GAS GAS GAS GAS GAS

[Adimax]

okay im retarded and just noticed that there is no fuel light on this brand new '04 gs500 i just bought!!!!   my bike died on the side of the road b4 i threw on the reserve and made it home.... lol.   can anyone please please please please please tell me how many miles i can get on a full tank, and how many miles i can get on the reserve?!?  i cant seem to find this information anywhere!!!!!!  thanks!!

[chinox22x]

okay im retarded and just noticed that there is no fuel light on this brand new '04 gs500 i just bought!!!!   my bike died on the side of the road b4 i threw on the reserve and made it home.... lol.   can anyone please please please please please tell me how many miles i can get on a full tank, and how many miles i can get on the reserve?!?  i cant seem to find this information anywhere!!!!!!  thanks!!

approximately 47-55 miles on a gallon of gas.  The '04's have a 5 gallon tank with 1 gallon res included.

Whenever your fill up, reset your trip odometer to 0.  I usually fillup around 180miles. I never let it get the chance to get on reserve.  Res is 1 gallon so that's ~50 miles you can go on...but why risk it?

[scratch]

Welcome!

If you use the [Search] above you should be able to find all kinds of answers on keywords such as 'mileage'.

The answers also vary because people's mileage, driving habits and modifications affect these. Thus YMMV.

You should be able to get at least 125 miles before switching to reserve, I've gotten a max of 175 miles til bone dry; that's including reserve. Again, YMMV, but with a steady hand on the throttle (after break-in), you should be able to get 200 miles out of a tank.

[Adimax]

k so ill fill up around 150 everytime.... im hopin thats how everyone else does it....

[scratch]

That's a good, round, safe number.

[milo]

I think scratch has an older model with a smaller tank... I have a 5.3 gallon tank like yours. It's roughly 4 gallons regular and 1 gallon reserve, I forget where the extra .3 goes. Anyway, I generally fill up after around 180 miles. A couple times I've gone as far as 250 miles between fillups, though that's starting to push it.

Anyway, you probably shouldn't depend on this board to decide this; instead, get to know your bike. Everyone's is a little different. Reset your odometer with every fillup, and figure out how many miles per galon you get. Once you have a sense of that, you can estimate how much gas is in the tank and plan accordingly.

[Kerry]

you probably shouldn't depend on this board to decide this; instead, get to know your bike. Everyone's is a little different.

I agree with milo, but I will go a step further.  In my opinion everyone should let their bike run out of gas (in the ON position) at least once, so they will KNOW how far they can go.  Let it happen around town so you can switch to REServe and get to a gas station without any problem.  Then take note of how many gallons it takes to fill up.

If you plan to take any long-ish trips I will go even further and suggest that you also let the bike run out of gas in the REServe position.  In my experience, you can switch to PRIme and still go a few more miles down the road.

PS - If you run out of gas in the ON position, switch to PRIme first for a minute or so, then to the REServe position.  This applies if you make the switch while riding down the road, but especially if you have to pull over to do it.  (Because both the ON and the REServe positions only allow fuel to flow if the engine is running, while PRIme will allow it to flow no matter what.)

[juggernaught]

Have to agree with Kerry.  In the city i could get anywhere between 90 and 110 miles on a tank before i  hit reserve on my '02...so let her go empty once...reset the odometer and get an average.....

[milo]

Out of curiosity, how exactly does one switch to reserve while riding? I've heard people talk about it, but i'm scared to try. The petcock is somewhere underneath my left thigh, and I'll need that hand to have the clutch in... or can you catch it in time and switch it with left hand while maintaining throttle? (maintain throttle when out of gas?? doesn't sound right.)

Or shift to neutral, and/or hit the kill switch while rolling, or else just pull over like a civilized person? What do you experts do?

[alexXx]

Out of curiosity, how exactly does one switch to reserve while riding? I've heard people talk about it, but i'm scared to try. The petcock is somewhere underneath my left thigh, and I'll need that hand to have the clutch in... or can you catch it in time and switch it with left hand while maintaining throttle? (maintain throttle when out of gas?? doesn't sound right.)

Or shift to neutral, and/or hit the kill switch while rolling, or else just pull over like a civilized person? What do you experts do?

i'm no expert, but i just switch it to reserve with my left hand while maintaining throtttle...just get used to where the petcock sits so you dont actually look for it while riding, that way u can just reach down and mess with it...


