Ninja 250 Fuel gauge???

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ElektraSpitfire · Thu Jul 13, 2006 4:23 am

I got to reserve after 220-240 miles of riding, 95% of which were on the freeway at 85mph. Then I filled up the tank and it was 4 gallons on the gas pump (am I filling it up wrong or something? where does the extra 0.8 gallon go?!) so i was getting about 50-55mpg...usually when i go on a long trip i calculate gas with 40mpg to be on the really safe side.

#12 Unread post by **bok** » Thu Jul 13, 2006 5:00 am

i'm not 100% that it is 4.8 (which would include about a 0.5 reserve), but i don't think you can ever really fill up a tank to it's full (listed) volume due to the way gasoline volume changes approximately 0.125% for every 1ºC change in temperature (0.058%/ºF) . link

dieziege · #13 Unread post by **dieziege** » Thu Jul 13, 2006 6:14 am

ElektraSpitfire wrote:I got to reserve after 220-240 miles of riding, 95% of which were on the freeway at 85mph. Then I filled up the tank and it was 4 gallons on the gas pump (am I filling it up wrong or something? where does the extra 0.8 gallon go?!) so i was getting about 50-55mpg...usually when i go on a long trip i calculate gas with 40mpg to be on the really safe side.

If you were hitting reserve at 220-240 and the tank took 4 gal. you were getting 55-60MPG.... 85 indicated = mid 70s actual... so we're running about the same numbers. Difference is I had to replace sprockets and such, but I'm heavier than you and I have saddle bags and a taller windshield on the bike...not sure how those change the numbers but they can't be good.

The 49-state gas tank is 4.8 gallons (mine's 4.2 'cause I'm in California) and the reserve is supposedly 0.8 gallons...

mahgnillig · Thu Jul 13, 2006 5:35 pm

I usually make sure I refuel before the gauge hits 250 miles. Having said that, one day my hubby (who weighs 250lbs - twice as much as me) decided to take my bike to work, which is 50 freeway miles out of town. The bike hauled him and all his work gear (probably another 50lbs) out there and back at ~85mph. Next day I hopped on the freeway to get across town and promptly ran out of gas with the gauge only reading 180 miles... I guess my little green machine didn't like that trip out to my hubby's work very much

- Jen.

Kyinal · #15 Unread post by **Kyinal** » Thu Jul 13, 2006 8:03 pm

Hmmm, in Oregon you are not allowed to pump your own gas.

That must suck for riders of custom bikes who don't like fuel spills when some slack jawed gas station attendant spills gas all over your tank when he's in a hurry.

ElektraSpitfire · Fri Jul 14, 2006 1:14 am

mahgnillig wrote:I usually make sure I refuel before the gauge hits 250 miles. Having said that, one day my hubby (who weighs 250lbs - twice as much as me) decided to take my bike to work, which is 50 freeway miles out of town. The bike hauled him and all his work gear (probably another 50lbs) out there and back at ~85mph. Next day I hopped on the freeway to get across town and promptly ran out of gas with the gauge only reading 180 miles... I guess my little green machine didn't like that trip out to my hubby's work very much

- Jen.

~100 miles on a full tank? ..maybe he stopped by someplace else

Fri Jul 14, 2006 5:49 am

I ran out on the main tank about 320 km (200 miles). I didn't want to chance it and see how far the reserve would go though. Yes, I set one of the trip meters after every fill and just use the other one for interests sake on some rides.