Okay... I'm stupid

[New2Wheeler]

This is embarrassing to share but.... I ran out of gas for the second time in less than 6 months. Never again will I trust my fuel gauge and push the limits. Both times this happened in relatively heavy traffic, inside lane, merging traffic from the right, 4 lane.... all of a sudden no power. Exit into the median only option. The first time, my light had been on for about 20 miles and the mileage indicator showed 20+ to go. The second incident I started my 22 mile commute with 66 miles to go indicated and ran out after about 7 miles with 40+ miles to go indicated.... light had been on about 2 miles.

 

Not only is it dangerous to run out of gas, but exiting into the median coming off speed, with cars pushing behind was not good. I have always pushed my fuel gauges to the limit, but this one I no longer trust.... no going below 1/4 tank.

 

To make things all the worse... my wife brought me a gallon of fuel (not happy) only to find that my 3.5 year old battery could not handle 90 minutes with flashers on. I should have known since the starts have been more laborious since the colder weather arrived.

 

Finally... and the only good thing. AMA roadside assistance worked. They arrived withing about 45 minutes.

 

Okay... tell me I'm stupid!

[CoarsegoldKid]

 

Okay... tell me I'm stupid!

This is something that BMW has never experienced. Just ask your local dealer. Really they have never heard of such a thing.

Don't beat yourself up. Several BMW R1200 models have fooled riders into a false sense of fuel security. I'm sure you will hear all about it from this board. Now just reset the trip meter and mpg computer at each gas stop. I do that anyway, at least the trip meter, and my gauge is spot on.

[bobbybob]

Matt--after all this, and now you're gonna trust the gauge when it says 1/4 full? No way. I look at my gauge occasionally but when I really want to know how far I can go, I look at the trip meter, which is set to zero at every fill up. Calculate your REAL gas mileage a couple times when you fill up by dividing the miles/gallons. Then put that number in your head and do the quick math whenever you check the trip meter. Or establish a trip meter reading for 50 miles to empty. These gauges are notorious. You'll hear some more I'm sure.

[New2Wheeler]

Good point about even using the level gauge... I always reset the trip odometer and mph/mpg settings each fill-up. On average I get about 48-50 mpg for my normal commute (not in town). This time I had just over 300 miles before running out, so maybe I didn't fill the tank all the way. At any rate.... you are correct the mileage is a better metric.

[flat_twin]

Twice in six months eh? Not stupid, maybe just a slow learner...

Also keep in mind your fuel pump is much happier in a fuel bath than air.

[blackyam]

On average I get about 48-50 mpg for my normal commute (not in town).

 

I keep reading about these terrific mileage numbers. I have yet to achieve > 39 mpg on my new R1200RT (and it may be less if the miles are commuting across town). I hope it gets better with age. :-\

 

BTW, just to stay on topic, I also use the "trip meter trick" instead of relying on the fuel gauge. I suppose that comes from growing up without gas gauges on bikes. Cheerio.

 

---John.

[Jon_M]

If you are stupid, so are many of the rest of us. I had a similar experience on one of the more deserted roads out of Death Valley. Since then, I have always filled up long before reserve.

 

 

[Survived-til-now]

Fingers crossed but I seem to have struck lucky with my fuel guage but that doesn't stop me resetting the trip at every fuel-stop - and I know I can get 250 miles out of my tank with a reserve for the odd variance in mpg. However, I have to say that my regular run returned the same real mpg every time - the fuel gauge just serves to remind me where I am in my fill-up cycle.

 

I frequently run to 20 - miles to go but I always had a few litres left (based on tank capacity - fuel in at stop).

 

If you are new to your bike you need to learn your particular average mpg; and if the bike is new to you, then I think I'd get the calibration redone if it is under any warranty. One thing you could do is buy one of those camping fuel containers that hold a litre (you can get insulating bags for them) - I had one of those in my top box on my 1150RT because I always had to go close to the line - it would have got me to a petrol station off my commute route in an emergency. In fact on a long trip with a mate who was on a K1200RS I carried a 5-litre can in my pannier - not for my bike but for his!

[Quinn]

When my RT was new to me, I almost ran out of gas. Don't know why; I still had almost half a tank of temperature.

 

Now I set the trip odometer and stop for fuel after it reaches 200.

 

----

 

 

[tallman]

Isn't just BMW.

My '96 Impala would get 1360 miles to a tank of gas.

That is if I extrapolated the mileage driven in the first 1/8th of a tank of gas according to the gauge.

It had been so long (owned it 13 yeard) since the low fuel light had come on I decided to see what I could get from a tank.

