how far can I go?

[joepua]

Hey guys,

On a 2004 GS500F, full tank, on avg how many km should I be clocking? assuming I don't go crazy and rip it... just normal riding...

There's no gauge and I don't want to run out on my first ride lol...

[joshr08]

i fuel up at 200miles

[cafeboy]

i fuel up at 200miles

+1
Or you could just strap on a 1 gal gas can on the back and go till it stops. 

I always wanted to do that. 

[applecrew]

 

I ride an 07 F-model.  I typically get 210 miles (335 KM) out of a full tank before I hit reserve.  I do mostly freeway driving about 65 mph (105 KPH)

Of course, YMMV...

The 04 is similar to the 07, so you will probably get close to the same with normal driving.  The combination of approx 1 gal reserve and high MPG (I average almost 59 MPG), unless you've got a faulty fuel valve, means you'll probably have to work to run out of fuel before you can reach a gas station.

Good luck,

[joepua]

Great thanks guys.

I kind of don't want to start a new thread, but I stored the bike for ~4mo's and charged the battery from time to time...

When I tried starting it up last week, I needed to put the bike on full choke and had to start it around 3-4 times before it started... should I be worried? The winter has been pretty cold so... im not sure if its just the bike is really cold

[DoD#i]

First start after storage always a bit rough.

If not drained and/or stabilized, likely to be rough at least until a fresh tank of gas is run through it.

Might not clear up even then, in which case it's time to clean the carbs, and remember to drain them before storage next time, or run it an hour every month during storage.

[fred]

Great thanks guys.

I kind of don't want to start a new thread, but I stored the bike for ~4mo's and charged the battery from time to time...

When I tried starting it up last week, I needed to put the bike on full choke and had to start it around 3-4 times before it started... should I be worried? The winter has been pretty cold so... im not sure if its just the bike is really cold

Sounds like normal cold weather starting to me. You'll find you need full choke to start the thing if it is at all cold out. Also, don't give it throttle when starting with full choke, you'll just flood it.=

As for mileage, I typically fill my E up at around 100 miles, but you should just run the bike with the petcock in the "On" position until it starts to sputter on you, then just switch to reserve and find a gas station. The reserve is about a gallon, so you'll have plenty of time to go find a gas station. You might as well practice switching the petcock while riding sooner rather than later so that when you have to do it on the freeway in traffic you won't have to fumble too much for it...

[joshr08]

+1 on practice switching petcock while riding.  Last year the first to I had to switch to reserve i had to pull over because i could find it while riding.  Not a great feeling.  Just glad i was on a back country road and didnt get ran over.

[joepua]

Thanks for the replies..

unfortunately.. I have one of those pet cocks that seems to have lost its label...

http://gstwins.com/gsboard/index.php?topic=45687.0

The arrow is pointed up which I am assuming that it is in its 'reserve' position according to the pictures... I hope I am not wrong..

[fred]

Thanks for the replies..

unfortunately.. I have one of those pet cocks that seems to have lost its label...

http://gstwins.com/gsboard/index.php?topic=45687.0

The arrow is pointed up which I am assuming that it is in its 'reserve' position according to the pictures... I hope I am not wrong..

Yeah, that is reserve. You should really be running with it down though, in the on position until you have so little gas you're forced to switch to reserve. That way you won't get stranded. I borrowed a friend's bike yesterday while waiting for parts to fix mine and although he assured me there was a full tank of gas in it, it died 3/4 of a mile from work and I had to push it the last bit. He was running his bike on reserve and the tank was totally dry. That's what I get for believing him and running the bike on reserve...

Also, for your entertainment, here is a post with pictures and labels of the two kinds of petcocks the GS has: http://gstwins.com/gsboard/index.php?topic=17821.msg160172#msg160172

[cafeboy]

although he assured me there was a full tank of gas in it, it died 3/4 of a mile from work and I had to push it the last bit. He was running his bike on reserve and the tank was totally dry. That's what I get for believing him and running the bike on reserve...

