Explanation of 2014 Fuel Gauge

[the Ferret]

Yes neuro, that is correct 2014 stds and dlx's.

[Catbird_imp]

BMW does use a dip contact strip and the R 1200R owners have been having lots of issues with them

I went round-and-round with BMW (the dealer and the company) about the failing fuel strips. Even though this issue is widespread, BMW refused to acknowledge the extent of the problem and would not pay for repair/replacement of the part. For this $20,000 bike, I had to resort to utilizing my trip meter to tell me when fuel was needed. This wasn't a huge deal except when you pay so much, you expect the basic functions to work properly.

It cost me $400 to get it fixed prior to me selling the bike. No more BMWs for me.


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[JustPassinThru_imp]

Okay, I did it.

I ran it out of gas. Not exactly intentionally; although I was trying to empty the tank.

Here's the deal: I had run some E-10 rotgut in the system a week ago, on a 300-mile round trip through a place where there was no straight gas. And the timing wasn't good - we're at the end of the riding season, probably. I wanted a full tank with Sta-Bil and no ethanol for the winter.

The last bar had begun to flash when I parked it. The MILES LEFT reading was 50 - when it had started. Why so many miles left? The last part of the trip was downhill for twenty miles; and before even that, I had been feathering the throttle. I had seen that the MPG since reset was about 60...abnormally high.

So apparently the logic used here works off that.

Okay...I'd go to my straight-gas station a very-roundabout way. And I did...when I fired it up this morning it gave me 45 miles left; and those dropped fast. But it seemed to slow down at about 28 miles left.

But it was still about ten miles later that it had gotten to 17 miles left, and then went to double-bar. Okay...I knew from experience and reading, I would have AT LEAST 17 miles left.

So I thought. I was gonna do more country cruising, but thought better of it - weather was turning. So I amed for the Holiday station...never once thinking I'd have a problem.

I was back in town, and actually about three miles from home, when it happened. Less than eight miles after I got double-bars, it ran out of gas. Good luck had me in traffic at one of those long lights, and also downhill and with a strip-shopping centery right around the corner. I was able to duck-walk the heavy thing all the way into a parking space, and walk home for a gas can.

MORAL: When it goes double-bar...BELIEVE it. You may have many miles left. Or you may not.

DO you feel lucky?....DO YOU....MISTER?

[Leaning_imp]

I find that the "Tripmeter A (or B) fuel consumption" display to be very accurate. If the bike says it used 3.7 gallons the gas pump always stops within a few hundredths of 3.7 gallons, with the level just to the bottom of the tube in the gas tank. Doing the math, I know I have nine tenths left.

No I haven't run it dry. yet

[the Ferret]

So JPT how much did you put back in it to fill it up?

[JustPassinThru_imp]

So JPT how much did you put back in it to fill it up?

Hard to say. I had a five-gallon fuel can; and I filled it up with 4.6 gallons. Gassed up the truck the same time...first time since May! That's no lie. I have almost 12,000 miles on this cycle - been a ridin' fool. I never would have dreamed I'd be on it so much...

But anyway, about 4.6 gallons in the bucket. Then off to where I'd parked it; and it took ALMOST but not all of it. Hard to tell, with a small amount left in a big can. I poured the balance into my TW later, and I'm guessing it was about a half a gallon. Guessing.

So I'm guessing it took 3.9 gallons. Imagine that!...

[the Ferret]

ok last time I shut it down I had 68 miles remaining on countdown. Today when I fired it up on sidestand, it showed 2 bars lol. After warm up I stood it up and it went to 1 blinking bar. It never again showed me count down but went to the -- showing.

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I know from experience with my ST that if you are in countdown mode and turn off the ignition it confuses the computer. It doesn't remember that it was counting down. so you are on your own now. Remembering JTP's -- experience, I drove 9.2 miles on the blinking bar and -- to a gas station. I had put 189.4 miles on this tank and knew from past experience I had gone over 212 miles before, but staring at the blinking bar and -- is unnerving lol. so I stopped to fill it up.

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It only took 3.47 gals to fill it up ... so with a 4.6 or 4.7 gal tank I still had over a gallon left. Since I averaged 55 mpg on this tank I could have in theory gone another 55 miles or 245 just like the computer told me lol

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anyhow, it's good to know how far you can go on a tank of gas, and by setting Trip B to zero when I fill up I pretty much know how much further I can go for real no matter what the flashing bar and -- tells me. when I get to 200 miles on my Trip B I'd better start looking for gas and I have about 40 miles to find it.

[Pete Erickson_imp]

The only really accurate way to measure fuel consumption is the trip odo. Either A or B does not make any difference. Just make sure you zero it out when you fill up.

I know that I get 40+ mpg running around in town, so (if the low fuel indicator is not blinking) I fill up at around 160 miles. On the open road I get 50+ mpg so I fill up around 200 miles.

Now if the low fuel indicator starts to blink before those two mileage numbers are reached, I look for a gas station right away.

Do not believe anything the trip computer says, especially miles to empty. If you do, you could end up like the guy on the BMW R1200R forum that was very upset because he had run out of gas and the computer said he still had another 12 miles to go.

[ChiefJP_imp]

One other thing I have noticed is that the average fuel mileage and fuel consumption in either A or B mode, will not display if the kill switch is in the on position. If you shut down with the kill switch you will not see the two above displays until the switch is returned to off. (Interesting)
Any day you can get vertical and ride your bike is a good day.

Thank you for posting this. The owners manual states that if the '-.-' shows up for any reason other than a reset you should take it in for service. I almost started to do so until I read this. Good catch and thanks!