Tested mileage range of my R1200RT (sort of)

[gettysburg]

On the way home from work yesterday, my "miles to empty" indicator displayed "---" with 300 miles on the trip meter since last fill-up. Home was still about 35 miles away. I figured what the hell, I'll see if I can make it.

 

I passed by seven gas stations on the way home; each time getting more anxious that I might not make it.

 

I finally pulled into a gas station two miles from my house to fill up. The tank took 6.4 gallons, with me coaxing in the last .4 gallon.

 

Result:

Miles: 331

Gallons: 6.4

MPG: 51.7 (MPG display read 51.1)

[pbbeck]

Cool! What type of riding were you doing?

[Heywood]

Several times I've ridden my rt nearly 400 miles on a tank, a good 50 miles past the -- display on miles to empty and the most gas I've ever stuffed into the sucker is 7.5 gallons. If my mpg display show's I'm averaging around 50 mpg, I don't worry about fuel until the trip meter gets past 360 miles.

[gettysburg]

Cool! What type of riding were you doing?

 

It's a mix of:

20 miles of country roads with twisties(can avg. about 50+ mph)

About 7 miles of stop and go traffic in Gettysburg, PA, Westmister, MD, and Baltimore, MD.(maybe avg. 25 mph).

30+ miles of highway(avg. 75-80 mph)

[gettysburg]

...the most gas I've ever stuffed into the sucker is 7.5 gallons.

 

Is that with or without the gas tank mod of removing the rubber gasket? R1200RT specs. indicate a 7.1 gal. tank.

[rjdick]

What gas tank mod?...BMW Dealer mod, or shade tree?

[gettysburg]

What gas tank mod?...BMW Dealer mod, or shade tree?

 

Some members have removed the rubber gasket/collar that the filler nozzle slips into. One poster claimed they were able to get as much as 8 gallons into tank after removing it.

 

It's not something I'd be inclined to remove; I figure it's there for a reason.

[ChrisA]

I'd love to see a picture of this gasket because I don't seem to have it on my '05. Can someone please post or send me a picture?

[black99S]

I'd love to see a picture of this gasket because I don't seem to have it on my '05. Can someone please post or send me a picture?

No picture, however open up your filler cap and look into the tank. Its the black rubber ring with tube attached that extends down into the tank. Helps prevent escaping air entraining gas drops and blowing them back all over your tank during fill-up. Also ensures there is some air space left for fuel and/or tank expansion after filling. afterall it is a plastic tank that grows and shrinks with temperature and pressure.

Rubber thingy also prevents you seeing into the tank when the nozzle is inserted and prvents fully filling the tank which is why some guys promote tearing it out.

[pbbeck]

...Helps prevent escaping air entraining gas drops and blowing them back all over your tank during fill-up...

 

HA! I thought this rubber thingy's sole purpose was to concentrate gas droplets and target them squarely into my face as I'm fruitlessly attempting to see into the tank as I fill up.

 

In California we have those awful rubber vapor recovery sleeves over every fuel pump nozzle. They are also set with a hair trigger so you can't control the flow rate, making it damn near impossible to get a clean fillup.

[gfountain]

I have gotten well over 300 miles on a tank a number of times. I have found the on board computer to be pretty accurate. Driving speed has a bog influence. I regulary get 50+ mpg but I have also dropped down in the low 40's when crossing open country at high speeds.

[Chunky]

My personal best has been 385 miles requiring 7.1 gallons of gas to filler' up. I've taken the black plastic gas cap thingy out of the filler neck. My computer indicates I'm getting 56 mpg. I was traveling open two labe back roads with few stop lights. I was riding in 6th gear at 60 mph.

[Deezalman]

Do you have to destroy the plastic ring to remove.. or can you reinstall at some later date if you choose?

[lawnchairboy]

mine is on a shelf out in the garage, you could pop back in there no problem I'd imagine..

