped - because even by using a spare liter to fill up after stopping already creates a false result based on the distance you have to ride with the safety liter to the next filling station.

We made it that way with a nearly new GT in 23 ("nearly new" because it had some kilometers on it but we wanted to have a clean tank for the test) and arrived at about 18,5 liters volume - which is fine for me, because the tank also carries some stuff inside. By the way: the kilometers to go on the display had been 0 for a very long time... if I remember well around 70 km or so...
 
Idaho Red Rocket 3 said:
My new to me 2023 R3 GT does not have a long range for me. It seams to me that just a short 80 mile ride uses more than half the fuel in the tank. Just the other day I desided to run the tank down to only a few mies left on the miles to empty read out. I stay closer to my favorite Non-Ethanol gas station as I got closer to 0 miles. Finally ran it down to 2 miles and headed to the gas station. As I pulled up to turn into the station it clicked over to 1 mile remaining. I filled up. It took 4.17 US gallons. Is this typical ?
Click to expand...
Good research. Its supposed to hold 18 liters/4.8 gallons. so at 32 mpg you should get about 20 miles more when the range reads zero, according to what should be left (4.8 minus 4.17). Although @Rockatansky says twice that. Terrible range on these bikes. The big drawback for touring on them. which is what I'm going to try to do. I bought a 1 gallon fuel bag to put in my tank bag. Just might save me a walk one day. Or a long wait for a tow place to bring some....as an aside, running them empty might be hard on the fuel pump. Fuel keeps it cool
 
Last edited:
Getting to know what the fuel gauge reading is really telling you, is a very worthwhile exercise.
I'm guessing that different bikes will have slightly different readings, so worth doing your own rather than relaying too heavily on what other folks recommend from their bikes.
In the case of the 2.5 Rocket, the range very much depends on how the bike is being ridden.
It's easy to run dry in a pitifully short distance if emotive expression is turned up to eleven, but if i'm on a tour and cruising comfortably for a run of say, 4 hours in the saddle,
I can easily get 125miles (if I try a bit harder 140 miles).
For UK riding distances, that's generally acceptable.
 
Rockatansky said:
From my point of view your idea is wrong - you did not verify the volume of the tank, you checked how much volume you can enter based on an information on the display.

If you really want to know the volume, you have to drive until it stops and then refill.

Problem: this only works with somebody following you and filling you up directly after you stopped - because even by using a spare liter to fill up after stopping already creates a false result based on the distance you have to ride with the safety liter to the next filling station.

We made it that way with a nearly new GT in 23 ("nearly new" because it had some kilometers on it but we wanted to have a clean tank for the test) and arrived at about 18,5 liters volume - which is fine for me, because the tank also carries some stuff inside. By the way: the kilometers to go on the display had been 0 for a very long time... if I remember well around 70 km or so...
Click to expand...
I'll have to try that riding past 0 miles on my 2023 R3GT. My 2024 Tiger stops running at 0 miles. I tried the same thing with it and ran out of gas a few hundred feet from the gas station when the miles to empty dropped from .6 miles left to 0.
 
Fuel range on my TFC is a concern. I have ridden it to zero on the display but I did not enjoy it. My anxiety was to high fearing the issues of running dry. My low fuel warning comes on at around 125 mile and I find gas soon or sooner. It’s not a long range tourer.
 
Dr.D said:
Fuel range on my TFC is a concern. I have ridden it to zero on the display but I did not enjoy it. My anxiety was to high fearing the issues of running dry. My low fuel warning comes on at around 125 mile and I find gas soon or sooner. It’s not a long range tourer.
Click to expand...
I agree Doc. The anxiety of a low fuel light flashing on can raise one’s blood pressure if you’re in unfamiliar territory. I always start looking for fuel after 100 miles on the freeway and 80 miles on the twisties. It’s not a big deal. It’s not important to me to get 200 miles before I fuel up. If it was I’d get a touring bike. At 100 to 110 miles I’m ready to stretch my legs and go over in my head where I’m heading next. All of my motorcycles through out the years have had smaller tanks. Once again Not a big deal. For me anyway. Cheers.
 
Idaho Red Rocket 3 said:
My new to me 2023 R3 GT does not have a long range for me. It seams to me that just a short 80 mile ride uses more than half the fuel in the tank. Just the other day I desided to run the tank down to only a few mies left on the miles to empty read out. I stay closer to my favorite Non-Ethanol gas station as I got closer to 0 miles. Finally ran it down to 2 miles and headed to the gas station. As I pulled up to turn into the station it clicked over to 1 mile remaining. I filled up. It took 4.17 US gallons. Is this typical ?
Click to expand...
My 2020 TFC routinely gets 140 to 150 miles before the little gas pump lights up and range indicates 40 miles to. I've run it to under 20 miles left and it only to 4.06 gals. My mpg indicated on instrument usually sits around 41 mpg. Bike currently has 30,000 plus miles
 

Similar threads

Fastmike
Rocket 3 Storm R - how to check oil level?
3 4 5
Replies
40
Views
3K
GTAgAu
GTAgAu
buddazero
Rocket 3 Roadster Possibly Overheating?
2
Replies
14
Views
184
atomsplitter
atomsplitter
    • Like
Does coolant expire or not?
Replies
2
Views
246
Idaho Red Rocket 3
Idaho Red Rocket 3
GreyGhost2277
    • Like
2025 Rocket 3 GT Storm connectors
Replies
6
Views
204
GreyGhost2277
GreyGhost2277
Neolise
    • Like
Engine guards 1st gen rocket
Replies
1
Views
219
rainman
rainman
Back
Top