r1100r fuel economy ?

[gazzr11r]

Hi guys, when my low fuel light used to come on it was always around 120 miles, is this normal as I've also read it should come on around the 200 mile mark ! What is your experience of the r1100r fuel range ?

[Michaelr11]

2 hours ago, gazzr11r said:

Hi guys, when my low fuel light used to come on it was always around 120 miles, is this normal as I've also read it should come on around the 200 mile mark ! What is your experience of the r1100r fuel range ?

 

Don't ride an 1100R.  On the 1100RT, the low fuel light comes on when there is "about" 1 gallon (US) remaining in the tank.  IF the 1100R is set up the same way, then the 200 mile mark would seem to be in the right area.  Keep in mind that the float arm can be accidentally bent during removal or install of the pump plate.  The arm could have been bent at one time that made it trigger the lamp too early.  1100R specification for fuel capacity is 21 litres / 4.61 gal / 5.54 gal US. 

[Miguel!]

2001 R1100RT here. 42-43 mpg consistently for years. Light comes on after ~230 miles. I full right to the top of the tank. I removed the carbon EVAP canister years ago. 
 

I agree with Michael r11 about the bent arm Chris Harris has a YouTube video on changing the fuel filter where he describes the fuel gauge. 
 

best Miguel

[dirtrider]

3 hours ago, gazzr11r said:

Hi guys, when my low fuel light used to come on it was always around 120 miles, is this normal as I've also read it should come on around the 200 mile mark ! What is your experience of the r1100r fuel range ?

Afternoon gazzr11r

 

You will probably have to figure it out for yourself based on YOUR miles per gallon. 

 

You really can't base your 1100R on the 1100/1150RT as  your R is different. Your tank shape& size  is different, your float assembly is different, your final drive ratio is different, & your arrow (air resistance vs frontal area) is different. 

 

Just figure out your miles traveled per gallon of fuel added at next fill-up then plot that against how far you "should" be able to go before the low fuel light comes on.   (then see how far off it is)

 

 

 

 

[gazzr11r]

Looks like I'm only getting 30 mpg and I don't thrash it everywhere ! 

[dirtrider]

7 hours ago, gazzr11r said:

Looks like I'm only getting 30 mpg and I don't thrash it everywhere ! 

Morning gazzr11r

 

Then it look like your low fuel light is coming on at around 120 miles of travel or 4 gallons of fuel used.  

[gazzr11r]

Yes I know when my light (used) to come on, now I also know my mpg and it seems low. My question aimed at is  my fuel economy acceptable or should I be looking at the O2 sensor or elsewhere ? I've set the tappets, changed the oils/ filters and balanced the TB's. I've just read that if the cold start is miss adjusted (ie over adjusted so no play in the cable when in the off position) this would cause the ECU/TPS to believe cold start is active and run the motor slightly rich. I'm just off for a ride now and I'll check and adjust as required.

[dirtrider]

13 minutes ago, gazzr11r said:

Yes I know when my light (used) to come on, now I also know my mpg and it seems low. My question aimed at is  my fuel economy acceptable or should I be looking at the O2 sensor or elsewhere ? I've set the tappets, changed the oils/ filters and balanced the TB's. I've just read that if the cold start is miss adjusted (ie over adjusted so no play in the cable when in the off position) this would cause the ECU/TPS to believe cold start is active and run the motor slightly rich. I'm just off for a ride now and I'll check and adjust as required.

Morning  gazzr11r

 

If your choke  cable is mis-adjusted to the high side about all you get is a fast idle with warm engine. (is your hot engine curb idle too high?)   

 

That choke system has nothing to do with cold start fueling as it is JUST a fast idle device (same as holding the twist grip slightly open). The cold start fueling is based on the  engine sensors feed back to the Motronic fueling computer.  

 

Lots of things can cause lower fuel economy from low tire pressure to, high alcohol fuel, to faulty engine sensors, to a failing o2 sensor, to dragging brakes, to the CPP being removed, to riding style, to restricted air filter, to ????. Or a combination of the above.  

 

I never got great fuel mileage on my 1100R bikes but I ride hard & very fast so that isn't out of line for my riding, still not as good as my 1100RT's got. Plus I usually rode with the CCP removed so no o2 sensor fueling control.   

