Fuel Capacity Question

[Jim Moore]

Hi Guys,

I have a 98 Tourer. How much fuel is left when I am forced to switch over to reserve?

Thanks,

[Jess from VA]

The Valk Interstate is listed as having a 1.1 gallon reserve (6.9 gallon tank).

Standards and Tourers have a 5.5 gal tank, but I don't know if it's the same listed reserve.

Realize these tanks can be filled more than stated capacities (carefully with a slow feed pump and centered up, not on the kickstand), and gas pumps are never really scientifically accurate.

Even though my Interstates have a gas gauge, I've found resetting my tripmeter at every fill-up and watching that is more accurate than my gauge.  My MPG is very consistent (barring hours on freeways, which I never do anymore).

I rarely hit reserve anymore (on purpose), but when I do (I knock off any more hard throttle), and conservatively estimate I have 30 miles before walking. (and reset the Interstate's 2d tripmeter to zero, counting down to 30)

Also, I only run non ethanol pure gas in my bikes, which gives better performance, better mileage, and much less chance of gummed up carburetors.  You should too, if you can get it.  

Sorry I don't have your answer.

[da prez]

 Jess , good reference point. I figure 30 on reserve.  If you want to know for sure , carry a gallon or less. When you go to reserve , run it out. You will have a base line knowledge.

                                                     da prez

[Jim Moore]

Thanks gents.

[Jess from VA]

I once coaxed about about 45 miles on reserve (and made it to gas with only vapor left), running about 2k rpm just rolling along, coasting down all hills, and sweating a lot.  Not my idea of a nice afternoon ride.

You only do that once.   

And I've never owned a cell phone; don't even know how to use one. 

[Hook#3287]

I once coaxed about about 45 miles on reserve (and made it to gas with only vapor left), running about 2k rpm just rolling along, coasting down all hills, and sweating a lot.  Not my idea of a nice afternoon ride.

You only do that once.   

And I've never owned a cell phone; don't even know how to use one. 

wow Jess, you are a dinosaur 

I've owned a cell for over 35 years (my first being larger than a laptop) and got rid of my land line around 20 years ago.

Cell phones are a tool like any other item and I do not let them control my life.

My ringer is off most of the time and I control when I want to look at it.

The number of times it has saved me is countless.

I believe the reserve amount is related to the height of the tube on the petcock assembly and if not altered should be around 1 gal, as others have stated.

[F6Dave]

Years ago I read a motorcycle magazine article about reserve capacity. This was when fuel gauges were rare, and inaccurate when they did exist. So riders depended on the trip odometer and the petcock's reserve position.

Nearly all manufacturers designed their petcocks to provide about a gallon when flipped to reserve. Except Honda. Soichiro was still running the company back then, and every component on his motorcycles was precisely engineered. The article described how Honda conducted a study of gas station locations in the sparsely populated regions of the USA. Except for nearly deserted places in the great basin, they found that towns big enough to support a station would pop up every 30 miles or so. Further research revealed that this was often due to 30 miles being a full day's ride by horse or horse drawn wagon. So Honda chose to base their reserve capacity on actual range of a given bike.

I never saw the study mentioned again but it does seem reasonable. I've also noticed that when I travel in the wide open spaces here in the west, 'No Services For Next XX Miles' warning signs are common in the really deserted places.

[Jess from VA]

Wow Jess, you are a dinosaur  Smiley

Thanks  (that's what I shoot for).   


Interesting Honda story Dave.   

We get a gallon and (at least) 30 miles. 

[F6Dave]

I think this is the longest stretch in the lower 48 without gas. I wouldn't take either of my Valkyries here.

[Pluggy]

I think this is the longest stretch in the lower 48 without gas. I wouldn't take either of my Valkyries here.

At 36 mpg, my bike would make it with a dozen miles to spare.  But, that sign has to be accurate.  A "Gas next exit" sign once took me to an abandoned station.

[sandy]

I think this is the longest stretch in the lower 48 without gas. I wouldn't take either of my Valkyries here.

Where is this sign?

[Pluggy]

Ely, NV.  Road to Tonopah, NV.

[mello dude]

You only do that once.   

And I've never owned a cell phone; don't even know how to use one. 

I was once delaying thinking getting a cell phone, but on one ride heading to the dragon with a riding buddy... he did a bonehead move and tried to pass a truck, but the truck turned left and a crash happened. Buddy needed to go to hospital, and bike totaled...

Went out and got a cell phone right away when I got home.
Yeah, you only do it once.
--------------------------------------------------------

Silly stuff.... Buddy was ok, rented a car to get home. Crazy thing, was he was telling me that I should go ahead and ride the dragon anyway... me? bleah! I couldnt  get this mini video out of my head of the crash.... Not a chance I'm riding the dragon this time..... I headed home.

[Jess from VA]

I've been lucky and never had a riding buddy or anyone in a group have an accident.

One time this SCRC group brought a complete rookie with them, and he motors around a tight backwoods curve real slow, but then just goes off the road and through an old wire fence and dumps his HOG (too big for a rookie) down a bank in a big mud hole.  He had a sore knee was all.

