Tank Range

Message

Taper One · #16 Post by **Taper One** » Fri Feb 20, 2009 9:14 pm

Thanks for all your input.

There certainly seems to be quite a variation. I have to admit that a 140-150 average was what I was hoping to hear.
No such luck it seems. My old Exup left me empty on three occasions in Europe over the years. I could empty that in 100 miles if cruising at 130, yet have managed to get 140 miles on occasion. All the blokes that I go away with can manage an average of 140 which is why I wanted it to be around that figure. Trouble is that I cannot get a tealistic idea in this country because of all the cameras which I why I love riding in Europe, although its not as good as it was a few years ago.

When I first went to Le Mans back in 91, the French Fuzz actualy encouraged you to go as fast as you could on the Mulsane Straight and even raced you sometimes. On a public road!!!!!!!
Blimey, how things have changed.

Anyway, I digress. When the light comes on, what sort of miles are left in reserve riding sedately?

Cheers

Pete H

Gio · #17 Post by **Gio** » Fri Feb 20, 2009 11:47 pm

Taper One wrote:Thanks for all your input.

There certainly seems to be quite a variation. I have to admit that a 140-150 average was what I was hoping to hear.
No such luck it seems. My old Exup left me empty on three occasions in Europe over the years. I could empty that in 100 miles if cruising at 130, yet have managed to get 140 miles on occasion. All the blokes that I go away with can manage an average of 140 which is why I wanted it to be around that figure. Trouble is that I cannot get a tealistic idea in this country because of all the cameras which I why I love riding in Europe, although its not as good as it was a few years ago.

When I first went to Le Mans back in 91, the French Fuzz actualy encouraged you to go as fast as you could on the Mulsane Straight and even raced you sometimes. On a public road!!!!!!!
Blimey, how things have changed.

Anyway, I digress. When the light comes on, what sort of miles are left in reserve riding sedately?

Cheers

Pete H

Its how you ride it not the speed. you could do 200 miles at an average of 90mph, if you're not a tug merchant. alternatively if you ride at 50mph and haven't a clue what smooth means you could get 100 miles to the tank. For example when I came back from Le Mans in 2005 on my Blackbird I took 4 hours to Calais and averaged 190 miles to the tank at speeds up to 120mph, the tank held 21 litres.

HowardQ · #18 Post by **HowardQ** » Sat Feb 21, 2009 1:14 am

Sorry but I don't think the capacity of the tank has ever been anything other than 21 litres. There could be some variation in when the reserve warning light comes on. On a normal "fun" ride I get 120 to 130 before the light comes on. Really hammer it and you can obviously get lower than this, but on a more gentle fast run I have seen over 140 before going onto reserve. If driving reasonably steady you should have a good 30 miles on reserve.

Taper One · #19 Post by **Taper One** » Sat Feb 21, 2009 1:55 am

O.K.

My Exup carried 17ltr-140mls max.

My Navi holds 23ltrs and I can get at least 160mls regardles of riding style.

Mmmmm,...... 20 odd litres for the Falco means I might not make the fuel stops

So, when the dreaded light comes on tanking along at 110, how many miles might I get after backing off?

Cheers

Pete H

Fausto · #20 Post by **Fausto** » Sat Feb 21, 2009 1:49 pm

I would be wary of assuming the light comes on at the same fixed point on all falcos. As I said earlier fill yours up as soon as the light comes on. If it takes say 15 litres then you should have 4 in reserve next time you see the light.

However the light may not be that accurate !

As for overall capacity - my manual states it to be 19 litres.
2001 model although the manual seems to have been printed in 1999.

Gio · #21 Post by **Gio** » Sat Feb 21, 2009 4:45 pm

Another way is fit a second feed higher up the tank and then put a tap in.

EdinburghFalco · #22 Post by **EdinburghFalco** » Sat Feb 21, 2009 8:38 pm

This might be just be my imagination cause I haven't been as many longer runs through the winter but I think I am getting slightly better mileage since I fitted iridium plugs and a K&N air filter

D-Rider · #23 Post by **D-Rider** » Sat Feb 21, 2009 9:20 pm

EdinburghFalco wrote:This might be just be my imagination cause I haven't been as many longer runs through the winter but I think I am getting slightly better mileage since I fitted iridium plugs and a K&N air filter

Keith (HisNibbs) reported the same with the iridiums .... and I've noticed it too.