[ScottT]

8.1 to be exact James. Keep in mind that I had run my bike nearly dry when I did this. Fuel was so low that it sputtered under moderate load, but still had just enough fumes to get to gas station. I did have a gallon can of gas in the trunk in case I did run out. The main reason I did the mods was so I could fill up faster, not necessarily to get more in there. 7.1 gallons is plenty. Frankly I was very surprised when the tank took 8.1 after the mods. I was expecting it to take maybe 7.5 or 7.6 gallons. At any rate I am now able to routinely go 340 to 350 between fill-ups in city driving. Not a big bonus here at home but the extra range made my last trip to and from Boise a lot less stressful in some of those sparsely populated areas where you're not quite sure when the next gas station will be.

[Chunky]

Since you pull the plasticsleve out you can put it back in if you have too. Can't imagine why you'd want to.

[sisu]

Has anyone actually tried to put it,the black thingy, back in? Is the removal procedure simply to grab it with pliers?

[gettysburg]

From what I recall from taking my tupperware off for a thorough cleaning, the rubber gasket is sandwitched in between a steel plate and the plastic gast tank.

The steel plate is underneath the painted plastic trim surrounding the gas cap assembly.

 

Looks like you'd need to remove most of the tupperware if you wanted to remove the gasket.

[eaglemike]

Has anyone actually tried to put it,the black thingy, back in? Is the removal procedure simply to grab it with pliers?

You can reach down there with a finger and just pluck it out. You'll feel it when you reach in there. I'm sure it can just be pushed back in.

 

all the best,

 

Mike

[Buckster]

Yesterday riding to Terre Haute to visit my son, I ran my R12RT down further than I would have liked. Finally stopped and put in 7.41 gallons. I have made the vent modification (3/8 inch hole drilled about 3/4 inch from top of the right side of filler neck) and removed the rubber gromment. So the total capacity of the tank has to be over 7.1 gallons. Guess I;m going to have to empty it out and measure... Buckster

[sisu]

Has anyone else dilled the 3/8' hole in the filler neck? Does this work? Maybe the hole precludes the need to remove the rubber gromet?

[eaglemike]

The rubber grommet is extremely easy to remove and replace. I just went out and did it to my bike again as a test. Why don't you try? You can see the flange at the bottom of the filler neck. Wait until the gas is down a bit, reach down there inside it, and give it a little wiggle and tug at the same time. Don't force it, just wiggle and tug. Once you get it put, you won't believe how easy it was.

 

all the best,

 

Mike

[MooreDriven]

I remove the black grommet and re-insert after a fill. I should probably just remove it and leave it out.

 

Regarding gas mileage, I average around 45 mpg. I have about 5,600 miles on the bike. How others are getting higher than 50+ mpg is beyond me.

[smiller]

How others are getting higher than 50+ mpg is beyond me.

You're not using the formula! (Reported Mileage = Actual Mileage x 1.1)

[eaglemike]

I remove the black grommet and re-insert after a fill. I should probably just remove it and leave it out.

 

Regarding gas mileage, I average around 45 mpg. I have about 5,600 miles on the bike. How others are getting higher than 50+ mpg is beyond me.

It's a right wrist thing........ If I stay legal, smoth, and coast up to stop lights (when okay to do so) I can do it even on Ca gas.

 

all the best,

 

Mike

[gettysburg]

You're not using the formula! (Reported Mileage = Actual Mileage x 1.1)

 

Does that mean gas mileage is like a person's sex life or their salary? They boast that they're getting more than they really are.

[PaulW42]

easy - Imperial gallons

[Guzzidave1998]

Not hard at all under 60mph keep it in 5th gear, 6th gear 60mph or above keeping the engine speed between 3-4 thousand I regularly get between 51-54 mpg

[smiller]

Not hard at all under 60mph keep it in 5th gear, 6th gear 60mph or above keeping the engine speed between 3-4 thousand

That may not be hard for you but it's plenty hard for me.

[MooreDriven]

Not hard at all under 60mph keep it in 5th gear, 6th gear 60mph or above keeping the engine speed between 3-4 thousand I regularly get between 51-54 mpg

 

Are you driving all day at 60 mph? I can see getting 50 mpg if you drive on a highway until the tank empties, but I like to vary my riding. Ironically, if I maintain my rpms around 4,000-4,200 my mpg increases versus 3,400-3,800.