Roadster fuel gauge/fuel light accuracy

motolink

Nitrous
Joined
Sep 11, 2010
Messages
1,431
Location
Brisbane South, Australia
Ride
2011 Roadster and 2001 Bonneville
Is this normal, filled the tank, the low fuel light came on at 216km, I rode another 54km, all the bars on the fuel gauge were gone, filled the tank it took 16.41 liters, thats about 16.5 km to the liter.
This means there were 10 liters in the tank when the low fuel light came on, the owners hand book says the low fuel light should come on when there is 4.5 liters in the tank.
What has other Roadster owners expeienced.
 

Yeah, mine comes on early, not quite as bad as yours but still early. I just deal with it, and make a mental adjustment.

I have seen a post on how to correct the gauge but was very detailed and time consuming so didn't bother.
 
my roadster (2011) takes the same amount of fuel (+/- 16.5liter) when the light comes on.
 
I have noticed the same thing. I rode about 50 miles after the light came on and about 20 miles after the bars were gone. BTW, the miles until empty always goes from around 10-15 miles directly to zero! When I filled-up it took 5.5 thus I had around 0.8 US gallons remaining.

I am tempted to make the mental adjustment and ride further but I am not sure how much is usable meaning the bike will not necessarily use all that is in the tank. I know BMW specs out tank capacity and usable capacity on some bikes.

I would like to know the most fuel that anyone has put in the 6.3 gallon tank / how much fuel was remaining in the tank before they filled-up. I have been down to 0.8 US gallons. Anyone else?
 
On my 07 Classic when I was returning from Key West in '08 I filled up on the SW side of Lake Okeechobee and only had .2 gallons left...that was cutting it pretty close.

Dennis

53 dtg Dubai
54 dtg Home for good!
 
Same here my light will come on with about 88km left in the tank and I can only put 16L in give or take .5L
 
The only fuel gauge I ever trusted on a bike was the pet-cock valve marked "Reserve".

I sure miss those.
 
HellFire said:
The only fuel gauge I ever trusted on a bike was the pet-cock valve marked "Reserve".

I sure miss those.
Click to expand...

You are right but I don't miss carburetors.

This is a matter of learning the characteristics of a new bike. Why is it so difficult to make fuel gauges accurate? If they are trying to leave a margin of error they have gone too far and made it almost useless. I set the trip meter and go by that based on mixed riding fuel economy which I can judge somewhat by how soon the gauges go to empty compared to miles ridden. The farthest I have gone is 187 miles on a 6.3 US gallon tank but I think 200 is probably the do or die zone with this bike for me assuming it will use the entire tank. Big assumption.
 
I've went 212 miles on mine ONCE.
Don't remember how much it took to fill it up,
but now I know I can get 200 out of a tank on the highway
maintaining some sense of sensibility.
About 150 miles on a tank when I'm just out playing around
before I start lookin, cause that's where my light comes on is at 150.
Fixing the float ain't no big deal.
just pop the tank off, turn it over and unscrew the plate on bottom,
pull the float arm up and out first, then the pump will come out without any problem.
bend the float arm down as you hold it, about a quarter inch.
That should give you more time and gas to use before your light comes on.
OR
50 miles reserve once it does come on.
oh yea, you'll need a couple of small hose clamps too
when you're putting your lines back on.
 
HellFire said:
The only fuel gauge I ever trusted on a bike was the pet-cock valve marked "Reserve".

I sure miss those.
Click to expand...

Me too. Was always reassuring to know you at least had that last dribble - unless you were stupid enough to leave it on reserve after refilling (as I did once). Riding along thinking I'm getting the best mileage ever from a tank and then..... nothing.
 
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