Gas tank size, 5.5 gallons right?

[Mr. Anderson]

okay here's the situation, riding to work today in the morning, at the 180 mile mark from my last gas fill up and the low gas light comes on. no biggie, I'm getting 43 mpg, finish riding to work. On the way home I got gas. I had traveled a little over 20 miles since the light came on in the morning.  by the time I got to the gas station on the way home I had 203 miles on the tank. I figured I would have a little over a quarter of a tank left. when I filled up it only took 4.75 gallons(I fill till the gas touches the silver ring inside, no higher) , weird had I only used less than a quarter tank of gas since the light came on ? not likely, not even if I was getting 43 mpg. I don't have a california model either I checked for the gas emissions equipment(carbon canister) under rear subframe. just kinda wierd. can gas expand that much? temp this morning was 75 degrees and when I went home it was around 95, the bike was sitting in the parking lot in the sun all day.  I wouldn't think it would expand that much.

 

[DNGrumpy]

Last week on a ride mine said 42 MPG, my light came on at 187 miles, the next gas stop was almost 30 miles away (Turnpike) I filled at 223 miles and put in 5.38 gallons filled as far as I could go. I was getting kinda scared I was gonna wind up pushing it. If you did the math I should have run out at 231. I was damn close. I didn't want to have to get off and back on again...

 

[Sloto200]

Isnt the gas light operated by a float in the tank? I think I remember someone talking about that and if the float isnt set right you could (worst case now) get your gas light on at like a half tank... kind of like the float in a toilet tank... want more water in the tank bend the float up?? I've never had a busa gas tank apart so i'm not certain but i've heard many stories of peoples gas lights coming on at different times. That was a close one there Grumpy!

 

[badassbusa03]

i know when i had my busa apart to get painted, after i had pumped what little bit of gas was left in the tank out by the fuel pump (which is where the bike should have cut off from being out of gas) i was able to siphon out an additional 1/3 gallon (approximate). so just because the light comes on, and your guage hits "E". you still have gas in the tank.

 

[Juggler]

43MPG? You suck! I'm only getting mid 25s. I've never come close to putting 4 gallons in my tank, even with the gauge on E.

Something's wrong on my side...

 

[TALYN]

 

[BA BUSA]

5.5 gals and when the light comes on, you have 1 gallon remaining

 

[DaCol.]

5.5 gals and when the light comes on, you have 1 gallon remaining

Yep

but remember gas guages are notorious for being extremely inaccurate  

. I just go by mileage and look for gas every 180 miles. You only have to push a motorcycle 5 miles in your life to decide "I'LL NEVER BE THAT DUMB AGAIN"

 

[DAB]

5.5 gals and when the light comes on, you have 1 gallon remaining

Yep

but remember gas guages are notorious for being extremely inaccurate  

. I just go by mileage and look for gas every 180 miles. You only have to push a motorcycle 5 miles in your life to decide "I'LL NEVER BE THAT DUMB AGAIN"

+1

 

[Gunnybusa]

5.5 gals and when the light comes on, you have 1 gallon remaining

but our CA model tanks are smaller right Rich?

 

[Mr. Anderson]

gunny, yes cali models are 5.0 gallon tanks.

ba busa, I agree, actually the manual says the light comes on when .9 gallons are left or 3.5 liters, I went 23 miles since the from the time the light came on, which, if I do the math from the amount filled(4.757 gallons to filled it up, light should come on at around 4.6 gallons consumed), that I only used .175 gallons in 23 miles? dont think so... I'll just chalk it up as inaccurate gas gauge/ low gas sensor on the conservative side.