[gazzr11r]

If the cold start lever (it is not a choke) is over adjusted the TPS will detect the position and fuel accordingly and cause an over rich mixture, the tick over is set by the BBS. On inspection the cold start lever had no play in the cable so I've adjusted it accordingly, resulting in the bike not ticking over. A quick balance and adjustment of the bbs and all is well, hopefully this will improve mpg a little. There is a relay missing in the front right hand side of the fuse/relay box, is this where the CCP relay would be located 🤔

[dirtrider]

17 minutes ago, gazzr11r said:

If the cold start lever (it is not a choke) is over adjusted the TPS will detect the position and fuel accordingly and cause an over rich mixture, the tick over is set by the BBS. On inspection the cold start lever had no play in the cable so I've adjusted it accordingly, resulting in the bike not ticking over. A quick balance and adjustment of the bbs and all is well, hopefully this will improve mpg a little. There is a relay missing in the front right hand side of the fuse/relay box, is this where the CCP relay would be located 🤔

  Morning  gazzr11r

 

If the cold start lever  is over adjusted the TPS will detect the position and fuel accordingly. --This is correct but keep in mind it won't OVER-FUEL as it just matches the amount of  fuel sprayed in to the added air.  (same as opening the twist grip)

 

 

 

[gazzr11r]

I see the missing relay is my abs check, which has been disconnected

[Michaelr11]

9 hours ago, gazzr11r said:

Looks like I'm only getting 30 mpg and I don't thrash it everywhere ! 

 

Then something is wrong.

[Skywagon]

Never owned an R, but in my previous 1150rt if I rode it really hard and fast I would see 38-39. Normal was 42. It took a good bit of patience to get the fuel tank completely full, as it does on my current RT. My fuel light(s) come on with roughly 50 miles left based on real measurement. I never run it that low…only once to see if it worked.  Fill it to the brim and check against mileage. Thirty sounds very low especially if not pushing hard

[Miguel!]

11 hours ago, Skywagon said:

Never owned an R, but in my previous 1150rt if I rode it really hard and fast I would see 38-39. Normal was 42. It took a good bit of patience to get the fuel tank completely full, as it does on my current RT. My fuel light(s) come on with roughly 50 miles left based on real measurement. I never run it that low…only once to see if it worked.  Fill it to the brim and check against mileage. Thirty sounds very low especially if not pushing hard

I reset the odometer after every fill-up (unless I forget). I removed the EVAP system so fill it right to the brim of the tank. I get about a gallon more than just filling till the gas pump auto-shuts off (California), giving me about another 45 miles of range. I get about 225 miles on a full tank before my low fuel light comes on.

 

Miguel

[King Herald]

On 9/10/2021 at 1:27 PM, dirtrider said:

  Morning  gazzr11r

 

If the cold start lever  is over adjusted the TPS will detect the position and fuel accordingly. --This is correct but keep in mind it won't OVER-FUEL as it just matches the amount of  fuel sprayed in to the added air.  (same as opening the twist grip)

 

 

 

I read a hundred different threads and forums about BMW and the CCP, and decided to pull mine out to cure the low speed surging. It worked, it ran beautifully at low speeds, no surge, no jerking, I grew to love my bike again.......... then the fuel light came on at 125 miles....

 

I put the CCP back in. 

Turns out my CO pot is not working, does nothing when I adjust it. I don't have an O2 sensor on my UK model  '97, just the CO pot and a being CCP. Some day I will look into the wiring. 

[dirtrider]

9 minutes ago, King Herald said:

I read a hundred different threads and forums about BMW and the CCP, and decided to pull mine out to cure the low speed surging. It worked, it ran beautifully at low speeds, no surge, no jerking, I grew to love my bike again.......... then the fuel light came on at 125 miles....

 

I put the CCP back in. 

Turns out my CO pot is not working, does nothing when I adjust it. I don't have an O2 sensor on my UK model  '97, just the CO pot and a being CCP. Some day I will look into the wiring. 

Morning   King Herald

 

You have something else going on there, a LOT of us BMW 1100 owners removed the CCP on our U.S.  1100 motorcycles & never got fuel economy as bad as the low fuel light coming on at 125 miles.

 

On U.S. (o2 sensor) 1100 bikes removing the CCP deactivates the o2 sensor input so that is no longer looked at by the fueling computer & the U.S.  o2 sensor bikes don't have a  CO pot so they go as rich as the fueling computer allows at idle & just above idle. (same as adjusting the CO pot full rich).

