ed Posted May 4, 2015 Share Posted May 4, 2015 Okay, this has never happened to me in years of riding motorcycles, but it happened today on my FJ (feel free to laugh and ridicule at will, ): I ran out of friggin' gas!! Okay, here's the story: I last topped off awhile ago and reset one of the trip odometers like I've always done when I refuel. This morning on the way to work the gas thing starts blinking at me. Pish posh I think, I've only gone 110 miles since refilling and the gas mileage says I'm getting over 49 mpg! I'm still in the break-in period and taking it easy, so I must have TONS of gas left. Hell, I used to get over 200 miles per 4.5 gallon tank on my 1200 Sportster with exhaust and engine upgrades. WRONG, she dies half way home after work on a busy 4-laner, 120 miles on the trip odometer (I forget what "Trip F" said). Oh yeah, and it's starting to rain. Soooooo, here's all 5'7" 150 pounds of me pushing a 500 pound bike uphill (yeh, uphill) on the side of the road. I see a local motorcycle dealership, surely I can get a spot of gas from them. Nope, closed on Monday. A quarter mile farther I get her into a gas station after pushing the bike back across the 4-laner. Oh yeh, I'm in a super crappy part of town too. Get the bike fueled, she starts right up, I'm outta there.[span] [/span]So, does this thing really drink that much gas?? (or maybe I didn't reset the trip odometer when I think I did?) Thanks for your input guys. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member wessie Posted May 4, 2015 Premium Member Share Posted May 4, 2015 oops, on another board I use, you would be given a Petrol Muppet award. were you reading the correct trip? Did you brim the tank or stop filling when the fuel nozzle switched off the first time? See http://fj-09.org/post/6918 - I did an experiment, filled the tank with the bike on the side stand and got 40 miles on reserve, 219 miles in total, before putting 17.99 litres into the 18 litre tank (bike now on the main stand) Whatever you did, I think there was a problem with your maths somewhere. This signature is left blank as the poster writes enough pretentious bollocks as it is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ed Posted May 4, 2015 Author Share Posted May 4, 2015 Yep, i screwed something up, and now the world knows!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
root Posted May 5, 2015 Share Posted May 5, 2015 I do feel bad that I chuckled when I read you saw it was running low but didn't believe it. Not sure why you ran out as quick as you did. I'd be curious how the next tank does though. Shame you don't remember the F-Trip miles. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ed Posted May 5, 2015 Author Share Posted May 5, 2015 I'll be watching closely this time, I know it was me and not the bike's fault Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skipperT Posted May 5, 2015 Share Posted May 5, 2015 If it makes you feel better, I got only 100+ miles on my first couple tanks. This engine eats a LOT of gas when breaking in. At 2400 miles now, temps ranging from 40-70 F and I'm easily doing 180-195 miles before hitting reserve. It'll get better. -skip Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vespadaddy Posted May 5, 2015 Share Posted May 5, 2015 If it makes you feel better, I got only 100+ miles on my first couple tanks. This engine eats a LOT of gas when breaking in. At 2400 miles now, temps ranging from 40-70 F and I'm easily doing 180-195 miles before hitting reserve. It'll get better. -skip That's surprising. I got 180 miles before the reserve (F-trip), on my very first tank. I'll just say that in terms of break-in, I fall in the motoman camp. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rodan Posted May 5, 2015 Share Posted May 5, 2015 If it makes you feel better, I got only 100+ miles on my first couple tanks. This engine eats a LOT of gas when breaking in. At 2400 miles now, temps ranging from 40-70 F and I'm easily doing 180-195 miles before hitting reserve. It'll get better. -skip Only have a little over 300 miles on the bike, but I've been getting an easy 50mpg (calculated... not just from the display) so far. And I haven't exactly been babying it... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
falcophil Posted May 5, 2015 Share Posted May 5, 2015 I get around 150 miles before the thing starts flahing, even did one run with less motorways at 180 miles-and that was two up with panniers and top box! topping it right up at this point takes about 15 litres (yea we talk MPG and fill up in litres!) didnt seem to use anymore when i was running it in, i was showing 56 mpg then, last time i looked yesterday it was showing 53MPG. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scholgs Posted May 5, 2015 Share Posted May 5, 2015 Ha! I did the same and felt a right idiot. The tank is very wide at the top so I found you can only get about 10 litres in before the nozzle clicks off. You then have to pull it out and carefully fill it to get another 4-5 litres in. I thought my reserve indicator was dodgy and then duly ran out of petrol 25 miles after it came on Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobdog Posted May 5, 2015 Share Posted May 5, 2015 Guys, Crap Happens. I'm getting 40+ mpg and still just below 600 miles - with riding in all types of situations. I learned on a bike with no fuel gauge to top up at the start of the ride and every two hours to stretch the legs. Hasn't failed me since I pushed mine in to the gas station. The FJ seems to take a minute to settle after the fuel nozzle kicks back. I can get a little more in if I keep it upright and go slow on the last bit. Watch the vapor vent on the left hand side it's also the overflow - if you overfill, it looks like it's perfectly placed to dump gas on your left boot. B-| 2015 Grey FJ09 with a few tweaks, 2007 HD Street Glide - Good Bike + Good Friends = Good Day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2damax Posted May 8, 2015 Share Posted May 8, 2015 I read about an easy mod to increase the capacity of the fuel in the tank from the MT09 forum. Where the filler is and what appears to be a sheet metal gas nozzle guide, a hole was drilled about an inch high from the bottom fuel level (horizontal flat surface). The purpose of the hole was for venting the air that could be trapped at the top part of the tank. Rule #16 forbids me from posting the link from the mt09 forum. Please advice if I misinterpreted the rule and able to post the link. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suncoaster Posted May 8, 2015 Share Posted May 8, 2015 I read about an easy mod to increase the capacity of the fuel in the tank from the MT09 forum. Where the filler is and what appears to be a sheet metal gas nozzle guide, a hole was drilled about an inch high from the bottom fuel level (horizontal flat surface). The purpose of the hole was for venting the air that could be trapped at the top part of the tank. [span] [/span] Could the same effect be achieved by rocking the bike back and forth to "burp" the tank ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ed Posted May 10, 2015 Author Share Posted May 10, 2015 Here is a picture of me doing the drilling mod to my tank: http://i288.photobucket.com/albums/ll170/eweil1/Mobile%20Uploads/image_zpskcgzvolj.jpg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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