Been there 
and that sucks. 

[joepua]

awesome, thanks for the link..

Thanks for the replies..

unfortunately.. I have one of those pet cocks that seems to have lost its label...

http://gstwins.com/gsboard/index.php?topic=45687.0

The arrow is pointed up which I am assuming that it is in its 'reserve' position according to the pictures... I hope I am not wrong..

Yeah, that is reserve. You should really be running with it down though, in the on position until you have so little gas you're forced to switch to reserve. That way you won't get stranded. I borrowed a friend's bike yesterday while waiting for parts to fix mine and although he assured me there was a full tank of gas in it, it died 3/4 of a mile from work and I had to push it the last bit. He was running his bike on reserve and the tank was totally dry. That's what I get for believing him and running the bike on reserve...

Also, for your entertainment, here is a post with pictures and labels of the two kinds of petcocks the GS has: http://gstwins.com/gsboard/index.php?topic=17821.msg160172#msg160172

[fred]

although he assured me there was a full tank of gas in it, it died 3/4 of a mile from work and I had to push it the last bit. He was running his bike on reserve and the tank was totally dry. That's what I get for believing him and running the bike on reserve...

Been there 
and that sucks. 

Yeah, not super fun. Fortunately it was a KLR250, so it was only 260 pounds to push instead of a GS's 400... It was still quite a workout though...

[cafeboy]

I had to push a Shadow Aero 1100 
and a Kawasaki ZL900 Eliminator 

[fred]

I had to push a Shadow Aero 1100 
and a Kawasaki ZL900 Eliminator 

Ouch, that doesn't sound like fun at all.

[cafeboy]

Not at all but hey what can you do 

[Toogoofy317]

Had to push my gs a mile at two o'clock in the morning for some weird reason I didn't even get twenty out of my reserve that day. Really sucked. Heart problem, work, then pushing not a good combination at all and in the dark scary as hell because I felt I was going to get run down any second!

but i get about 170-180 before I hit reserve.

Mary

[Porkchop]

I normally only get 130 miles out of my E before I have to switch to reserve.  I ride rush hour speeds (stop and go).

Had to push my gs a mile at two o'clock in the morning for some weird reason I didn't even get twenty out of my reserve that day.

Mary - Did you ever figure out why only 20?

[vorBH]

The reserve is 5L...correct?

1. How many KM should that give you?


2. Yesterday I was riding and the engine cut out in the ON position...so then I switched to reserve and was fine.....BUT when I open the tank cover and look inside I can see still a lot of fuel 1 - 2 litres??

3. Is the fuel I am seeing reserve fuel? Or is the reserve fuel in a seperate 'tank'?

4. Before I went out to ride I started the bike, but when I gave it the slightest gas on throttle it cut out, did this several times....then put it on reserve and worked fine.....BUT there is fuel in the tank that I can see, why is it cutting out when there still fuel in the tank??

[fred]

The reserve is 5L...correct?

1. How many KM should that give you?


2. Yesterday I was riding and the engine cut out in the ON position...so then I switched to reserve and was fine.....BUT when I open the tank cover and look inside I can see still a lot of fuel 1 - 2 litres??

3. Is the fuel I am seeing reserve fuel? Or is the reserve fuel in a seperate 'tank'?

4. Before I went out to ride I started the bike, but when I gave it the slightest gas on throttle it cut out, did this several times....then put it on reserve and worked fine.....BUT there is fuel in the tank that I can see, why is it cutting out when there still fuel in the tank??

I think this very post answers your question: it is really really easy to misjudge the amount of fuel in the tank due to it having a flat bottom. The flat bottom also means that there can be gas in the tank with the pickups uncovered if the tanks isn't perfectly level. I pretty much never look in my gas tank and do everything by mileage and by switching to reserve and filling up soon after.