Ran out of fuel...

[anthonyas11]

Hi all,

Went for a blast last night for about a 50/60 mile round trip. Less than halfway into the ride my light came on and I thought I'd fill up, but being with a friend we stopped and had a pub dinner instead...this did however mean the local fuel station had closed.

Finishing the ride home also involved a small drag race from the lights...then after the next two hills I coasted to a halt.

This in itself wasn't too much of an issue as my friend kindly carried on the final 2 miles got fuel and came back. My concern is that for the life of me I couldn't see any form of reserve and I wondered if it just doesn’t have one? It's a 2008 620 ie Dark. It’s the first fuel injected bike I've had hence the lack of knowledge.

It also got me thinking how far roughly do you get once the light comes on?


Many thanks.

[simon_g]

The light is your reserve! Think it's supposed to be 3 litres left when the light comes on, so about 30 miles.

[mrbryanmarshall]

fuel lights are super temperamental on Ducatis. I think they are suppose to come on with about 2/3l left.

Around town, i start heading to a station when I hit 70miles - usually put in about 10l, with 3l left.

I go down to Brighton a lot - c.80miles - and fill up before the return trip, with about 6l left...could probably make it all the way there and back on one tank - but would be tight and never wanted to tempt fate...

Due to this, i never see the fuel light as i always fill up with <3l left before it should come on- when i lived some where else and had less assessable fuel stations, it went on when it felt like between 80-90 miles around town - sometime it worked, sometimes it didn't - haven't seen it for ages now.

I used to rely on heading to the station when it came on, and one time it didn't and i ran out of fuel even though the mileage was way under what it should be (must have been riding gingerly...) so now i think it's best to just watch your miles instead of the light.

re. your situation, if the light came on with about 30miles to go, then yeah, could see you running out 2 miles before the end. (c. 10miles per litre - considering very non accurate measurement when the light comes on...)

[Nickj]

I used to refuel my 750IE when it got to around 120 miles, same with my carbie 750. I learnt to ignore the light after the IE stopped about 5 miles after it came on, luckily I was virtually opposite a garage.

[anthonyas11]

Hindsight being a beautiful thing I should of carried on an extra 2 miles from the half way point and got fuel!! Thanks for that guys sound advice as always! The predicament was made worse by the fact the battery all but died whilst sat there meaning a half ten at night bump start by two good friends on the busiest road in north Devon...sure they loved it really!

[He11cat]

Given up with the fuel light on my 600.
I zero back on the clocks each time I fill up .

when I hit 100 miles I fill up
Mines a carby and I was told 120 miles.
I don't chance it reliously every 100 miles I get fuel.

[utopia]

For years now I've been in the habit of zeroing the trip mileometer whenever I fill up. Then at least you know when to expect the light to come on.
On a long run, I usually brim the tank before setting off anyway, so the trip still works in the usual way.
Similarly, on the return journey I'll usually fill up again before setting off whether I need to or not, so the trip can be zero'd again.
The fuel light doesn't seem to be as reliable as the old reserve tap was, but at least it saves you from groping beneath the tank when the engine suddenly cuts out, which can be disconcerting if it happens in mid overtake.
For the record, I'm getting 150 miles or more per tankful from my 750. That seems almost worryingly good.

[Saint aka ML]

For years now I've been in the habit of zeroing the trip mileometer whenever I fill up. Then at least you know when to expect the light to come on.
On a long run, I usually brim the tank before setting off anyway, so the trip still works in the usual way.
Similarly, on the return journey I'll usually fill up again before setting off whether I need to or not, so the trip can be zero'd again.
The fuel light doesn't seem to be as reliable as the old reserve tap was, but at least it saves you from groping beneath the tank when the engine suddenly cuts out, which can be disconcerting if it happens in mid overtake.
For the record, I'm getting 150 miles or more per tankful from my 750. That seems almost worryingly good.

Utopia my old m750 carbed did about 130 mile to light in London commute, I am a fat bloke as well. I did 160 before light when on m-way but I was thrashing it trying to keep up with fazer 600. I guess at normal m-way speed it would do about 170 maybe 180. Your 150 if you have mixed style roads would be normal. I fill up all my bikes at 100 miles. While 900ssie is quite reliable to do about 110 miles monster does what is feels like so I run out at 60 miles from full while next time I did 120 miles and only put in 10l to fill up.