No light, engine sputtered, then ran out.

Of course I passed a dozen gas stations just up the road.

 

On a motorcycle I try to avoid issues and reset trip every time.

Dependding on elevation, load, speed, etc. I have a real good idea of range from when I leave the gas station so I'm prepared in advance.

At X% of that I like to stop.

Best wishes.

[upflying]

I have never run out of gas...a positive attribute for pilots. It was also policy to top off emergency vehicles at the end of a shift. I also watched too many reruns of Mad Max where gas is necessary for survival. Big reason why I keep topped up is stress. Why add low gas as another reason to contribute to driving stress?

[Paul Mihalka]

When I get a new to me bike I put a 1 gal. gas can in the bag and go ride a nearby Interstate which has gas stations every 5 or 10 miles and a wide shoulder. I note at what mileage the reserve light comes on. I ride in the right lane and at first hiccup I kill the motor and stop. Put in 1 gal., fill up at the next station. I know know what I got. I still use the trip meter as my main gauge.

[elkroeger]

When I get a new to me bike I put a 1 gal. gas can in the bag...

 

Jeez, that's a GREAT idea. I'll have to give that a try.

 

For commuting I have a gas station just down the street, so stopping isn't a hassle. When I'm travelling, I usually bring my camp stove which burns the same gas as the bike. So I then have a quart or so of spare gas, just in case I screw up.

 

In my younger days I ran out of gas in various cars, and soon learned that I should figure it reads +/- 1/8 of a tank at best (more specifically, I figure it reads + 1/8 tank...). Never had a problem after that.

[4wheeldog]

When I was still flying, I never, ever landed with less than 1 hour's fuel on board. The last time I ran out of gas on a motorcycle, it was my wife's bike, and she asked me to take it to the gas station........I made it to the driveway of the station, had to push it to the pump.

I have put 5.8 gallons in my R1150RT twice.......308 and 315 miles on those tanks. I have no idea how much fuel it actually holds........Though I have in on good authority that it is more than 6.3, so a half gallon left is good for me.

My fuel gauge responds differently to different fuels......Summer vs. Winter, ethanol vs. actual gasoline. But one thing is consistent.......It goes to zero, light on, with some still in the tank.

[JayW]

I keep reading about these terrific mileage numbers. I have yet to achieve > 39 mpg on my new R1200RT (and it may be less if the miles are commuting across town)....

 

That is strange. You are just an aggressive rider or something is wrong with your bike. The only time I ever got mileage that low was after a day at the track. In day-to-day riding I nearly always get over 50 mpg.

 

Yes the key to not running out of gas is to have redundancy in your fuel monitoring. I have found my gauge to be very precise, but not accurate in the scientific sense of the words. If I were ever to get to 300 miles with the gauge still reading 1/4 tank left, then I'd be looking for a station anyway. So far, I have never had cause to doubt the gauge.

 

Jay

[Lone_RT_rider]

So far, I have never had cause to doubt the gauge.

 

I am on my 3rd fuel strip in my 2008 R1200RT with 15,000 miles on the clock. I always doubt my fuel gauge.

 

Shawn

[yabadabapal]

Dont feel bad. I just spent 40 bucks filling my gas tank up. The fuel gauge which is broken still said empty, so I asked the gas attendant if I could have have my money back. we had a good laugh together.

[Glenn Reed]

When my RT was new to me, I almost ran out of gas. Don't know why; I still had almost half a tank of temperature.

 

 

LOL!!!

[elkroeger]

When my RT was new to me, I almost ran out of gas. Don't know why; I still had almost half a tank of temperature.

 

 

LOL!!!

 

Yeah, I think I did something like that recently. I recall doing a double take on the freeway, thinking "wait a minute, it was about empty when I started out, now it's 1/2 a tank!"

[DiverRay]

John said:

I keep reading about these terrific mileage numbers. I have yet to achieve > 39 mpg on my new R1200RT (and it may be less if the miles are commuting across town)

John,

The fuel we have in California is JUNK! In the summer, you should be able to get close to 50 IF you keep the revs between 2.5 and 3.5K in each gear. I get about 48mpg going from sea level to 1,800' and back down in 32 miles.(my commute, CA 17) I've noticed a drop to about 45mpg in the last month, probably from the "winter" gas.

I do keep an eye on the "fuel strip", but the miles I've gone are my sure way of knowing when to fuel.

[Alan D]

Another advantage of the Zumo 550 is the fuel gauge. Set it for 200 miles, or what ever you want, it tracks the miles and then alerts you that you will need fuel and flashes a gas icon. Touch the icon and it shows the nearest gas stations.

