390 fuel gauge reserve

[bobbrecken]

The manual says the gas tank holds about tel litres of gas. On my bike the low fuel warning goes off at the last wedge of the gauge and the display shows about 50 .km to go on reserve. When I fill it to the top at this point it only takes about 6.5 litres? That means there should be 3.5 left in the tank instead of the manuals 1.5. I don't want to run it dry finding out what is really in there so is this common on other bikes?

 

[Bagwell]

yeah, the fuel gauge and mileage is just a suggestion.

 

[Treachery]

yeah, the fuel gauge and mileage is just a suggestion.

Correct, subject to atmospheric and lunar variability.

 

[=maz=]

It's a guide...not a rule.
When riding at WOT it gives up trying to guess how many KM/miles you have left...just give it WOT to the Gas station. lol

 

[MrGrody]

The manual says the gas tank holds about tel litres of gas. On my bike the low fuel warning goes off at the last wedge of the gauge and the display shows about 50 .km to go on reserve. When I fill it to the top at this point it only takes about 6.5 litres? That means there should be 3.5 left in the tank instead of the manuals 1.5. I don't want to run it dry finding out what is really in there so is this common on other bikes?

I always as a rule just get gas within 30miles of the low fuel light coming on. The estimated mileage to empty is a joke. It's super inaccurate.

 

[Treachery]

The estimated mileage to empty is a joke. It's super inaccurate.

As in ​"guess gauge."

 

[ray]

The damn thing is broken. It even shows "50KM to go" and the next second "0 KM to go"

 

[Diploman]

Generations of bikers have operated successfully with simply the "reserve" setting on the petcock lever. Electronic fuel gauges on bikes, since their introduction in recent years, have proven notoriously inaccurate - as others have noted, just suggestive. The best method to determine when you really need to refuel, IMO, is to select "trip 1" using the "mode" button, then zero out the mileage at fill-up using the "set" button for 5 seconds. Note mileage carefully for several successive tankfulls. Then you have a reasonably accurate idea of the bike's actual range on a tank. Set Trip 1 to zero at every refuel and refer to it as a much more accurate guide to fuel status than the fuel gauge.

 

[EnCee]

Mine does the same thing ray

 

[DeathFromAbove]

Generations of bikers have operated successfully with simply the "reserve" setting on the petcock lever. Electronic fuel gauges on bikes, since their introduction in recent years, have proven notoriously inaccurate - as others have noted, just suggestive. The best method to determine when you really need to refuel, IMO, is to select "trip 1" using the "mode" button, then zero out the mileage at fill-up using the "set" button for 5 seconds. Note mileage carefully for several successive tankfulls. Then you have a reasonably accurate idea of the bike's actual range on a tank. Set Trip 1 to zero at every refuel and refer to it as a much more accurate guide to fuel status than the fuel gauge.

Great advice! As my riding style may differ from tank to tank I also note when the warning comes on as its a smaller window and I can judge it more accurately.

Been doing this for years with my car and consistently refuel with 2-3 litres left in the tank.

 

[Treachery]

My bike seems obsessed with the number "28." No matter how hard I ride, my average speed is 28 MPH. When I get the fuel warning, it almost always shows 28 miles to empty...until it shows empty. After which I might be able to drive 28 more miles.

 

[simpletty]

MINE says return to dealer, I'm broken

 

[Treachery]

Good luck with that.

 

[bobbrecken]

Question answered

I always as a rule just get gas within 30miles of the low fuel light coming on. The estimated mileage to empty is a joke. It's super inaccurate.

I ab
nswered my own question today. I rode about 35 miles after the warning came on and filled the tank right up with 2.2 US gallons leaving a theoretical .2 gallons left. I guess it is a two stage reserve.

 

[MrGrody]

I ab
nswered my own question today. I rode about 35 miles after the warning came on and filled the tank right up with 2.2 US gallons leaving a theoretical .2 gallons left. I guess it is a two stage reserve.

Good info. I've been averaging 65mpg so with that I know I better not ride more that that 35 miles on the light lol. That's only like a 13mile window.

 

[hamishl]

I used to reset the trip meter after filling up, then make sure to fill up between 250-300kms. Then I figured I could get away with filling up around 50kms on Trip "F". Of course, one pay day I ran out of gas a block from the petrol station and my pay hadn't gone through yet The 45 minute walk home, uphill, certainly taught me a lesson!