Tank Range 12GS

[Pictou]

I am thinking about switching to a 12GS from my 04 RT. What kind of range are you getting out of a tank of gas on the GS?

 

Thanks

[StretchMark]

I ride it pretty hard, but I usually fill up at 220-240 miles.

[mistercindy]

I usually fill up at 200 miles and normally I can squeeze (and I mean squeeze) 4.3 to 4.5 gallons into the tank. That tells me that I'd get another 40 miles or so if I chose to play dangerously and run on fumes.

[CMWingfield]

My range is very similar to Mister Cindy. The idiot flasher arrow starts to let me know it's counting me down at around 170-180 miles. The little triangle information thingy comes on, and I nervously ride on for gas. While it's never happened to me, a friend told me that once his little idiot flasher arrow indicated that he was at zero, he went another five miles and kaput, outta gas!

Mike

[Kinsley]

I ride it pretty hard, but I usually fill up at 220-240 miles.

Yea, on the BRP doing a SS1000. I guess that's one way to find out

[Jim VonBaden]

My range is very similar to Mister Cindy. The idiot flasher arrow starts to let me know it's counting me down at around 170-180 miles. The little triangle information thingy comes on, and I nervously ride on for gas. While it's never happened to me, a friend told me that once his little idiot flasher arrow indicated that he was at zero, he went another five miles and kaput, outta gas!

Mike

 

If he went past zero, why was he surprised to be out of gas?

 

I can get 200 miles before my light comes on usually, and another 30-40 miles before I hit zero.

 

I don't know how far I could go, because I very much dislike torturing my fuel pump by running the tank empty.

 

Jim

[steve.foote]

I usually get about 200-210 before I fill up. There is still a little gas left, but I'm afraid to run it any lower because I heard somewhere on the internet that the tank could explode if it gets too empty.

[GelStra]

I can get 200 miles before my light comes on usually, and another 30-40 miles before I hit zero.

What Jim said. But I think most of us have taken the rubber thingy (scientific name ) out of the fuel filler neck. That lets you add about another 1/2 gal. It's easy: Reach in with your finger and pull it out. Many threads about it exist here.

[STUFF2C]

I usually get about 200-210 before I fill up. There is still a little gas left, but I'm afraid to run it any lower because I heard somewhere on the internet that the tank could explode if it gets too empty.

 

Yea, and I heard somewhere on the internet if you fill your tank to full it will pop your fork seals.

[steve.foote]

Yea, and I heard somewhere on the internet if you fill your tank to full it will pop your fork seals.

Yep, I've heard that too.

[Tasker]

Yea, and I heard somewhere on the internet if you fill your tank to full it will pop your fork seals.

Yep, I've heard that too.

 

Hmmm...

 

Right after I filled mine to the rim, it threw itself off a cliff!

[GelStra]

With the price of petrol lately, are you sure it wasn't your credit card that threw itself off a cliff?!

[beemerman2k]

Anyone know how much bigger the new Adventure tank will be, and therefore how many miles one will be able to ride before running empty? I like the GS and would love it as my next bike, but I'm used to not even thinking about gas until I've done around 230-240 miles on a tank.

[mistercindy]

My range is very similar to Mister Cindy. The idiot flasher arrow starts to let me know it's counting me down at around 170-180 miles. The little triangle information thingy comes on, and I nervously ride on for gas. While it's never happened to me, a friend told me that once his little idiot flasher arrow indicated that he was at zero, he went another five miles and kaput, outta gas!

Mike

Same experience. My trangular idiot light and the "idiot odometer" (which I'll call "IO" ) pop on at around 170 to 180 miles. The IO always starts at 60 miles, so logically, I should run out at around 230 to 240 miles. But two things happen with the IO. First of all, it goes from 60 to 40 or so within a mile or two of riding. Secondly, pretty consistently my IO is at zero when I have around 200 miles. I can only conclude that the IO runs to zero way before the gas runs out, because I've filled up at zero a couple of times and I can only get 4.3 or so gallons in the tank which means I've got a gallon and 40 miles left which places a full tank at around 240 miles. That jives with the light and the IO coming on at 180 miles.

 

I believe the bars are a more accurate indicator than the IO. The bars aren't a good indicator until the idiot light pops on, but after that they seem really accurate. After the idiot light pops on I lose a bar around every 15 miles. At 200 miles, even with the IO at zero, I still have two bars showing (once I had three). I once filled up at 220 miles and only one bar was showing. So, I go by miles and bars, rather than the IO reading.

 

I've heard of others with the same experience.

[artig]

Anyone know how much bigger the new Adventure tank will be, and therefore how many miles one will be able to ride before running empty?

 

It is supposed to be 33 litres. Do your own conversion to whatever other units you might prefer. The 1200GS claims to have a 20l tank, including 4l reserve.

 

From one of the press releases:

The most important highlights of the new R 1200 GS Adventure

versus the 'standard' R 1200 GS:

33-litre (7.3 Imp gal) fuel tank.

Larger windshield.

Tank, engine and valve cover protectors.

Stainless-steel luggage rack.

Adjustable seat with offroad ergonomics.

Adjustable aluminium handlebar with hand protectors.

Longer spring travel for superior offroad qualities.

Cross-spoke wheels.

Extra-wide rider footrests, adjustable gearshift and brake levers.

High-performance 720 W alternator.

 

The most significant technical highlights of the new

R 1200 GS Adventure versus the former R 1150 GS Adventure:

Substantial reduction in weight.

Significant increase in output (+15 per cent) and torque (+17 per cent).

New six-speed manual gearbox.

New Evo-Paralever with TDD spring struts.

New Telelever.

New instruments in digital technology with Info-Flatscreen.

On-board single-wire network using CAN bus technology.

Electronic immobiliser.

 

Regarding running the tank dry, there is a safety feature which prevents overloading the fuel pump. I ran the tank dry when I went for a test ride, due to a faulty fuel gauge. The pump switches off after a few seconds. Apart from the hassles of having to push the bike, it would not worry me to run the tank dry. But I was told that the tank had to be at least half full before it would start again after having been run dry. So don't just bring along a spare 5l container of fuel if you decide to try it.

[Tasker]

but I'm used to not even thinking about gas until I've done around 230-240 miles on a tank.

 

James, I regularly ran my R12GS up to 220 to 240 miles per tank, because I hate stopping for fuel.

 

My all-time high-mileage tank was 252 miles on the slab, and I didn't run it out of gas that day, either. I did this because I hung myself out to dry in a rural area and didn't manage my fuel very well. It's a bad habit.

[beemerman2k]

When travelling, I routinely do 275 miles before I get gas -- except here in the South West. My gas light comes on at around 265 miles, which I think means I have another 30 or so miles before I run dry, even though I've heard other RT owners report going over 300 miles on a tank (ask Fernando Belair about a Death Valley run he went on a couple of years ago for the details).

 

I like the specs on that R1200GS Adventure. The only thing it seems to lack that I really wanted in my next bike is electronic cruise control, but I guess that accessory is sorta anti-everything the GS is supposed to stand for, isn't it?

[* SHAG *]

If I top the bike off. I can go 220 on the slab with full camping gear before the light comes on! I usually try to fill up after 25 more miles!

[Tasker]

ask Fernando Belair about a Death Valley run he went on a couple of years ago for the details

 

Yeah, Larry Rudolph (LJR) and I have a similar story that took place in Colorado a year ago (both on RTs). Thank God for the higher, thinner air!