- alex

[V8Pinto]

One more for Kerry's suggestion.  Let it run out on you once (in primary) and then you have your approximate mile marker.  Then divide that by 4 and you know how far you have with 1 gallon of reserve.  

I can feel it when I am getting near "reserve time", the bike runs different.  

Reset your trip meter everytime you get gas, then you'll know.  

I just ride it to reserve and then switch to reserve and get gas (as long as I'm in town).

On a trip, you need to pay attention to distances and fuel stops and plan accordingly.

[Kerry]

While we're asking questions, I still have one about the '01+ fuel selector switch (otherwise known as the "frame-mounted petcock"):

Which way does it turn?  :dunno:

Here's why I'm asking the question.  The pre-'01 switch (in the ON position) looks like this:



I mentioned in my previous post that it's a good idea to use the PRIme setting briefly before switching to REServe.  The REServe position points FORWARD, while the PRIme position points UP.  Since this switch only turns clockwise from the ON position, you have to turn it 180 degrees (through the REServe position) to get to the PRIme position, and then turn it 90 degrees in the opposite direction to the REServe position.


Now let's consider the '01+ switch.  Here it is in the ON position:



On this switch the REServe position points UP and the PRIme position points REARWARD.  In my mind it wouldn't make any sense for this switch to turn clockwise from the ON position.  If it turns counterclockwise instead then it's just about the perfect setup:

1) Start to run out of gas ... turn the knob 1/4 turn to the rear.  (Which is also a more natural motion for your hand, by the way.)

2) Bike stops hesitating ... turn an additional 1/4 turn so the knob points UP.

3) Find gas station ... refill ... turn knob to point DOWN again.[/list:u]Easy!

But still, I GOTTA KNOW:  Does the '01+ switch turn counterclockwise from the ON (DOWN) position?

[Kerry]

I GOTTA KNOW:  Does the '01+ [fuel selector] switch turn counterclockwise from the ON (DOWN) position?

Anyone?  I didn't think it was going to be that hard of a question.

ATTENTION ...  all '01+ owners who can't ride because of the weather.

Who among you will accept the challenge:  Spend a few quality moments with one's forlorn Sphinx (your bike) and coax it to surrender the answer to this mind bender?[/list:u]  Please?  

[Michael]

I GOTTA KNOW:  Does the '01+ [fuel selector] switch turn counterclockwise from the ON (DOWN) position?

Anyone?  I didn't think it was going to be that hard of a question.

ATTENTION ...  all '01+ owners who can't ride because of the weather.

Who among you will accept the challenge:  Spend a few quality moments with one's forlorn Sphinx (your bike) and coax it to surrender the answer to this mind bender?[/list:u]  Please?  

COUNTERCLOCKWISE!!!
When sitting on the bike the tap sits in the angle between leg and thigh.  Once you realise that's where it is it is simplicity itself to switch from ON to RES on the move, as soon as the bike starts to splutter from lack of petrol.  No rolling off the throttle, no declutching, no hitting the kill switch ( ).  Just keep going, turn the tap (COUNTERCLOCKWISE) and ride to the petrol station.  

[Kerry]

Whew -- thanks for the Christmas present Michael!  

(Even though it's not yet 11:30 PM on Christmas Eve here...)

[johncam4]

ive run completely out of gas on mine before....no reserve no gas at all.....twice

[Kerry]

Hmmm.  I don't remember if you asked about it before, but make sure that your ON and RES hoses don't "cross" between the fuel tank and the frame-mounted petcock.

On '89 - '00 models the hoses should be connected like it shows in this diagram.

On '01+ models the hoses should be connected like it shows in this diagram.  But BE CAREFUL!  The hoses are shown aligned with the correct outlets on the tank-mounted petcock, but the petcock itself is shown rotated 180 degrees from reality.  The longer outlet tube belongs in the FRONT.

[Michael]

Whew -- thanks for the Christmas present Michael!  

(Even though it's not yet 11:30 PM on Christmas Eve here...)

You're welcome.    And actually, I'm still riding because it's summer here at the moment.  Last week we had 30 degrees (Centigrade!) and all the shopping mall pseudosantas just about melted despite the aircon. :lol:
Anyway, merry christmas, although it's boxing day here now- this being nearly 0300.