Get gas, touch the 550 fuel gauge and it resets.

[notacop]

"When my RT was new to me, I almost ran out of gas. Don't know why; I still had almost half a tank of temperature."

 

I did a similar thing on my 1st CJ5 jeep. The gauge read empty at the upper end of the swing. Opposite of what I expected. Rolled into a gas station and put 10.5 gallons in a 10.5 gallon tank.

 

On my Bikes, I too carried an extra gas can until I learned it's tricks. I now realize that all motorcycles need gas after 200 miles. May not be empty but it will take some.

[1st Shirt]

Well, I'm stupid too but not for this reason (thousands of others). I find that the best way is to use a combination of the two methods described (gauge and mileage) along with common sense. I now ride in Seoul and have found that at times I get about half, yes half the mileage I got back in Arizona. Right now my RT has 96 miles on the tank and I'm down to two bars - all of it city riding.

 

So, my name is Bob and I'm Stupid.

[Paul Mihalka]

HIJACK! Bob/1st Shirt, wonderful to see a post from you. How long has it been since the last one? I hope Sun-joo and you are doing well. Is the present ruckus in Korea messing with you? Have a great Thanksgiving, even far from home! /hijack

[shatzbot10]

I bought my '05 new and was concerned, also, about similar milage <40mpg. 2 years later, I noticed a "blistering" of paint on the port panel below the fuel line. I thought it just an over sight on the fiberglass painfinish. It wasn't. About 6 months ago, after parking, I saw fuel freely dripping out the bottom of the cylinder. Diagnosis: leaking 'o-ring' in the fuel line directly above the cylinder.

Fixed. Now I get 46-48 mpg

 

Joe, RT1200

 

[philbytx]

+1 BIG TIME (esp. the stress factor!)

 

Also, have never ran out of gas in almost 50 years of using my own transportation. Came close twice...once in a plane and the other on the RT. But close is no cigar .

 

The following tank/mileage figures are seared into my brain:

160 for my R and 240 for my RT. And I always reset the odo when I fill 'em up.

 

 

 

[blackyam]

I keep reading about these terrific mileage numbers. I have yet to achieve > 39 mpg on my new R1200RT (and it may be less if the miles are commuting across town)....

 

That is strange. You are just an aggressive rider or something is wrong with your bike. The only time I ever got mileage that low was after a day at the track. In day-to-day riding I nearly always get over 50 mpg.

 

I don't think I'm an aggressive rider, for almost everyone I know rides much faster than I do. I'm hoping that the low mileage has been because I was running in my bike by frequently varying the revs.

 

I must say, however, that even on my former R1150RS (that had 106 k mi when I gave it up) I averaged 40 mpg with a mix of in-town commuting and freeway riding, with the mileage dipping to 35 mpg if only in-town commuting and occasionally getting 50 mpg if only freeway riding (on I-5) between fill ups.

 

John,

The fuel we have in California is JUNK! In the summer, you should be able to get close to 50 IF you keep the revs between 2.5 and 3.5K in each gear. I get about 48mpg going from sea level to 1,800' and back down in 32 miles.(my commute, CA 17) I've noticed a drop to about 45mpg in the last month, probably from the "winter" gas.

 

I wondered about that, too. Maybe my mileage will pick up after winter and after more miles on the bike. I'm hoping so.

 

I bought my '05 new and was concerned, also, about similar milage <40mpg. 2 years later, I noticed a "blistering" of paint on the port panel below the fuel line. I thought it just an over sight on the fiberglass painfinish. It wasn't. About 6 months ago, after parking, I saw fuel freely dripping out the bottom of the cylinder. Diagnosis: leaking 'o-ring' in the fuel line directly above the cylinder.

Fixed. Now I get 46-48 mpg

 

Oh, no! I haven't noticed any smell of gasoline, so I hope I don't have a fuel leak. I will keep a nose and eye out for any obvious smells or drips. Thanks for the caution.

 

---John.

[New2Wheeler]

My normal commute is: 2 miles city, 10 miles-45 mph and 10 miles -55 to 65 mph highway. There are absolutely no hills in eastern NC (one bridge is as close as we get). I'm a novice street rider, and would describe my riding as conservative.

 

I did figure out something about my battery this afternoon. I'm pretty sure I didn't turn the ignition off while running my four way flashers ... that means my front running lights, rear tail lights and computer were also on during the wait. I just simulated the same and had the same result in the garage.

 

If you hit the kill switch or turn off the ignition, the green turn signals on the dash do not illuminate (even though the flashers are on). I remember the dash lights being on. Once I recharge my battery I'll try again with the ignition off.