Running on Empty / Flashing Fuel Bar

After running at a brisk 72 mph average for 195 miles today my last fuel bar started to flash. According to the GPS I was 55 miles from my next gas stop. I passed a couple of no name, run down gas stations in the middle of Neveda and made it to my planned stop. I was carrying a very light load, reduced my speed to 80 mph and put the shield in it's lowest position to make the most of the fuel I had left. When I filled up I put 6.345 gallons into the tank which tells me 65 or maybe 75 miles is about the max. one would want to go once the fuel bar starts to flash. I'd like to hear what other FJR pilots have experienced in low fuel situations.

Pushing it to the limit is a fools errand on this bike. Run it out of gas and a fuel pump is likely to be your first parts/repair purchase. The pump depends on fuel for both cooling and lubrication. Run it low and the pump runs hot. Run out of fuel and the pump runs dry. Take a wild guess as to what the result will be if this practice is continued. I never let it get to the point of flashing, and actually try to prevent a one bar, especially during hot weather. You'll also find that at half tank and less in hot weather, the fuel (and tank) get rather toasty. I would suggest you start getting into the habit of refilling at 1/4 tank, or as near as is practible.

On my '05 when the last bar starts flashing I can toggle the select button and get a "F" reading on the second trip odo. I presume this to be miles remaining until empty??

modified post, I have no opinion.

:haha:

One might think that round wheels being powered by a motor is better than walking. Runing that low on fuel one should also carry energency transportation such as roller blades.

But thanls for the info on how far you can go with one bar. Been their once but never as far as you have gone. Cost of a fuel pump vs. no name gas its a no brainer, I will take the gas

weekend rider :haha: :haha:

I've gone 45 miles several times, and 48.5 miles once. Had to add fuel that time to make it to a pump. I keep a liter in the right bag.

Original fuel pump is still working fine. It's probably good advice not to run it that low, but I like to live on the edge B)

I've also noticed that you need to go easy when accelerating when that low. It's easy to starve the pump. A little sloshing while your going down the road can get you a few extra miles BTW.

Thanks Radman, you have opened my eyes and I see a change in my riding habits. I have seen the articles and stories about all gas being the same and I don't get overly concened about AM/PM vs. Shell. But the stations I passed had no signs about type of gas or of life. I do get somewhat concerned about how long their tanks have been in the ground and what else might be in them other then gas or how long the gas has been sitting. But in the future if it comes to a choice of stopping at the "hello is anybody home" gas station or going to a flashing bar I'll stop and at least get enough gas to get me safely to the next station.

I believe SierraRider was simply asking how far you can go. It's good to know, as I recently got the flashing bar and was freaking about the 6 miles to the gas station.

It's good inforrmation to know how much reserve is actually there. I also agree that you shouldn't run out, but here in some western states, gas stations can be a little hard to come by, depending on where you are at.

My personal limit is to run no more than 25 miles after the "F" counter starts. I did this yesterday and I had .7 gallons remaining at fill-up. Close enough for me.

After running at a brisk 72 mph average for 195 miles today my last fuel bar started to flash. According to the GPS I was 55 miles from my next gas stop. I passed a couple of no name, run down gas stations in the middle of Neveda and made it to my planned stop. I was carrying a very light load, reduced my speed to 80 mph and put the shield in it's lowest position to make the most of the fuel I had left. When I filled up I put 6.345 gallons into the tank which tells me 65 or maybe 75 miles is about the max. one would want to go once the fuel bar starts to flash. I'd like to hear what other FJR pilots have experienced in low fuel situations.

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6.345 to fill up? That's pushing it in my book. According to specs you're in the that 0.255 gallon before you're on vapors range.....or 10 miles'ish. I hit 6.330 once in a rally and felt stupid for my 30 mile mistake. I was preprared any second to do the left-right shimmy to splash gas over to the fuel pick-up.

Running her empty is risky not only from the walking perspective, but putting air in the fuel injection system and gas not keeping that fuel pump wet and cooled down.

