Whoa Nellie...........................37.8

[Duckwheat]

I posted last week asking about mileage etc, etc. I had two previos Valks 2000, and a 2001 Standards. About 128 on the trip meter I was always sucking air. I thought and someone seconded that maybe the reserve does not work.

Tonight I got the can of gas out and went for a ride. This past weekend I did 125 miles with the wife on the back. Tonight it did not suck air until 168 miles were on the trip meter. Switched it over to reserve and rode another 10 miles back in to town and filled it up. It takes 4.7 gallons.

This bike is new to me this fall. It looks completely stock, but I think someone has tuned it up or done something un-Valklike to it.

There for a while,  I am thinking this damn thing is making it's own gas.......................

37.87 miles per gallon, Jiminy

See you at Inzane!

The Lone Spud

[suthrncop]

I've had two 97's, a standard and a tourer, both seem to run out around 120 miles, then reserve.. but I never seem to have to put more than about 3 gallons in it.....it doesnt seem to use the whole 5....any ideas???

[Jess Tolbirt]

when i have to hit reserve it does it at 128 to 138 miles and always takes 4.2 galllons,,the other day after running reserve for a while i put 5.4 gallons in it,, this in a 97 tourer,,,,think i was about ready to walk?

[Jim]

I just got my 97 tourer 2 months ago, and  if I keep it under 3 grand on the tach I'm able to get 150 mi before reserve. Also I relized that I wasn't geting the tank comp. full at first. I have the cobra pipes with baffels.
Jim

[Joe Hummer]

I don't know what you are doing wrong...I can go 180 until reserve...on my IS.   

Joe

[Willow]

... and always takes 4.2 galllons,,the other day after running reserve for a while i put 5.4 gallons in it,, this in a 97 tourer,,,,think i was about ready to walk?

4.2 is what I put in when I've just hit reserve.  I've put in 5.6 a few times (according to the pump).   

[Lyn-Del]

but I never seem to have to put more than about 3 gallons in it.....it doesnt seem to use the whole 5....any ideas???

Are you filling it all the way up, or just until the nozzle shuts off?  There's over a gallon of space that fills with air and you kinda have to "burp" it along until it's full up to/into the neck.  Wizard took Hard 6's advice and punched our tanks, and now they fill up witout all that hassle.  You might consider punching yours.  Maybe that will help.

[Brovietnam]

My '97 is coming up on 95,000 and discounting bad gas, I normally go on reseve at 158 to 160 miles and it takes 4.2 gallons to fill it up.  I have put in as much as 5.1 gallons, when I coasted into a gas station.

[JimL]

Wizard took Hard 6's advice and punched our tanks, and now they fill up witout all that hassle.  You might consider punching yours.  Maybe that will help.

This one is new to me...what is involved in "punching" the tank?

Thanks,
Jim

[Big Rig]

I don't know what you are doing wrong...I can go 180 until reserve...on my IS.   

Joe

I ran 220 miles on i/S this week before hitting reserve...mixed riding...(5.7 gals at fill up = 38.59mpg) in the past I would hit reserve at 190...the only notable change was air filter and vac lines...

[Black Dog]

"This one is new to me...what is involved in "punching" the tank?"

Jim...  Punching the tank, involves enlarging the vent hole, inside the gas cap...

Open the cap, and look on the right upper portion of the filler neck.  You should see a small hole in the neck.  Enlarge that hole, to maybe 3 times the size it already is, and it allows for the air to be pushed out of the tank, during a fill up, much quicker.  I used a 'brace' (hand drill used by woodworkers) as an electric drill might be a bad idea.  Have someone hold a shop vac right where you are drilling, to catch any shavings.

Black Dog

[Super Santa]

I have a 2000 Interstate with a trigger wheel.  Yesterday I fueled up at 226.5 and was NOT on reserve.  Bike took 5.894 gallons which works out to 38.42891 mpg.

The most miles I have gotten on a tank was on ride to/around Cheaha this year.  I had 252.3 miles on the tank and it took 6.383 gallons for 39.53 mpg.  I was on reserve for about 20 of those miles and getting concerned about the prospect of walking.

[Michael K (Az.)]

but I never seem to have to put more than about 3 gallons in it.....it doesnt seem to use the whole 5....any ideas???

Are you filling it all the way up, or just until the nozzle shuts off?  There's over a gallon of space that fills with air and you kinda have to "burp" it along until it's full up to/into the neck.  Wizard took Hard 6's advice and punched our tanks, and now they fill up witout all that hassle.  You might consider punching yours.  Maybe that will help.

Maybe a tech session in Frisco regarding this hole punch will be in the offing. I've been meaning to do this to my tank neck for years! Guess it's time.

[Lyn-Del]

This one is new to me...what is involved in "punching" the tank?

Wizard says there's a reinforcing lip inside the fill tube.  On the right side, slide a sharp awl down the tube till it catches on this lip, then "whack it with a hammer" a couple of times.  Make two holes.

Using a drill risks dropping the metal shavings into the gas tank.  That doesn't sound like a good plan to me.

It took him about a minute (plus time to remember where he'd put the awl, of course).  And fill-ups are now a breeze.

[JimL]

"This one is new to me...what is involved in "punching" the tank?"

Jim...  Punching the tank, involves enlarging the vent hole, inside the gas cap...

Open the cap, and look on the right upper portion of the filler neck.  You should see a small hole in the neck.  Enlarge that hole, to maybe 3 times the size it already is, and it allows for the air to be pushed out of the tank, during a fill up, much quicker.  I used a 'brace' (hand drill used by woodworkers) as an electric drill might be a bad idea.  Have someone hold a shop vac right where you are drilling, to catch any shavings.

Black Dog

Thanks Black Dog & Lyn-Del, I appreciate the information!

[Cruzen]

My Interstate has the 6.9 gallon tank.  I keep very accurate records of all fill ups and the mileage I get for every tank.  My Valk is used primarily for trips with two up total load weight of around 415-425.  I average 34.78 mpg. 

The tank is rated at 6.9 gallons which is to the bottom of the tank nozzle however I have used a slow fill nozzle to get an additional .2 gallons of gas into the tank.  Yea, some say that it’s not a good idea but I have been doing this on my bikes for over 40 years.  Anyway when running around in Northern AZ last year I put 248 miles on one tank of gas, two up but no extra baggage, flat terrain and it took 7.1 gallons at the fill.  That was running on fumes.

I lead group rides in Arizona and I always suggest keeping track of your mileage, knowing exactly how many miles you can go on a full tank of gas and don’t be afraid to use the reserve.  No sense in carrying it if you’re not going to use it.

[Lyn-Del]

I put my I/S on reserve yesterday for the first time that I can recall.  I had about 140 on the tank when I had to go to reserve.  Put 5.671 gallons in.

We're in SD, running 75 on the interstate, lots of wind, dragging a Bushtec trailer.  I'm getting 26-27.  With the lower speeds in Canada, but high headwinds, I was getting about 25-26.

I love my fuel gauge!  Two things I really, really, really like on a bike are a fuel gauge and reserve.  The new EFI bikes are great, but my Rocket doesn't have either, and I get very nervous when gas stations aren't readily available.

[Duckwheat]

The Interstate has a larger tank, right?

DW

[Joe Hummer]

Yeah...The IS has a 6.9 gal tank vs. the 5.3 on the Standard/Tourer. 

Joe