2013 usable fuel range

[Gone in 60]

I’ve been searching for a definitive usable fuel range for my ‘13. So far, the warning comes on at about 130 miles. Three gallons fills it, which means I should still have something close to the .9 gallon reserve left. Is 150 realistic before I’m in trouble? That would be about the same as my Bonnie. Thanks

[the Ferret]

Yes I went as far as 180 on my 13, and 225 on my 14 dlx, but a lot of that depends on riding style, speed, stop and go, and uh, exhuberence with the right wrist.

It uses a lot more gas at 70 + than at sub 65, and 45 to 60 with no stops is about ideal.

[Cormanus]

Gone in 60, check out http://cb1100forum.com/forum/showthread.php?tid=11741 and, in particular this post, http://cb1100forum.com/forum/showthread....#pid186675

[DBXXX_imp]

150 is doable, but I can't help but get anxious when that last block is flashing. I usually stop every 120, which I find to be a pretty good interval for leg stretches anyway.

[flynrider]

I’ve been searching for a definitive usable fuel range for my ‘13. So far, the warning comes on at about 130 miles. Three gallons fills it, which means I should still have something close to the .9 gallon reserve left. Is 150 realistic before I’m in trouble? That would be about the same as my Bonnie. Thanks

That sounds reasonable. I think it's been pretty well established that the gauge warning comes on after 2.9 - 3.0 gallons have been consumed on the 2013 model. Whether or not there is truly .9 gallons after that depends on how much you trust the specs. The most I've ever put into the tank, when it was nearly empty, is 3.7 gallons, so I use that known figure.

I figure that leaves me slightly more than 1/2 gallon when the warning flashes, which under most conditions, should be good for another 20 miles. The only caveat would be if you're riding in conditions that would result in a mileage figure less than 40 mpg. Running down the Interstate at 80 mph into a 20 mph headwind will give you a figure less than 40 mpg ( BTDT). When I did that, the warning began flashing around 109 miles.

[the Ferret]

Ive often wondered how capacity of a tank is determined. By laser, by mathematics, full to the top with the bottom plugged and no fuel pump, or fuel pump intact filled to bottom of neck and then poured our siphoned out?

[flynrider]

Ive often wondered how capacity of a tank is determined. By laser, by mathematics, full to the top with the bottom plugged and no fuel pump, or fuel pump intact filled to bottom of neck and then poured our siphoned out?

That's a good question. I think the most accurate way would be to fill the tank as it sits on the completed motorcycle and then drain the fuel through the line at the bottom. This would not count unusable fuel that wouldn't make it to the outlet, due to tank shape or orientation.

In aviation our plane specs include figures for total fuel (to account for weight) and usable fuel (to account for how far you can go). Some light planes can have as much as 3 gallons of fuel per tank that is considered unusable, due to tank shape and orientation.

[Cormanus]

The critical point is that fuel consumption varies considerably depending on riding conditions. Battering into headwinds can make a significant difference. The [url=http://cb1100forum.com/forum/showthread.php?tid=11741&pid=186675#pid186675]trick developed by noroomtomove (and modified by kennyw for US riders) works very well in the specific conditions of each tank as it takes into account actual consumption to the point when the red light starts flashing. You can pretty much bank on 137 miles, but I have got up to 165 miles. Noroomtomove, who is even more frugal than the Ferret with fuel, has got better than 190 miles.

[Gone in 60]

Thanks guys. I’ll shoot for 150 on my next tank. It’s the same range as the Bonnie so an easy figure to remember. I’m never more than an off ramp away from a station, but the ones near home are considerably cheaper than those downtown so I can plan my stops like I already do.

[GoldOxide_imp]

Some manufacturers like Aprilia are helpful when the tank gets down to a certain low-level. At the predetermined low-level they know how much fuel is left and the current rate fuel is being metered out to the cylinders. Using those figures, it reports on the instrument cluster the number of kilometers (or miles) you have remaining in reserve. If you happen to throttle the engine some more, the metering rate of fuel increases and thus, your expected range remaining is adjusted down and the display updated. Conversely, if you decide to sip fuel enroute to the next gas station, your remaining range will be recalculated up. This approach is precise, sans any fuel leaks or injection problems.