Trip Meter operation

[LakeWylieJoe_imp]

I recently returned from a nearly 2,000mi solo ride through the mountains of Utah, Wyoming, Idaho, Montana and Nevada on my 2014 Standard. I reset Trip Meter B before leaving, and it now reads 1,975.8mi when back in the garage. I turned the key to On the other day to look at the total fuel consumed and average fuel economy for Trip B. They both show blanks. I know when I'm riding, these will show values when selected.

Does anyone know why these don't display without the engine running?

 

[pekingduck]

If you disconnected the battery after your trip, all trip memory would erase, along with the clock setting. Could that have happened?

 

[peterbaron]

Is it when the tank nearly empty or on the side stand, KOnEOff?

 

[LakeWylieJoe_imp]

Same thing after every ride. The trip meters only display the mileage if the engine is off. No battery disconnect in the interim.

I just fired up the motor and the total fuel for TRIP B shows 41.1gal and fuel mileage is 47.7mpg. It will only display if the engine is running, though. If the engine is stopped but the ignition is on, you get blanks.

Just curious why they programmed it that way.

 

[the Ferret]

awesome picture

 

[max]

Just a guess here but i think the fuel usage is calculated from the injector pulse length ( amount of metered fuel ) , crankshaft position sensor, the gear position, the speedo ( rear wheel abs sensor ) and the clock.
all these pulses are counted, stored, calculated and stored again in different ' registers " ( places in memory ) to be recalled, translated into a number that means something to humans and displayed as they are selected by the user.
in short;
All this happens when riding so the readout may depend on these input signals before it can tell you what's going on depending on what the programmer prioritizes or forgets to prioritize.

In contrast my cb1000 does "remember" the average etc. fuel consumption when not running and ignition switched on.
Hope this helps but probably someone else has a better answer than my wild guess.

 

[pekingduck]

Same thing after every ride. The trip meters only display the mileage if the engine is off. No battery disconnect in the interim.

I just fired up the motor and the total fuel for TRIP B shows 41.1gal and fuel mileage is 47.7mpg. It will only display if the engine is running, though. If the engine is stopped but the ignition is on, you get blanks.

Just curious why they programmed it that way.

As I remember on my 2013 and 2014s, the trip mileages and mpg display without the engine running.

And I just checked my 2017, and they display also. I've never seen any bike that behaves like yours.
Seems to be abnormal. Any electrical accessories or modifications?

Can anyone with a 2014 double-check and verify that is normal behavior?

 

[Cormanus]

Trip mileages on my 2011 display without the engine running. Models prior to 2013 do not calculate mpg.

 

[Lord Popgun]

We have a MPG display on 2013’s? I thought that started in 2014.

 

[pekingduck]

We have a MPG display on 2013’s? I thought that started in 2014.

You are right! So much for my memory.
So some glitch in the serial communication line, since that seems to be its only function? Or in the ECM?
Probably not worth pursuing, given the expense.

I never look at mpg on any meter, always calculate them the old fashioned way after a fill up anyway. Are they at all accurate?

 

[Lord Popgun]

The one on my ST1300 seems to be pretty accurate but I never verified it with hand calculations.

IIRC, the MPG is based on averages over a 10 minute period. If you are moving at varying speeds the MPG can change a fair amount with updates. And when you turn off the ignition you lose it and after riding another 10 minutes it comes back up.

Ferret had an ST and rode it a LOT more than I ride mine. Maybe he can comment on this.

 

[max]

As far as accuracy i tested the cb1000, filled the tank up to a certain repeatable level, went for a ride and just before the reserve was indicated filled up, the "used fuel" indicator was at 11.3 liters and i put 11.2 liters back to get the level back to where i believe it was at the beginning.
That leads me to believe the reading is as accurate as it needs to be on this particular bike, and i repeated this test several times with the same results.
Just out of curiosity; i just wonder when these numbers change would that indicate a restriction or loss of fuel pressure in the future?

I'm with you guys, we need someone with a 2014 bike to confirm this oddity.

 

[the Ferret]

I checked my 2014 deluxe this morning and it stored the A and B info from yesterday with ignition on and bike not running

 

[Lord Popgun]

To be clear, it stored the miles per gallon?

 

[the Ferret]

Yes

The only thing that was blank was current mileage since the bike wasn't running

 

[pekingduck]

Yes

The only thing that was blank was current mileage since the bike wasn't running

Ferret, just to be clear, when you say mileage, you mean MPG, not an odometer reading, right?

My 2017 stores and displays both without it running.

 

[the Ferret]

Ok I'm at my bike. I turn the key, and needles sweep,. Odomometer reads 52,616 ... push button, Trip A says 88.3 ... push button, Trip A mile/gal says 58.0,... push button, Trip A Gal says 1.5, ... push button Trip B says 169.5 ... push button Trip B mile/ gal says 58.9,...,push button Trip B gal says 2.8 ...push button current fuel consumption mi says - - -. ...Push button and we are back to odometer.

Turn off ignition

So, bike has 52,616 miles on it. Today's ride was 88.3 miles (which I round down to 88 for mileage tracker). On today's ride I averaged 58 mpg, and used 1.5 gal.

On this tank of fuel I've ridden 169 1/2 miles, averaged 58.9 mpg on the tank, and used 2.8 gal.

Because engine wasn't running current instantaneous fuel consumption mileage wouldn't read

 

[pekingduck]

Ok I'm at my bike. I turn the key, and needles sweep,. Odomometer reads 52,616 ... push button, Trip A says 88.3 ... push button, Trip A mile/gal says 58.0,... push button, Trip A Gal says 1.5, ... push button Trip B says 169.5 ... push button Trip B mile/ gal says 58.9,...,push button Trip B gal says 2.8 ...push button current fuel consumption mi says - - -. ...Push button and we are back to odometer.

Turn off ignition

So, bike has 52,616 miles on it. Today's ride was 88.3 miles (which I round down to 88 for mileage tracker). On today's ride I averaged 58 mpg, and used 1.5 gal.

On this tank of fuel I've ridden 169 1/2 miles, averaged 58.9 mpg on the tank, and used 2.8 gal.

Because engine wasn't running current instantaneous fuel consumption mileage wouldn't read

Okay, I take it you mean the instantaneous actual current fuel consumption rate, when the engine is running. Which it shouldn't as no fuel is being consumed.

So LakeWylieJoe is seeing something different from what you're seeing.

 

[the Ferret]

Yes instantaneous current fuel consuption mileage would not read with engine not running. I corrected above.

 

[LakeWylieJoe_imp]

One more relevant piece of info. When I tried to check the fuel consumption and mpg with the engine off, the handlebar kill switch was activated (and ignition on of course). If I flick the kill switch back to the run position with the engine off, the amounts do in fact display.

In the end, it's a dumb question. The amounts only don't display if the kill switch is set... Sorry all!