 

The CO pot only effects idle fueling & just above idle fueling, the more or longer the engine idles the more  a  mis-sdjusted (or missing) CO pot can effect fuel economy. I suppose if a rider lives in a crowded city & rides heavy stop & go traffic where the engine can idle 10-15 minutes for every mile traveled then there could be a noticeable effect on fuel economy. 

 

  

[King Herald]

6 hours ago, dirtrider said:

Morning   King Herald

 

You have something else going on there, a LOT of us BMW 1100 owners removed the CCP on our U.S.  1100 motorcycles & never got fuel economy as bad as the low fuel light coming on at 125 miles.

 

On U.S. (o2 sensor) 1100 bikes removing the CCP deactivates the o2 sensor input so that is no longer looked at by the fueling computer & the U.S.  o2 sensor bikes don't have a  CO pot so they go as rich as the fueling computer allows at idle & just above idle. (same as adjusting the CO pot full rich).

 

The CO pot only effects idle fueling & just above idle fueling, the more or longer the engine idles the more  a  mis-sdjusted (or missing) CO pot can effect fuel economy. I suppose if a rider lives in a crowded city & rides heavy stop & go traffic where the engine can idle 10-15 minutes for every mile traveled then there could be a noticeable effect on fuel economy. 

 

  

 

I've read so many different permutations about what works, many totally contradicting each other, that I still basically have no idea what is solid information now. 

 

With no CCP in at all mine ran rich across the whole rev band, got sluggish and 'docile' t higher rpm. Plugs were sooty. 

 

Something I read on the topic pointed out that the Motronic Eprom is programmed differently in different regions, so putting a certain cat code plug in will get a different response from bikes in different regions.  

 

Mine basically doesn't 'see' the CO pot, so yes, something else going on. I've been out playing with it again today, as I fitted some new up graded injectors last week, supposed to end all surging problems and give more power, smoother, economy yada yada.... All they did was raise the idle speed by 300pm. 

 

[dirtrider]

5 hours ago, King Herald said:

 

I've read so many different permutations about what works, many totally contradicting each other, that I still basically have no idea what is solid information now. 

 

With no CCP in at all mine ran rich across the whole rev band, got sluggish and 'docile' t higher rpm. Plugs were sooty. 

 

Something I read on the topic pointed out that the Motronic Eprom is programmed differently in different regions, so putting a certain cat code plug in will get a different response from bikes in different regions.  

 

Mine basically doesn't 'see' the CO pot, so yes, something else going on. I've been out playing with it again today, as I fitted some new up graded injectors last week, supposed to end all surging problems and give more power, smoother, economy yada yada.... All they did was raise the idle speed by 300pm. 

 

Evening   King Herald

 

Keep reading things, all that conflicting info will make you an expert.  

 

I guess with all that reading you don't need our years of experience & years or actually working with these things. 

[Warren Dean]

7 hours ago, King Herald said:

 

... I still basically have no idea what is solid information now...

 

 

 

Dirt Rider is THE source of solid information.

 

If you want to argue until someone gives an answer that you like, have at it.

 

But DR knows his stuff and has never steered anyone wrong that I know of.

[BF204]

On 9/9/2021 at 6:59 AM, gazzr11r said:

Hi guys, when my low fuel light used to come on it was always around 120 miles, is this normal as I've also read it should come on around the 200 mile mark ! What is your experience of the r1100r fuel range ?

 

Hello gazzr11r,

 

As per your original Q:   I have a '99 R1100R.  My low fuel light consistently comes on after 230-270 km.  If my math is correct that is between 138 and 162 miles. I have never run it completely dry to see what the real total range is, but I have run it ~40 km following the low fuel light being on. Usual highway rpm's is ~4200 (whatever speed that translates to... my speedo is not very accurate).  That is with the tank pretty much filled to the bottom of the neck, and using premium fuel (which likely doesn't make a difference, but I use to avoid the ethanol).   The 1100RT has a larger fuel tank and taller gearing, so it will have a longer range, particularly on the highway.  That's my @.02...

[King Herald]

13 hours ago, dirtrider said:

Evening   King Herald

 

Keep reading things, all that conflicting info will make you an expert.  

 

I guess with all that reading you don't need our years of experience & years or actually working with these things. 

 

How odd you should be so defensive, when so much of what I've read and 'learned' has come from this very forum. 

For example:

 

[King Herald]

12 hours ago, Warren Dean said:

 

 

If you want to argue until someone gives an answer that you like, have at it.

 

 

I don't recall me actually asking a question, I just offered my own experience with pulling the CCP out. Apologies if I stepped on anybody's toes.....