Fuel Range Accuracy, How Low Do You Go?

I have had my 765rs 2018 down to "MINUS THREE miles"
I came to a junction and the range went to zero so I reset the trip. There was really only one petrol station in the area so aimed for it having resigned myself with the prospect of a push.
It was all good, no pushing involved

 

With my former Tiger 1200 I went down to "0" and did another 10 km with a queasy feeling to the next fuel station. There I had about 1 litre in the tank left.
With my T120 and my Honda I try to find fuel stations at an earlier point on my tours.
However, I have found that the fuel gauges are very accurate and so I often ride to the limit of the indicated range.

 

On my 2018 Speedmaster I've done 12 miles past empty before (safe in knowledge I was carrying spare fuel at the time). From my experience, the supposed 12 litre tank takes exactly 11 litres to fill when gauge reads empty.

 

I ran down to "3m left" on the display on the SS last week before filling up. On arrival at the petrol station I could still hear fuel in the tank when I shook the bike side to side so I'm guessing the "remaining fuel" indication still leaves a bit of a safety margin. Since the fuel shortage fiasco with panic buying at the pumps earlier this year I now carry spare fuel in a 1.5L can just in case, plus you have the potential to help out a fellow rider who's run out of fuel, as I once did some years ago.

 

I once camped on Rannoch moor near the station. The run through the lanes to get there was delightful but further than anticipated. I checked the range and it said something like 20 miles which is generous enough round home but in the back of beyond, twenty miles is nothing.
The next morning a taxi driver went passed the tent bringing a customer to the station. The road is a dead end so I knew he'd have to come back by me on his return.
I flagged him down to inquire on the whereabouts of nearest fuel.
He responded with " people wouldn't pay the 1 or 2p extra at the next village so he stopped doing fuel. Pitlochry would be your next option."

"Ok Pitlochry it is then" says I, "how far's that?"

You can imagine my expression when he responded with " oh that will be a good 30+ miles from here!"



Freewheeling downhill and a steady 25mph in top saved the day

Note:
Pitlochry has one of those card only 24hr self service stations for anyone needing it for future reference.

 

It's exactly for this reason why when motorcycle camping I take my MSR XGK stove (petrol powered). Fuel for the stove is a quick syphon out of the tank and, in dire straights, provides up to a one litre spare supply to put back in. Now this isn't going to get you miles but used wisely will at least get you up the climbs.

I once blew a hole right through a piston on a Honda H100 so I know what a 9+ mile push feels like although I was a lot younger then

 

I had a similar experience several years ago while camping at Loch Lomond on the ZZR. I headed out with around 1/4 tank, up the A82, heading for Loch Awe fully intending to fill up at Inveraray but the damn petrol station was closed, bugger. I pressed on up the A819 to Loch Awe and the fuel indicator started flashing (oo,er!) a couple of miles up the road. The A819 and the A85 to the Green Wellie at Tyndrum are two cracking roads but that particular day it was THE SLOWEST, MOST BORING RUN I'VE EVER HAD ON THE Z!! When you're used to never being more than a few miles from a filling station, it's easy to get caught out in the boonies!

 

I've been to 0 but it dropped abnormally fast at the end so I opened the tank, shaked the bike and it was ok.

 

My trip to France earlier this year seen my tiger 1050 drop to 7 miles on the trip. Must admit I was a bit concerned, but all was good when I got to a petrol station.

 

You guys must all have bigger balls than me. I could never let my tank get anywhere near that low, I would be panicking. Lol