D-Rider · #24 Post by **D-Rider** » Tue Feb 24, 2009 12:27 am

Tank Range = not quite as far as the fuel station

Guess who ended up pushing tonight

So let's rewind to Saturday afternoon.
Was about to set off to the Ricoh Arena to watch Coventry beat the Blue Noses.
Just before I left home the fuel light came on. No big deal.

After the game (which we won) we set off home. Unfortunately I knocked back my fast idle a bit too far a bit too soon and when I stopped it cut out ... and as has happened before, restarting it flooded it - or to be more precise, flooded one pot and I was left with a big single. Previously it's cleared quite quickly once I've (cautiously) opened it up a bit .... but here I was in the middle of traffic mayhem - barely able to move - essentially compounding the flooding problem for about 10 mins.
Well even when things got going I never managed to clear it and had a rather difficult ride home with no power (the dead pot fighting the running one) - concerned that it might chime in at any moment with ultra-power ... and I was 2-up.
Even after I was home I couldn't clear it.
The next day I was prepared to pull the plugs but before doing that decided to give it one last go at the wide-open-throttle starting trick. It started on one pot, coughed and spluttered and then .... success.

Anyway, today I rode to work intending to refuel on the way home.
Came to start up to go home - it fired ran a few seconds and died .... did this 3 times and then checked for fuel ... all gone.
Phoned home to ask someone to bring me the can of fuel from my garage ... to be told that they were just sitting down for tea and couldn't possibly come

So only one thing for it - push the half mile or so to Asda to fill up. Not too bad other than crossing the dual carriageway ....

Anyway filled it up, fired it up and got home.

Now the annoying thing is that I can have only gone about 17 miles since the fuel light came on - normally no problem.
Guess I must have underestimated just how much extra fuel you use when one cylinder is having to work very hard to overcome a non-functioning cylinder.
Won't do that again.

Taper One · #25 Post by **Taper One** » Tue Feb 24, 2009 1:21 am

However, 17 miles running a bit monkey after the fuel light comes on ain't too bad.

I will now use this as a benchmark and go from there.

Good to hear real life situations, even if it was a pain for the pilot.

If I had been nearer, I would have come with the can (providing I wasn't doing anything else

)

Cheers for the info D-Rider.

Pete H

Viking · #26 Post by **Viking** » Fri Mar 13, 2009 1:08 am

Just to add to the confusion, my previous best was 270km to almost empty after a day cruising at 130 km/hr and some commuting.

Right now, the bike did 280km until the light came on, after cruising at 100km/hr. When I fill up on the way home tonight, it will be a bit over 300km on this tank.

Conversion from km to miles is left as an exercise for the reader.

Chabby · #27 Post by **Chabby** » Fri Mar 13, 2009 5:00 pm

OK - Last Sunday Tyneside to Whitby and back averaged 45ml to gallon which equates to almost exactly 10ml to the litre giving a theoretical 200ml tank range.
The run was a mix of up and down twisties and 85mph dual carriageways.
This is more or less what I averaged on the total run to Germany last Summer so I think I can rely on it for future reference.

PS - It was absolutely baltic on Sunday so the temp doesn't seem to affect mileage on the bike whereas my Golf gets 8 - 10 miles less per gallon when the weather's cold.

woodbutcher · #28 Post by **woodbutcher** » Fri Mar 13, 2009 5:20 pm

I also seem to be averaging about 45 miles to the gallon

beckh · #29 Post by **beckh** » Fri Mar 13, 2009 5:43 pm

Been to Le Mans twice on the Falco with a group. Both times I was filling up when I could have gone further, just 'cos everyone else stopped. 150 miles at 90 to 100mph was easy. Got no Power Commander and the chip is not fitted, just Renegade cans. My mates R1 was easily the worst gas guzzler!