How many miles for a full tank?

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Lorenzo

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Hi Guys,
I am keeping running out of gas because I cannot calculate when to fill before the reserve with my small roadster tank

so, here's the question for you:
How many miles can you ride with a full tank before the reserve?

on another note, since we don't have a partial mileometer, I was wondering if you experienced using an alternative additional one, like those which are used on the bicycle, so to keep note how many miles you've done between each refill..

Thanks for helping..
 
I carry a tiny combination lock with a 3 digit tumbler in my pocket. It's like one of those light duty ones for a suitcase or a travel bag. When I fill up I set the tumblers to the last 3 digits of my speedo to remind me of the mileage I filled up at. I know I get around 100 miles to a tank of gas on my bike which has a highrider tank on it. Also I have clear fuel lines so when I start seeing air I'll be going on reserve shortly.
 
My Mk3 has a resettable odo and a Roadster tank. I don't fill it up all the way to reduce gas cap leakage, and I go 100 miles before I need reserve.
Avg about 49-52 mpg.
Jaydee
 
You can set up a small bicycle electronic speedometer. Most will have trip meters on the screen. Or I think someone used a knitting counter and placed it on the cable near the handlebar. do a search on this forum.
Depending on your final drive gearing with the roadster tank, your carb setup,
and if you run a beltdrive will give you different results in your MPG calculations. With a stock 750 bike and a 19 tooth final, I would use the two hour rule.
Fillup drive for two hours and then you are looking for a gas station again. A taller geared bike will get you better gas mileage when traveling because your RPM's will be lower in 4th gear. Also insure that you have a reserve and a main petcock. If you need to go that extra mile to get to a station you can lean the bike at the side of the road to the reserve side to slide most of the fuel over the hump.
Hope that can help.
Cheers,
Thomas
CNN
 
That's what the reserve tap was made for...

I start looking for gas at about 100 miles too.
 
maylar said:
That's what the reserve tap was made for...

I start looking for gas at about 100 miles too.
Click to expand...

I have been caught coasting into a gas station with a 72 roadster tank bike....but never had to push it more than across the street. :lol: You can always use these fuel cells for Coleman or MEC white gas appliances to use if you have a tank bag or saddle bag to carry in areas of unknown gas station locations. http://www.mec.ca/product/5015-640/msr- ... 0130+50496
Cheers,
Thomas
CNN
 
I filled up at my 93 octane, no-ethanol station in Brevard NC before heading up to the last day of the rally. Got up to the rally, came back ( did the whole way back on the BRP, great ride though those tunnels are dark!! ) and tried to get my roadster tank to hit reserve. At 120 miles I hadn't hit it yet, but I think I was really close. I write my mileage down on masking tape and stick it on the odometer, fillup calculated at around 44mpg with twin amal premiers.
 
When I was a kid my Mom used to knit continuously and she used to have these on her knitting needles.

http://www.craftsy.com/supplies/lion-br ... aQodTUkFPw

I bought two of them from Hobby Lobby and put then on my air control cable.When I fill up I set the counters to the last 4 digits on my odometer plus 100 miles. This gives me enough warning when I am getting close to running out. I had to use a small dia. piece of plastic tubing to get them tight on the cable but it works. Everyone asks me what they are for, just wish they weren't pink but they are slowly getting darker from my dirty gloves.

Dave
 
Good idea Thomas:
would you take the 325 ml, the 650 ml or the 975 ml fuel bottle?

CanukNortonNut said:
maylar said:
That's what the reserve tap was made for...

I start looking for gas at about 100 miles too.
Click to expand...

I have been caught coasting into a gas station with a 72 roadster tank bike....but never had to push it more than across the street. :lol: You can always use these fuel cells for Coleman or MEC white gas appliances to use if you have a tank bag or saddle bag to carry in areas of unknown gas station locations. http://www.mec.ca/product/5015-640/msr- ... 0130+50496
Cheers,
Thomas
CNN
Click to expand...
 
