How far can you go on a tank of gas? I run the VFR to empty to find out...

How much fuel did it hold when you filled up after the experiment--was it 5.5 gal or did it hold more?

 

I typically go 180-200 miles before the low fuel light comes on. I have been 20 miles further after that, didn't want to push my luck....

 

The only reason I did this was because the group that I ride with rides in some remote areas, and it is nice to know my range. On my last ride, we made some on the fly decisions on our route that left me with one blinking bar and 40 miles left to the next gas stop.

I will be heading for out for a BC tour tomorrow and there is no gas for 70 miles across the North Cascades, and our gas stop of Pateros might not exists because most of the town burned down. I would like to know ahead of time how heavy my right wrist should be lest the VFR turn into a 459 lb piece of gym equipment.

Like zoom-zoom said, it is no fun to ride staring at your gas gauge and shittin bricks wondering if you will make it to the next town or if you need to beg sketchy fuel from a 55 gallon barrel at some one horse town, which I did, but turned out to be unnecessary. I also thought it would be a fun experiment and might help other people who have wonderd the same thing.


I was also curious if the gauge disappeared at the same rate on the top half as the bottom half. When you spend days on the road, these are the things that occupy your mind.

I will never know if the fill up would have been exactly 5.5 gallons because I poured in 1 gallon and rode home on it. But spec chart says 5.5 gallons so that is what I went by.

 

First we should establish using scientific methodology that daylight savings time is another demention.

 

On my 98 with a pcII I've run out at 220mi and I've ran out at 180mi, it really depends how throttle happy I am, and how much time I spend in top gear. My gauge was showing 2 bars each time when it ran out, I've stopped trusting it, so now I never let it go past 170


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Or pushing the bike

 

Those no gas signs for 70 miles are roughly just outside Winthrop on the Eastern end of Highway 20 and just outside Concrete on the West end of Highway 20. Both places have gas. There are probably others on the Eastern side of the state. My question would be if there is a gas problem in Pateros, why would anyone "have" to make that a pit stop?

Being analog the gas or fuel gauge is driven by essentially by a float. There are digital sensors that can do this job and compensate for roll, pitch and yaw as in aircraft. I don't even want to think aboot the pesos that would set ya back.

I would suggest two things. Tell the dudes you are riding with that you can plot out gas stops including prices damn near anyplace in the state. If you are riding in the boonies don't wait until your fast dropping bars start toward the bottom and top up.

If you need to carry a gallon of gas, spring for four one quart fuel cannisters available at many camping and outdoor suppliers. They were designed to hold "white" (unleaded) gas for camp stoves.

Tons of info on this type riding can be gathered from some reading aboot Ironbutt rides.. Not runs BTW, that is harleydoodspeak and has some rather obvious connotations.

 

Only 70 miles and you have a 5.8 gal tank, don't see the problem here. Figure you can go 200 miles as long as you don't go at racing speed.

 

Gas can in top box Mate...see that was easy

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Same here, at 190 the gas station radar gets flipped on.

 

Yeah, I would usually start searching for gas at around 170 or so. Now I realize I was a little conservative. But by then, I am ready to get off the bike and stretch anyways.

BTW badbilly, I hope the gas station at Pateros is still standing. Little else is...

 

If it ain't, you guys are in deep shit. Go to or develop plan B. One thing has little to do with the other. If the gas station has burnt down in Pateros, then find out before leaving on your ride.

The alternative might be spending time on some back road looking for an empty beer can and some way to siphon some gas oot of one dudes tank into the can and into another tank because some gas station was closed.

All this mileage stuff goes oot the window when there are so many factors at play. The speed limit on the slab at sea level is gonna get you more MPG than up on Stevens pass with the hammer down.

As a ballpark the mach 1 91 will get sometimes 40-45 MPG and at other times less than 25 MPG.

In the best of both worlds, find a station that is open, has gas and fresh Jo-jo's. Jo-jo's for those who wonder are the new breakfast, lunch and dinner of champions.

 

It was a fun exercise though...like the Seinfeld episode when Kramer test drives the Saab to see how far it can go on a tank of gas. Classic.

 

Wow, some of you are getting fuel consumption numbers that I can only dream about. I typically get 13 -14km/L or 30-33MPUSG. About 260 km/161 miles I am down to one bar on the gauge, and put in around 18L/4.75USGal.

As I weigh 175lbs, the bike is bone stock barring a K&N filter, no luggage, tyres inflated correctly and brakes and chain are new and very free running, I am perplexed. I am thinking that maybe the fuel pressure regulator is the culprit. Bike is a 99 5th gen, with about 50,000 miles. The tailpipe gets sooty after one tank of gas so I'm pretty sure its running rich.

 

The only TV I watch are re-runs of Oprah.

 

I typically get 140 miles from my 02 VTEC, and that's with the standard zorst blowing (which I cant seem to fix until I get my new full delkevic system) that mostly (relatively) slow speed, stop start stuff in 30mph zones. With the odd motorway blast thrown in, I usually get 35-39 mpg. Remember this is UK MPG which is roughly 4.5 litres per gallon, whereas I believe a US gallon is 3.6 so I'm not doing too bad. With the weight saving and non blowingness of my new system minus slightly performance boost I should be doing a bit better when i get it!

 

Billy you seem to know this area well. I have spent a lot of time in the North Cascades especially the northern part around Baker and Shuksan. Done a lot of hiking and climbing up that way. I have never rode in those areas only in a car but what beautiful country to ride.

 

That is rough county up there with real wilderness areas. We used to take Highway 20 all the way past Winthrop and up into BC to zoom-zoom's territory for a sort of insane 300 mile poker run and speedfest called "Sportbike West" . The Mounties eventually shut it down. Much of the ride into Winthop is in a wilderness area. It's mostly a mid to late Summer thing. The highway sometimes is not open until July.

"Wilderness" defined means unexplored. For real boonies..

I was ride coordinator for my MC club for several years. There was and is an annual club ride in October as an overnighter from Seattle to Winthrop. October is kind of nippy that high up so we call the ride by two names.. "Freezin your gas in the pass" and "Freezin your ass in the pass".

Winthop is a ski area. To get there in Winter ya have to use Stevens Pass. A great ride there too but in Winter not so good.

Been in the PNW since 1980.

I know somebody may ask if I've see the giant arrowhead museum in Warthog, WA.. Nope, I have not been to every town in either state.

 

Cool Billy, love that area. I know from 20 and north fairly well. There is some true wilderness still up that way. I have done 1 trip out to the Picket range with grand aspirations to climb a bunch of them but we got our asses kicked on that trip, rugged country with 110lb backpacks, food, climbing gear, ice gear and an extra small assent pack. Only managed to climb Whatcom and Mt Challenger. Anyone who has traversed the Picket range must be part mountain goat, tough stuff. The next time out there was the world record snowfall, over 100feet recorded on Mt Baker. We were walking on snow 25' deep on August 2. Crazy, like winter camping only good temperatures and not fing black flies. Climbed Mt Shukstan and Baker on that trip. Took my son out their 7 years ago and taking my daughter this time. She is a excellent climber/hiker but not so good on snow and ice, this trip should get her up to speed on that terrain. They don't call it the American Alps for nothing.
Sorry for the thread jack, those mountains get me excited.
I get 45 mpg when I'm behaving.

 

Must have been a Insane Gang run By Billy the kid aka Bad Billy the troll. I don't think I would want to be a thousand miles in either direction from that area also known as area 51.:vader::heh::lol: