hi all.  I have google searched for the gas tank capacity quite a bit.  even the owner manual states 5.3 US gals, includes 1.1 reserve. I have run out of gas twice and each time the tank only took about 3.6 gals.  What am I missing here?  The last time I filled up to the last time it ran empty was only 136 miles.  there was a lot of idling, neighborhood practicing stop and goes.  I am not terribly concerned with the 36-ish mpg.  I am trying to figure out why it only takes about 3.6 gals.  shouldn't the tank take about 4 gals or 4.1?  I am not talking low on gas then fill.  I am talking out of gas, bike died, switch to reserve, start, and ride to the nearest station empty.

thanks

kool-aide

2005 GS500F
Stock

There is "fuel capacity" then there is "usable fuel".   I ran out the other day  at just over 200 miles.  I average 60 to 65 MPG...so it was like 3 point something gallons...similar to what you get to fill up....(not 4 point something like you might think...)

Some searches of similar posts on this group say that in order to get a "true, complete" fill up, you have to keep the bike level and vertical while filling, on center stand, and you even have to shake it a bit in order to completely fill the tank!

I just leave it on the side stand, and fill until the level just touches the bottom edge of the filler neck.  Then I set the odo to zero, and figure 180 miles to 200 miles before next fill up....If I run out, I figure easy 50 more miles on reserve.

I would worry about your getting only 36 MPG...unless you are jack rabbit starts all the time and wide open throttle, and city driving...

Cookie

Quote from: KungFuActionGrip on August 14, 2014, 06:15:53 PM
hi all.  I have google searched for the gas tank capacity quite a bit.  even the owner manual states 5.3 US gals, includes 1.1 reserve. I have run out of gas twice and each time the tank only took about 3.6 gals.  What am I missing here?  The last time I filled up to the last time it ran empty was only 136 miles.  there was a lot of idling, neighborhood practicing stop and goes.  I am not terribly concerned with the 36-ish mpg.  I am trying to figure out why it only takes about 3.6 gals.  shouldn't the tank take about 4 gals or 4.1?  I am not talking low on gas then fill.  I am talking out of gas, bike died, switch to reserve, start, and ride to the nearest station empty.

thanks

kool-aide

2005 GS500F
Stock

The early models had a smaller tank but my K9F (2009) tank takes 20.5L (5.4 USG) when filled to the cap from "dry" empty when on the centre stand. If you fill to the bottom of the "neck" as advised in the handbook it will only take 18.4L (4.8 USG). I always fill to the cap to keep out as much air/moisture (condensation) as I can. I do not want a rusty tank. Now 5 years old the inside of the tank looks like day 1. I am a gentle rider and usually do not rev over 6000 so my fuel economy is good. I have done a high of 475km (295 miles) before needing to switch to reserve but usually get around 420-450km (260-280 miles) at switchover. I have a couple of friends with GSs and they usually only fill until close to the bottom of the neck as they cannot be bothered to take the time to get the last 2 and a bit litres in. The air bleed hole in the neck is tiny so you realy have to trickle the last 2L (1/2 gallon) in to get it full. It takes about 2 minutes to put the last 2L in. I am happy to do this as it gives me another 70km (45 miles) on a tank.
Macka

Macka when you say you fill to the top, does that mean all the way up to the rim of the cap at the very top of the tank?

How does overflow work? Will fuel spill onto the outside of the tank?

I get 50-53 mpg (US gallons) mostly motorway riding around 6000 rpm.

I fill up to the bottom of the upper neck which is the top of the lower/inner neck. If you are "on the road" this is no problem as the level will start to drop straight away. If it is before parking the bike and the ambient temp is likely to climb you will need to leave it a little lower to allow for expansion. If it is too full (I have done it a couple of times) the overflow will work as per normal and the excess will flow out of the tube on the RHS.

As for fuel consumption, I usually get around 3.5L/100km or 67 US mpg. I have had up to 74 US mpg with ideal conditions.
In Oz we use L/100km instead of the easier km/L. Whoever decided that needs to have his arse kicked. 

Macka

I only once got ~50mpg. Usually get 38-42mpg. Riding hard though, about as hard as it can be ridden. Still way better mileage than my friend's camaro and I leave him in the dust in the twisties any time

These past two days I've commuted 80 miles per day but in that odd traffic pattern where it's dense yet moving, not stop/go. This meant rarely above 60 mph and rarely in clean air. I think other people's wakes helped my aero and the lower revs made a huge difference: whereas I only occasionally got 53 mpg up till now, today I calculated 67 mpg!