140 (225k) and yes I sometimes run out :oops: 155-160 (255k)max. From empty my roadster will take 12 litres, so 3.1 US or 2.6 Imperial. Running out involves removing the tank and manoevering the 0.5 litre of fuel to the reserve side. That usually gets me to a gas station (but not always) :wink:
 
A marker pen/texta type pen can write the fill mileage (discreetly) on the speedo glass.
A glove can wipe it off for a rewrite next fill.

Watch that some other bikes may have plastic glass, and the marker pen may be more permanent !
 
Rohan said:
A marker pen/texta type pen can write the fill mileage (discreetly) on the speedo glass.
A glove can wipe it off for a rewrite next fill.

Watch that some other bikes may have plastic glass, and the marker pen may be more permanent !
Click to expand...

Exactly what I was thinking! If you used a white board type marker pen it should work well me thinks.
 
Hi Lorenzo.
A modern perspective for a perennial problem.
I run a GPS speedo on my phone on my bike but in the background run a fuel gauge app also using GPS.
I set the fuel range and it counts down from there and I reset when I refill the tank. At a preset limit it flashes the screen as a warning for time to look for a servo.
Ta.
 
.. interesting..
ca you tell the name of the app? is it running on iphone?


needing said:
Hi Lorenzo.
A modern perspective for a perennial problem.
I run a GPS speedo on my phone on my bike but in the background run a fuel gauge app also using GPS.
I set the fuel range and it counts down from there and I reset when I refill the tank. At a preset limit it flashes the screen as a warning for time to look for a servo.
Ta.
Click to expand...
 
'Fuel Gauge' by Kworth Studios.
Android - yes. Iphone - ??
Ta.
 
CanukNortonNut said:
You can set up a small bicycle electronic speedometer. Most will have trip meters on the screen
Click to expand...

This is what I use too. Works great! Just the most basic wired Sigma bicycle speedo is all you need. About 20 bucks. I replaced the magnet with a stronger rare earth magnet from Radio Shack and epoxied it to my disc brake. I think it would be more difficult to set up with a drum brake. You need to have very little clearance between the magnet and pickup to work reliably. Oh, and make sure you get the WIRED speedo, not the WIRELESS one.

I get around 50-55 mpg (US gallon) and generally hit reserve around 110 miles. Reserve on my bike does not get me very far (found that out shortly after I bought it), about 15 miles max. So I too start looking for gas stations in earnest around 100 miles.
 
zotz said:
I carry a tiny combination lock with a 3 digit tumbler in my pocket. It's like one of those light duty ones for a suitcase or a travel bag. When I fill up I set the tumblers to the last 3 digits of my speedo to remind me of the mileage I filled up at. I know I get around 100 miles to a tank of gas on my bike which has a highrider tank on it. Also I have clear fuel lines so when I start seeing air I'll be going on reserve shortly.
Click to expand...

100 miles. What am I doing wrong? I get only about 60 on my hi rider tank.
Plugs look good. Maybe I am a little throttle heavy?
 
Lorenzo said:
Good idea Thomas:
would you take the 325 ml, the 650 ml or the 975 ml fuel bottle?

CanukNortonNut said:
maylar said:
That's what the reserve tap was made for...

I start looking for gas at about 100 miles too.
Click to expand...

I have been caught coasting into a gas station with a 72 roadster tank bike....but never had to push it more than across the street. :lol: You can always use these fuel cells for Coleman or MEC white gas appliances to use if you have a tank bag or saddle bag to carry in areas of unknown gas station locations. http://www.mec.ca/product/5015-640/msr- ... 0130+50496
Cheers,
Thomas
CNN
Click to expand...
Click to expand...

I have two of the largest and I fit these vertical in the front of my saddlebag on each side. I don't ever use it with an interstate tank. YMMV based on how much reserve you want after you are on reserve :roll:
Cheers,
Thomas
CNN
 
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