Found Out Something New About my New to Me 07 RSV

[BlueSky]

I went for a ride today on my new to me 07 RSV. The gas gauge was on 2 or 3 bars when I started it. It took a while to warm up and after riding it a few miles the low fuel indicator light came on. A few seconds later, it started sputtering and died. I coasted to a gravel driveway and stopped. After looking at the fuel valve I switched it to reserve, allowed a few seconds for the carbs to fill up and rode to a gas station. It took 4.5 gallons to fill. It will be nice to know in the future what to expect. I'm undecided whether to keep the fuel valve in the reserve or on position. With the gauge and warning light I suppose there is no reason to keep it in the ON position.

[videoarizona]

Wellllllll....

 

What you just described is what happens to me on my 05. I get to around 2 bars, go a few miles, and she runs out of gas. But I don't get any red light or reserve warning. I simply switch to reserve and continue. I put it about same amount...4.5 - 4.8 gallons.

 

So I NEVER leave the petcock on reserve. that's the only salvation I have. I'm not going to push that scoot any further than I have to!

 

just my .02's worth...

Edited July 23, 2018 by videoarizona
sp

[djh3]

Well I know mine was not the most accurate thing in the world. Would take long time to come off full, then pretty normal but the last bit went pretty fast. But the light was always accurate. So when it came on I was lookin for gas. Now you say it has sit for quite some time and you just got to ride here is what I would do. Reset the trip meter, and fill up. I'm kind of thinking the more you get the float to move around a bit it will get more accurate to a point. Maybe there is some build up that after the sweep moves over it a few times it will clean it off. Just a theory.

[Chaharly]

You got 6 gallons total so you have roughly 40 miles safely

[madrock05]

I have an 06 RSV and pretty much the same thing happened to me when I left work one morning. I got the Low fuel light with 2 bars remaining, and it started puttering and loosing power. So I pulled over and switched over to the res and rode straight to the gas station and filled up with about 4.5 gal.

[EtRider]

That seems to be the norm. My 2013 is the same way, low fuel trip meter starts and then a few miles I have to switch to reserve. Fill up with about 4.5 gal.

[bongobobny]

It is all pretty much up to you as far as what to do. Myself, I left the petcock on reserve all the time to avoid the sputtering and dying before the warning light came on. Once the "countdown" starts I knew I had a good 40 miles left, and one time out in the middle of nowhere made it to almost 60 miles before running out of gas. I used to carry an extra quart of gas in my saddlebag back in those days and it was a good thing as I didn't see a single gas station during those 60 miles and finally found one another 5 miles down the road...

[XV1100SE]

The "gauge" inside the tank is on the left side of the tank so when you have the bike on the side stand it shows higher than when the bike is standing straight up.

 

As for it being a 6 gallon tank....when you fill the tank it is on the side stand at the gas station. If you look at the shape of the tank you'll see that an area of the tank is above the filler hole. You lose space in this area and will never be able to put in a full 6 gallons. I usually turn the handle bars so it is as level as possible then fill to the bottom of the filler hole. Add a bit of gas, let the bubbles from that unusable cavity to escape, add more gas...and repeat until no more bubbles are coming out and no more room for gas.

 

I had pretty much the same questions when I got my '09 RSV. See http://www.venturerider.org/forum/showthread.php?52074-How-far-can-you-go-on-a-tank-of-gas for the points at that time.

 

I did a chart at one time - http://www.venturerider.org/forum/showthread.php?109176-Fuel-Tank-Arithmetic-(I-HATE-math-with-a-passion!)&p=932614#post932614

The "lost" capacity of the tank is about 1.9L or 0.5 US gallons or 0.42 Imperial gallons. If you don't want to follow the link :

- "real" capacity of main tank - 17.1L, 4.52 US gallons, 3.76 IMP gallons

- reserve capacity - 3.5L, 0.92 US gallons, 0.77 IMP gallons

 

Keep in mind that there are two tubes into the tank that when you switch from "main" (taller tube) to reserve (lower tube) you are drawing from the same tank - main and reserve are not in separate tanks.

 

One time on a trip thru Montana I ran down to the point where I had zero bars showing on the gas gauge. Did the run between Roundup and Malta (265.3km - 165miles) and by the time we got to Malta I was on fumes. Ran 53.3km/33miles on the fuel counter. Had no bars showing on the gas gauge for several miles. Put in 5.2 US gallons - 32 miles/gallon. That was 2 up and pulling a trailer.

