Fuel Gauge Question

When I fill my 2008 FJR on the side stand so that there is a little puddle showing in the cup, I can only ride about 6 to 10 miles before I lose the top fuel "feather". Is that normal?

If you continue to fill it, you will see the air pocket space on the right side bubble out as the fuel displaces it.

Always fill mine on the center stand, habit.

Pretty much what mine has always done. Normal.

If I am really patient when filling (and not riding too fast), I can get up to 30-35 miles on the first segment. With a "normal" fill and "normal" riding, 18-20 miles (sometimes less) is more common. The first segment and the last segment before starting to flash are lower volume than the middle ones - at least on my bike. I have also gotten as many as 70 (slow) miles on the count-up odometer without running out. (Not intentional - no open gas stations on my route.)

If it happens to you consistently, then it is normal for your bike.

What does it matter what is normal for someone elses bike if it doesnt help you figure out how much fuel you have left on your bike? What you need to determine is how much fuel you have left when you hit reserve. The entire rest of the fuel gauge function is an exercise in self flaeggelation.

I guess my question was confusing?

Thanks chuck and Ross. That first segment doesn’t register many miles unless the tank is well topped off. Maybe I’ll put it on the center stand next fill up and check the difference it makes.

Fuel gauges are beasties meant to lull you into a sense of complacency with their sole motivation leaving you on the side of the road wondering why you tried to go another 30 miles instead of stopping when you should have.

Gitbox posted: I guess my question was confusing? Thanks chuck and Ross. That first segment doesn’t register many miles unless the tank is well topped off. Maybe I’ll put it on the center stand next fill up and check the difference it makes.

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The fuel display is not linear. I will say, Mr. Gitbox, that I don't consider this pointless, but it's why we have "never-ending" and "recurring" thread categories: FJRForum thread here.

The only thing I worry about is the 21st-century equivalent of reserve -- the count-up towards dead flat empty. If you reset your Range gauge, it will continue to show "miles to empty". That provides me far less range anxiety than "miles since starting this stupid count-up process".

I once seriously thought about linearising the fuel gauge reading on my 2010, the plan was to put a microprocessor in the way of the analogue voltage fed into the bike's computer that would do the linearisation.

In the end I aborted the attempt, simply because on my bike there was no change in sender output below about 4.8 litres, so nothing to be gained at the low end (which is where it really matters).

FWIW, you can see what I did here.

The lack of sensitivity to a lower fuel level, while not at all uncommon, is a pain in the neck, IMO. As others have said, you have to make an estimate of how far you can go after the fuel gauge switches to count-up reserve. That requires you to know two important details: How much is left when it starts flashing on reserve, and how many mpg you can expect on that amount.

Neither of those things are particularly hard to determine. Just fill the tank immediately when it switches to reserve a few times and subtract whatever volume it takes to fill it from the 6.6 gallon tank capacity. If you find that it generally requires 5.2 gallons to fill when the gauge starts flashing (mine does), that tells you that you have another 1.4 gallons in reserve.

Most of us keep fairly regular tabs on our fuel mileage to stay aware of how well the bike is running. There will be wide variations in mpg based on altitude, weather, and especially how much fun you are having at the time. But, knowing what you can expect if you baby the throttle to get to the next gas station is the key.

I generally can get 44-46 mpg in grandpa mode, so my reserve range of 1.4 gallons gives me about 60 to 65 miles. To keep my own stress levels in check, I generally try to hit a station within 50 miles on the count-up.

Oh, and... YMMV.

Ditto.. I've never put much more than 5 gal in if I fill up right after the blinky mode starts annoying me, which means I have about 40-50 miles left in the tank. Stay within those bounds and there's not much to worry about.

It is lazy of Yamaha to keep putting the stupid count-up reading on the display. Cars from the 90s have MTE readings. I can do the math when I have to, but I shouldn't have to. The guy who came up with that is probably the same idiot that dreamt up the moving side panels.

Personally, I like the "count up". Tells me how far I have gone since I hit the 6 litres remaining point. I can either gauge safe riding distance based upon how/where I'm riding or reset the average MPG meter when it goes into count up mode - should be able to make 1.5 times the avg. MPG reading. Or assume I have at least 50 miles (or possibly up to 70 miles left if I ride in geriatric mode).

I'm with Ross. I've had far too many bikes with low fuel warning lights. By the time I notice the little red light in bright sunlight I'm left wondering how long it's been on. The count up display is the perfect solution to that.

Given how bad on board computers are at estimating mileage (too many variables), I prefer the count up on miles ridden and let me do THAT math based on speed, head wind, elevation and more.

Bounce posted, in part: ... Given how bad on board computers are at estimating mileage (too many variables), I prefer the count up on miles ridden and let me do THAT math based on speed, head wind, elevation and more.

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Not being rude, but there are lots of variables in your calculation, too, and most of them are estimated. I prefer to just reset the screen, and let the machine revert back to the normal "Miles To Empty" display.

Depending or where you are (and what time of day/night) 40 miles to empty may not get you there.

Odd. Mine only has the bars and the count-up.

Bounce said:

Odd. Mine only has the bars and the count-up.

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Gens 3 and above have a "range" display available, middle of the three lines in the picture below.

(Click on image for larger view)



In my view, totally useless for a couple of reasons.

It varies wildly according to what your short-term MPG is, so if you are doing anything other than steady, non-hilly, slab riding, it's totally meaningless

Its "zero" still leaves you with significant miles in the tank, the last time I ran it to near zero I estimate it would have gone another 30-35 miles before dry (that last is pretty much the same with the cars I've had that have a "Range" reading, though they have always been better at their stability during varied driving).

OooOOoOooOoo

Isn't that just sittin' on the Ritz?