If you're thinking about pushing the limit and think Nevada fuel stops are crimping your LD style my friend....it's time you think about purchasing a fuel cell.

On my '05 when the last bar starts flashing I can toggle the select button and get a "F" reading on the second trip odo. I presume this to be miles remaining until empty??

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Dave,

No, the incrementing odometer that comes on when the last fuel guage bar starts flashing is the number of miles since the guage started flashing. If you want to think of it this way, it indicates the number of miles that you've been on reserve (and pushing your luck) not the number of miles that you have left.

Cheers,

Jim

One advantage the ST1300 has over the FJR is their trip computer. When they get to reserve the fuel gage counts DOWN. Showing exactly the miles till empty. With owr FJR we need to have an idea of milage to know how far we can go on reserve. I personally try to fill as soon as possible. But have been in a situation where I needed to run on reserve longer than I wanted to due to miscalculations..... 58 miles on reserve! IIRC I filled 6.5 gallons. It made me nervous as hell. :bigeyes:

How do you reduce riding from an average of 72 to 80mph? :haha:

Because the average of 72 included the 20 minutes that the cop had him pulled over for going 95.

One advantage the ST1300 has over the FJR is their trip computer.  When they get to reserve the fuel gage counts DOWN.  Showing exactly the miles till empty.  With owr FJR we need to have an idea of milage to know how far we can go on reserve. 

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At the risk of sounding pessimistic, I have yet to see an oem japanese trip computer that displayed any degree of accuracy. The trip computers, like the fuel gauges are typically VERY pessimistic to keep you from running out of fuel, like the speedos which are optimistic to keep you from getting a ticket (err on the side of caution?). I'm sure alot of people like it that way, but I personally would rather have ACCURATE information...I don't need the manufacturer to protect me from myself. I'd bet that if you ran your ST until the trip computer said you were "empty", and then tanked up, you'd find you had an ample amount of fuel left. My point being, it's not really an advantage over the "F trip" given by the FJR. It's still about common sense and good judgement.

My $.02,

I always wondered how the reserve part worked.. My bike starts flashing the second bar first, and then it starts flashing the first bar, but I never payed any attention to the "F" meter... Now I will know what to look for...

thanks for the info, as it was always a question in my mind...

Warp

This is not to argue with any of the knowledgeable folks contributing to this thread, but just to express an opinion...

What bonehead of an engineer decided to design an ELECTRIC fuel pump that used a highly volatile, highly explosive fluid to keep said pump cool?

So if I'm understanding correctly, if a person runs his FJR dry, the pump, sitting in a nicely enclosed metal container full of incredibly explosive fumes, can suddenly overheat and do what? Simply and safely shut itself off with an apologetic "sorry for the inconvenience"? Or fry a winding, throw a spark and launch said FJR and pilot into a low lunar orbit?

I'm about to park this Rube Goldberg of a motorcycle in case the Metzler front tire explodes, the top end starts ticking like a bomb, or that big metal tank between my knees goes up like an Iraqui nuclear plant during Israeli Airforce bombing "practice".

:assasin:

This is not to argue with any of the knowledgeable folks contributing to this thread, but just to express an opinion...
What bonehead of an engineer decided to design an ELECTRIC fuel pump that used a highly volatile, highly explosive fluid to keep said pump cool?

So if I'm understanding correctly, if a person runs his FJR dry, the pump, sitting in a nicely enclosed metal container full of incredibly explosive fumes, can suddenly overheat and do what? Simply and safely shut itself off with an apologetic "sorry for the inconvenience"? Or fry a winding, throw a spark and launch said FJR and pilot into a low lunar orbit?

I'm about to park this Rube Goldberg of a motorcycle in case the Metzler front tire explodes, the top end starts ticking like a bomb, or that big metal tank between my knees goes up like an Iraqui nuclear plant during Israeli Airforce bombing "practice".

:assasin:

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'S'ok, Howie. We'll just start calling you, 'Puff'.

As in "Powder..."? or "...the Magic Dragon"?

Did something just happen?