Edited July 23, 2018 by XV1100SE

[Condor]

Back in 2011 Lone Eagle and I were riding to Cody Wy after spending a night In Rock Springs. I had electrical issues with the '99RSV while pulling a trailer in Thermopolis and when we got them sorted out we continued on to Cody 80 miles up the road. Rock Springs.... where we last fueled.... to Thermopolis is 194 miles. Because of the problem neither one of us thought to top the tanks off again. Half way to Cody Vic pulls alone side of me on his RSTD slapping the side of his tank. He's already on reserve due to his smaller tank. My '99 is down to the last bar and pulling a trailer is sucking gas like a horse eating oats. We both reduced speed and did twisties all the way to Cody. Right into the first gas station we saw. Vic had a tenth of a gallon left, and I still had some issues so stuck in a gallon and we went to the motel. After messing some more the next day I topped the tank off with another 5 gallons. That's the closest I ever want to running out of fuel on a bike... again.. :-)

 

Back in the late 50's I ran out of fuel late on a Sunday night, and pushed my Ariel Square Four (525lbs) 5 miles before finding an open gas station. Not a fun experience, but I'll take the memory of that station logo to my grave.... That's why I start looking for gas at 150 on the odo, and don't give a damn about the gas gauge..Eat your hearts out on the fuel prices back them....

Edited July 23, 2018 by Condor

[Du-Rron]

I'm undecided whether to keep the fuel valve in the reserve or on position.... With the gauge and warning light I suppose there is no reason to keep it in the ON position.

 

Oh yes there is. Please ALWAYS keep it in the ON position and remember to reset it back to the ON position after refueling.

 

Sometimes I just do not look at the gauges... So the "Bars" and the "Idiot Lights" don't do anything for me. Sometimes fuel mileage is lower than expected. Leaving the petcock in the ON position so that you can then switch to RESERVE gives you some physical options at that particular place at that particular time you may not otherwise have.

 

Here is an example.

http://www.venturerider.org/forum/showthread.php?109912-How-far-have-you-driven-on-Reserve-Fuel

[videoarizona]

All makes sense. Since my bars and idiot light don't seem to come on before I run out of main tank (no error codes either), I'll just go with the usable main tank is 4.5 gallons and leave it at that. Seems consistent with what i get when I fill to the bottom of the filler tube.

[baylensman]

The "gauge" inside the tank is on the left side of the tank so when you have the bike on the side stand it shows higher than when the bike is standing straight up.

 

As for it being a 6 gallon tank....when you fill the tank it is on the side stand at the gas station. If you look at the shape of the tank you'll see that an area of the tank is above the filler hole. You lose space in this area and will never be able to put in a full 6 gallons. I usually turn the handle bars so it is as level as possible then fill to the bottom of the filler hole. Add a bit of gas, let the bubbles from that unusable cavity to escape, add more gas...and repeat until no more bubbles are coming out and no more room for gas.

 

I had pretty much the same questions when I got my '09 RSV. See http://www.venturerider.org/forum/showthread.php?52074-How-far-can-you-go-on-a-tank-of-gas for the points at that time.

 

I did a chart at one time - http://www.venturerider.org/forum/showthread.php?109176-Fuel-Tank-Arithmetic-(I-HATE-math-with-a-passion!)&p=932614#post932614

The "lost" capacity of the tank is about 1.9L or 0.5 US gallons or 0.42 Imperial gallons. If you don't want to follow the link :

- "real" capacity of main tank - 17.1L, 4.52 US gallons, 3.76 IMP gallons

- reserve capacity - 3.5L, 0.92 US gallons, 0.77 IMP gallons

 

Keep in mind that there are two tubes into the tank that when you switch from "main" (taller tube) to reserve (lower tube) you are drawing from the same tank - main and reserve are not in separate tanks.

 

One time on a trip thru Montana I ran down to the point where I had zero bars showing on the gas gauge. Did the run between Roundup and Malta (265.3km - 165miles) and by the time we got to Malta I was on fumes. Ran 53.3km/33miles on the fuel counter. Had no bars showing on the gas gauge for several miles. Put in 5.2 US gallons - 32 miles/gallon. That was 2 up and pulling a trailer.

 

 

use can use an awl or punch and put a hole in the "NECK" near the top, i put in three at at 12 4 and 8 o'clock positions so i can fill the bike higher. just watch for expansion may push fuse out when parked.