How does that happen at 5MPH?

Well we all had to stop and go down in the mud hole and get his bike up and out and straighten the bars for him.

He said he could keep going and they decided to do that, but I was covered in mud and lost interest in that ride... I'm going home fellas.

The next ride I asked if mud hole Bob was coming on this one.  Yeah, he is.  Well I'm not, have fun.

I later had a falling out with this SCRC group after they tried to tell (order) me how to ride in staggered order to their liking (but not mine), and that was that.  

I really enjoy riding with 1-3 other experienced riders, but mostly I'm solo these days.  Like today.  

[Jim Moore]

And I've never owned a cell phone; don't even know how to use one. 

Me and you, brother. The last holdouts. People ask me why. I tell them, "You know what happens when I'm out riding and my wife calls with a BIG problem that she needs me to solve? Nothing."

[F6Dave]

I think this is the longest stretch in the lower 48 without gas. I wouldn't take either of my Valkyries here.

I love roads like that one. Traffic ruins the riding experience, but riding for miles without seeing a single car makes a good road great. Last year I rode the 'Loneliest Road in America' and it was one of my best rides ever.

[0leman]

The cellphone is a backup tool.  One has to have someone on the other end to help out if there is a problem.  Also, the phone has to have "bars" to work.   I ride some areas where bars are there or not.  Usually moving down a road or up a hill will get a bar or two.  

That said, last summer I did something I shouldn't have done by riding on a washed our gravel road.  I wanted to see how bad recent fire effected a campground that we and our kids had camp at.  I slide off the rutted road into 8" deep rut.  I walked over a mile to the main road to find a "bar".  Sent text to DW for help.  She was over an hour away.   While I was sitting in the shade waiting for her, only one vehicle came by.  It was a State Fisheries employee.  He helped me get the bike out of the rut.  Wife did come about 10 minutes later (she brought help with her).  So yeah, cell phone do help.  

You can carry them or not.  Me, I will continue to carry them.

[Jess from VA]

And I've never owned a cell phone; don't even know how to use one. 

Me and you, brother. The last holdouts. People ask me why. I tell them, "You know what happens when I'm out riding and my wife calls with a BIG problem that she needs me to solve? Nothing."

You know Jim, that is my experience.  The people (like a wife) that most wanted me to have a Cphone, really wanted me on a tether/leash.  No way Jose. 

You can call me at work and you can call me at home.  Otherwise, go out the back door and yell real loud.   

However, it's clear there could be a time when I might need one for some kind of mishap or emergency.  But so far, that has never once happened.  And, everyone else on the planet has one.

The GPS function would be nice.  If I ride out of my known region, I write turn by turn on a small piece of paper and painter's tape it to the bottom of the shield.   

[Hook#3287]

The GPS on cells works well and I use it quite often while in a cage.

Never use it while riding a bike, as I want the phone in my pocket.

A good buddy of mine, when his wife made him get a cell, always called it his leash

[Pluggy]

I use cellphone "My Radar" weather radar. 150 miles from home, it felt like a storm was coming.  My Radar showed a destructive thunderstorm headed my way.  No sticking around that town for BBQ.

I hit the road and the storm followed me. I was an hour ahead of it.  I like my cellphone.

[0leman]

My cell rides in the pocket of my jacket.  Can't tell if I get calls or not.  Never check it when I am out.  Just when I get home.  Not a leash, just a backup.  It also has emergency folks to call if I really do something stupid.  It also sits on a table when I am at home, sometimes I do hear it ring and might answer it. 

[mello dude]

I use cellphone "My Radar" weather radar. 150 miles from home, it felt like a storm was coming.  My Radar showed a destructive thunderstorm headed my way.  No sticking around that town for BBQ.

I hit the road and the storm followed me. I was an hour ahead of it.  I like my cellphone.

That's the thing on cells... Weather Radar.. good riding today? GPS, speedometer, camera, text a buddy... meet for a ride? Maps, navigation, emergency device. Phone calls? What's that?
It's a tool, just like a rachet wrench. Nope... never going without one again.  

[old2soon]

     It's one of them deals I'd rather have and Not need it V Need it and NOT have it-like rain gear! Or a pair of dry boots on a lomg haul! RIDE SAFE.

[Hook#3287]

That's right, I forgot about the radar.

Using it has kept me dry several times.

I use both NOAA and Ventusky.

[Jim Moore]

You know Jim, that is my experience.  The people (like a wife) that most wanted me to have a Cphone, really wanted me on a tether/leash.  No way Jose. 

The GPS function would be nice. 

Yep and yep. About 20 years ago my wife had me take her flip phone on a trip "in case I had an emergency." OK, thought I. Maybe this will be nice to have. I sat down in the hotel the first night and opened this newfangled miracle tool, only to hear five increasingly angry messages about her computer being broken and I needed to call her back, dammit! Phone went back in the pocket, never to re-emerge.

GPS and weather would be helpful, but I hate them so much these days that I can't bring myself to buy one.