Reserve kicks in at 4.5 gallons

[Guest DREBBIN]

When I was out testing the charge system today I also had to switch over the RESERVE -- was right at a station -- only took 4.5 gallons though -- so reserve is 1.5? Thnx, DREBBIN

[Grandpagak]

kinda looks like it .. but thats a good thing.. safely got fifty miles..

[GunnyButch]

That sounds about right for mine too. I leave mine on reserve all the time and wait for the light and F trip meter. I usually fill up by the time the F trip meter hits 20-25 miles and it will take 4.9-5.2 gallons. My usual mpg is 40.

[BuddyRich]

Mine usually only takes 4 if I get fuel right when The F kicks in.

[Carbon_One]

4 gallons to reserve then have to switch the valve here.

Larry

[Guest DREBBIN]

That sounds about right for mine too. I leave mine on reserve all the time and wait for the light and F trip meter. I usually fill up by the time the F trip meter hits 20-25 miles and it will take 4.9-5.2 gallons. My usual mpg is 40.

 

Thnx, So what activates the F TRIP ? DREBBIN

[juggler]

My fuel light never comes on and I've never seen the fuel trip meter. When I fill up it usually takes 5-5.4 gallons.

[RedRider]

My reserve usually kicks in about 4.5 gal. I will be testing total tank range in the spring preparing for an IB run in June. Will pack a gallon gas can and run the tank dry to see what I really can get out of a tank. Will let you know what I find out.

 

Jeff

[BuddyRich]

When the Low Fuel lights the first time it trips the F reading on the odo. This will begin adding up miles while displaying the F to show you how many miles you have gone on reserve. This is suppose to be around the 1 gallon left mark. I always start to loose power if I don't switch to reserve in about 7 miles from the first time the Low Fuel light come on. It automatically resets after so many miles of the low fuel being off.

[venturejockey]

Back before the crash of '06 I set my bike up on a level surface and drained the tank. I then measured exactly 5.9 gallons to fill back up to half way up the filler neck. Like many of you I put in about 4.5 gallons if I hit reserve. That means I have 1.4 gallons until fumes. In a perfect world I could go 56 miles.

[Albino Rhino]

When I was out testing the charge system today I also had to switch over the RESERVE -- was right at a station -- only took 4.5 gallons though -- so reserve is 1.5? Thnx, DREBBIN

I have to go on reserve right at 4.5 gallons too. According to a long distance rider I know who does it on a RSV, there is approximately 1/2 gallon of unuseable fuel in the tank. He knows from experience.

[GeorgeS]

If I have gone 175 miles, or the gauge reads 1/4 tank left, I never passs a Gas Station without filling up. Besides, by then its time to stop for some other good reason anyway !!!

 

Why live on fumes ??

[RedRider]

My reserve usually kicks in about 4.5 gal. I will be testing total tank range in the spring preparing for an IB run in June. Will pack a gallon gas can and run the tank dry to see what I really can get out of a tank. Will let you know what I find out.

 

Jeff

 

Did my test today and found I was able to get 211 miles from a tank of gas. Filled it up to the neck and ran it until it was dry. Went to reserve at about 165 miles. Once out of gas, I put in a gallon from a gas can and drove about 5 miles to a gas station. Put in 4.95 gallons.

 

Works out to about 37 miles to the gallon. This was about 1/2 back road / small town and 1/2 superslab at 70 mph.

 

3 weeks, 5 days to launch. Not that I'm counting.

 

RR

[V7Goose]

When the Low Fuel lights the first time it trips the F reading on the odo. This will begin adding up miles while displaying the F to show you how many miles you have gone on reserve.

Not correct. The trigger for the low fuel light and the F trip meter are completely separate. I find that my F trip meter starts about three miles before the low fuel light begins to flicker.

When I am not leaving my bike in reserve all the time, I also find that the both the F trip meter and the low fuel light will be on about 5-7 miles before the engine begins to starve and I need to switch to reserve.

 

I do agree that reserve comes on regularly with about 4.5 gallons left. This is contrary to the manual that states reserve is 1 gallon.

Goose

 

Actually, the more I think about it, Buddyrich may be correct - since the low fuel light does come on slowly, sometimes flickering, sometimes glowing dim and building to a steady glow, it is certainly possible that it flickers on once and triggers the F meter without my ever seeing the light.

[V7Goose]

I have to go on reserve right at 4.5 gallons too. According to a long distance rider I know who does it on a RSV, there is approximately 1/2 gallon of unusable fuel in the tank. He knows from experience.

Absolutely NOT true for my 05 QuickSilver! I have many times ridden 50-60 miles on reserve and put in between 5.4 and 5.9 gallons on fill up. At least on my bike, ALL fuel in the tank is available for use.

 

My guess is that the unfortunate who thinks there is 1/2 gallon not usable had not vented the fuel neck and just simply was not able to fully fill the tank.

Goose

[Rich99]

That sounds about right for mine too. I leave mine on reserve all the time and wait for the light and F trip meter. I usually fill up by the time the F trip meter hits 20-25 miles and it will take 4.9-5.2 gallons. My usual mpg is 40.