[XV1100SE]

use can use an awl or punch and put a hole in the "NECK" near the top, i put in three at at 12 4 and 8 o'clock positions so i can fill the bike higher. just watch for expansion may push fuse out when parked.

 

I'd be reluctant to do that just to get some of the 1.9L / 0.5 US gallons / 0.42 Imperial gallons back.

[Leland]

I'd be reluctant to do that just to get some of the 1.9L / 0.5 US gallons / 0.42 Imperial gallons back.

Don't know why one should be reluctant to do this. Works and it's free. That extra ½ gallon may well be the difference between riding and walking. This has been discussed before.

[Du-Rron]

I'd be reluctant to do that just to get some of the 1.9L / 0.5 US gallons / 0.42 Imperial gallons back.

 

We know that the word "FUSE" above is meant to be FUEL.

 

Now, punching holes in the neck is highly recommended... by me anyways... On regular fueling stops where I am just trying to get gas in the thing, I can fill it up quickly without it burping fuel out at me. The holes act as air-relief so the trapped air at the top doesn't back up. I don't try to pack max fuel in on these stops.

 

On trip fueling stops where I try to pack max fuel in, I feel I can get 0.5 gallons more in there than I otherwise could. That last 0.5 gallons is added slowly so I don't burp any fuel out. I never refuel to max level, then stop riding, as the fuel will puke out the overflow due to the fuel heating up and expanding. I continue riding after max fueling stops.

[BlueSky]

Just don't make a spark when you punch the holes or it might be a bad day.

[djh3]

I now after reading some of this that when the light came on very soon it was time to swap the valve.

[sydem]

Years ago I had a Ford with two fuel tanks, i would always switch tanks before it would run out. One day i missed and it sucked the tank dry along with all the crap at the bottom of the tank, there I was on the side of the road changing a fuel filter.

 

For the same reason I always run on reserve and trust the count down/light will remind me to fuel up. I would be concerned about the crap accumulating at the bottom of the tank if you don't get into reserve regularly.

[cadechopper]

when you flip to reserve how far can you really go? im new to this group bought a 06 in June And love it.

[BlueSky]

when you flip to reserve how far can you really go? im new to this group bought a 06 in June And love it.

 

there is about a gallon of gas available on reserve.

[bongobobny]

when you flip to reserve how far can you really go? im new to this group bought a 06 in June And love it.

Best way to find out is put a gallon of gas in your saddlebag or trunk and ride until you run out of gas...

 

Around 40 miles is the average!

[Condor]

Talking about running out of gas joggled my brain a bit...yes it still gets joggled once in a while.... Well...back in the early 70's the only major north south highway in California was 99 running up through Bakersfield to Sacramento. About that time construction of the southern section of I-5 was being built, splitting off 99 at Wheeler Ridge and heading up to Hwy152, and joining up with the completed northern section toward San Francisco. So the big day comes for the grand opening. They cut the ribbon and hundred's of vehicles rejoiced and took the new highway. The problem... The powers to be never gave it a thought that they would need to get fuel somewhere along the way. You guessed it... not a gas station in close to 200 miles. They had 100's of cars and probably a few MC's strewn out all along the new stretch with empty tanks... They came to the rescue with tanker vehicles handing out enough free gas for those stranded, which was just about everyone, to make it to the I-5/Hwy152 intersection. What a fluster cluck....

 

An addendum... The first station to get up and running about half way at Hwy41 was pumping 30,000 gallons a day and they had to send an armored truck out to pick up the cash... remember the credit card wasn't king just yet... The only thing available were gas cards and if you didn't have that brand you were SOL.... So cash was king.

 

Anyone remember the 20X Blue Chip stamp gas wars??

 

:backinmyday::backinmyday:

Edited July 26, 2018 by Condor

[BlueSky]

According to my 07 RSV owners manual, there is 0.92 gallon of gas when you hit reserve, 5.94 gallons when full. However, you can't fill it all the way easily. Like I said, mine held 4.5 gallons after going to reserve and riding about a mile.

[Rafterd]

when you flip to reserve how far can you really go? im new to this group bought a 06 in June And love it.

 

To the very nearest gas station.

[Freebird]

It varies depending on all the other things that can affect your gas mileage. The best thing would be to take a gallon can of gas with you and find out.

 

Typically though, I would say around 40 miles.