Yup, seems like every time someone brings this subject up, everybody has a different answer to what's right and what's wrong. Did anybody figure what kind of gas you put in your bike. Like our trip up to Susanville last August. I went to a gippo gas station, and my bike never ran so good in all the time I've had it. Yes, it normally gets 40 mpg, and I usually go on reserve at 4.5 gallons. But what ever gas this station sold, and Buddy should back me up on this; we took a 205 mile trip around Lake Almanor, and I hadn't even gone to reserve yet. This came out to 49.9 miles to the gallon. When we left, yes it was somewhat down hill, but I got 55 mpg at that time. But heres the trick question, I ran out right across the street from a station one time, pushed the bike over to the pump, got 5.3 gallons in, stood the bike straight up, and put another 2/10's in for a total of 5.5 gals. You shouldn't have to put a hole in the top of the neck in order to get another half gallon in, and if you did, you put the bike back on it's side stand, and watch the gas flow out the tank. As far as I'm concerned, the book should say 5.5 gals. not 6, as I haven't heard of anybody getting in any more than 5.5 gals. So anyway, speed, where you buy your gas, what you've done with your bike, I put K&N filters and Baron Nasty Boy mufflers on, and picked up another 2 or better mpg, well anyway, I put my :2cents:worth in.

[V7Goose]

As far as I'm concerned, the book should say 5.5 gals. not 6, as I haven't heard of anybody getting in any more than 5.5 gals. So anyway, speed, where you buy your gas, what you've done with your bike, I put K&N filters and Baron Nasty Boy mufflers on, and picked up another 2 or better mpg, well anyway, I put my :2cents:worth in.

Well, you can't say that anymore - I have often put in over 5.5 gals, and while the bike was on the center stand too. Once last week when I had to stretch a tank in the Ozarks really far on Mother's day, I put 5.94 in when I finally found a station open.

 

I HAVE vented my tank neck, which allows me to fill it completely without too much fuss, and I think it is completely understandable why this is necessary. Yamahaha would rather play it safe and have the tank seem full at 5.5 gallons that risk dealing with the problems from lazy and inattentive owners spilling fuel when they don't shut the gas off soon enough during fueling.

 

Anyway, the RSV tank DOES indeed hold six gallons, and many here have reported in other threads that they have come close to that on some fill ups.

Goose

[BuddyRich]

Actually, the more I think about it, Buddyrich may be correct - since the low fuel light does come on slowly, sometimes flickering, sometimes glowing dim and building to a steady glow, it is certainly possible that it flickers on once and triggers the F meter without my ever seeing the light.

 

Actually if you ride at night, which I do about half of mine, You will see that the first time that low fuel light even flickers the unit switches to F. Kinda of hard to see in the daylight. It will be so dim the first time it flickers on you probably won't see it in the daylight.

[spear]

There'd be nothing worse than testing you tank's capacity to the limit, then having to push your bike uphill to find a service station - whilst being shadowed by a dancing vulture. Wasn't that scene in Wild Hogs an absolute crack up? I loved the way that buzzard kept willing those guys to DIE!:rotf:

[RedRider]

I HAVE vented my tank neck, which allows me to fill it completely without too much fuss, and I think it is completely understandable why this is necessary. Yamahaha would rather play it safe and have the tank seem full at 5.5 gallons that risk dealing with the problems from lazy and inattentive owners spilling fuel when they don't shut the gas off soon enough during fueling.

 

Anyway, the RSV tank DOES indeed hold six gallons, and many here have reported in other threads that they have come close to that on some fill ups.

Goose

 

Goose,

 

Do you, or anyone else, have a pic of what you do to 'vent' the tank neck?

 

RR

[RedRider]

I HAVE vented my tank neck, which allows me to fill it completely without too much fuss, and I think it is completely understandable why this is necessary. Yamahaha would rather play it safe and have the tank seem full at 5.5 gallons that risk dealing with the problems from lazy and inattentive owners spilling fuel when they don't shut the gas off soon enough during fueling.

 

Goose

 

Goose,

 

Do you, or anyone else, have a pic of how to vent the tank neck?

 

RR

[SaltyDawg]

Absolutely NOT true for my 05 QuickSilver! I have many times ridden 50-60 miles on reserve and put in between 5.4 and 5.9 gallons on fill up. At least on my bike, ALL fuel in the tank is available for use.

 

My guess is that the unfortunate who thinks there is 1/2 gallon not usable had not vented the fuel neck and just simply was not able to fully fill the tank.

Goose

 

I would have to respectfully disagree with your statement. You might want to check where you get your gas and make sure they are not ripping you off. I know for a fact that there is about 1/2 gallon of UNUSABLE gas in the tank, it resides on the right side of the tank. If you look at the backbone of the frame it splits the tank in two with no allowance for all of the fuel on the right side to get back to the left where the petcock is. I have in fact run my RSV on reserve until it quit, not on purpose though and was able to shake enough gas from the right side to the left to get me to a gas station. I speak from personal experience.

 

Wayne

[V7Goose]

Well Wayne, the facts you "know" don't match the facts I know. I guess we'll just both have to walk around "knowing" our facts are better.

 

BTW - bikes have had the saddle tank design for more years than either of us have been around, and relatively few of them put on a leveling tube like my Guzzis have, but most of them still do not run out of gas prematurely. Since bikes lean in corners (and on the side stand, that's why the petcock is always on the left), normal sloshing usually causes virtually all of the gas to be available unless you are simply burning miles on the freeway while you nod off.

 

RedRider, here is the link to the info on venting the filler neck:

http://www.venturerider.org/forum/showthread.php?t=302

 

Caution - some folks in that thread suggested drilling instead of using a punch awl - DO NOT DRILL!!!!!!!!! That is the worst possible idea. First, any electric drill causes sparks where the brushes run in the motor (can you say BOOM?). Even if you used a hand crank drill, the metal filings will be bad news. Good luck,

Goose

[RedRider]

Thanks Goose. That is what I thought was to be done, but now I know for sure. Pics are worth a ... Yeah, Yeah, it's a cliche'.

 

RR

[SaltyDawg]

Well V7Goose I guess we will have to agree to disagree. You know what you know and I know what I know.