[gary tompkins]

Reserve is around 1/2 gallon giving roughly 25 miles after light comes on

[utopia]

Thanks for that, Lucasz.
I sometimes worry that my bike's frugal use of fuel suggests that its actually running a bit lean, maybe due to the "race only" termis, which I fitted without any mods to the jetting whatsoever.
It only used to do about 135 before the light came on with the std cans, though the engine was nearly new then and its now properly loosened up, which may partly account for it too.
It runs great though, and plug colours always look spot on.
To be honest, I got 160 miles on the last tankful and the light never came on at all....mostly minor A roads.
I was astounded to find that the consumption was pretty much the same at last year's Mallory trackday too.
Its interesting that the old carby 750 is so good on fuel, despite not having fuel injection and an electronic brain. Mine has the smaller tank too, which only holds 3gal before the light comes on, so I'm getting a fairly comfortable 50mpg or more (and I'm not exactly hanging about). I reckon I could get 55 if I tried.

I'm wary of trusting the fuel light though. I reckon the old reserve tap was more accurate, as well as more reliable.
But, to return to the subject of the thread, by always brimming the tank and resetting the trip, I can predict to within about 5miles or so when the light is going to come on anyway.
A secondary benefit is that I can always tell at a glance whether I have enough fuel left for the journey ahead, and also whether I can make it to the end of the motorway (on those rare occaisions when I'm on one) without having to buy any of their expensive fuel.
Generally speaking, the only other time I reset the trip is when the light comes on, so I know how far I've gone on reserve before filling up again.

[Saint aka ML]

Forgot to add I have no fuel light on Monster anymore so fill up at 100 as a must not rule. On SS light has a mind of it's own. I had it on at 90 miles and plenty petrol left and not coming on at 120 where I just filled up to realise I had 1l from walking. Those lights are not to reliable.

[cactus]

As part of getting to know your machine I'd recommend that on each run you zero your trip metre, take a note of the amount of petrol you put in at fill up and the miles done, when you return home work out your miles per litre or gallon (whichever you prefer). You should zero the trip metre each time you fill up, this way you now how much petrol you're using and when the light is likely to come on. I live in Scotland and mostly do long runs on the great roads through the highlands, so it's essential to know how much fuel the bike uses.

Getting caught out and running dry in glencoe or such like doesnae bear thinking about.

[chris yeatman]

as others, i also play it safe by filling the tank up at 100 miles and resetting the trip metre.

[JerryT]

I haven't been very scientific about it, i.e. no numbers to quote, but on my car and the on the M696 i get better mileage using Shell V-Power instead of ordinary 95 octane unleaded. This is particularly of interest to me as I opted (after a bit of dithering) to sacrifice approx. 1.5L of tank volume (I think) in favour of ABS brakes. As it is, I have often achieved 130-140 miles and usually get 110-120miles before the fuel light comes on...

[urbanfireblade]

Only times my fuel light has come on is when I removed the fuel level sensor from the tank and kept prodding it. Even then it was super temperamental. Useless thing, and almost 100quid to replace.
I'm with Hellcat and her filling up at 100miles. Failsafe tbh.
Wish there was a reserve tap conversion you could fit.

[urbanfireblade]

Has anyone ever tried retro fitting a reserve tap? I got one for my old 1200 Bandit I had, I might make up a blank cap on the cnc at work to screw onto the thread the sensor fits in under the tank, then drill&tap so the reserve tap can bolt on. Hmmm.....

[anthonyas11]

Fairly unanimous response! Thanks guys will certainly take up the advice. It was suggested to me before but with it being more of a weekend toy I hadn't really taken it in.

[slob]

Has anyone ever tried retro fitting a reserve tap? I got one for my old 1200 Bandit I had, I might make up a blank cap on the cnc at work to screw onto the thread the sensor fits in under the tank, then drill&tap so the reserve tap can bolt on. Hmmm.....

Check what pressure the pump provides for the EFI.

[gary tompkins]

Has anyone ever tried retro fitting a reserve tap? I got one for my old 1200 Bandit I had, I might make up a blank cap on the cnc at work to screw onto the thread the sensor fits in under the tank, then drill&tap so the reserve tap can bolt on. Hmmm.....

That's a lot of work to fix a problem that doesn't exist

Provided fuel light is working ok you'll have about 1/2 gallon left once it comes on. If you managed to fit a reserve tap you will probably have same fuel left once that level is reached.... so what have you gained.. apart from having a reserve tap? Like some others I am in the habit of resetting my trip meter every time I fill up. That way I know when to expect my reserve light to come on, which in the case of 900ie trike is about 130 miles

[cactus]

Has anyone ever tried retro fitting a reserve tap? I got one for my old 1200 Bandit I had, I might make up a blank cap on the cnc at work to screw onto the thread the sensor fits in under the tank, then drill&tap so the reserve tap can bolt on. Hmmm.....

I really can't see any need for a reserve tap, just understand your machine, get to know how much petrol it uses, obvious really.

[Char]

life wouldn't be worth living if we didnt all have a 'I ran out of fuel' story

ran out of fuel far more times on bikes with reserve tanks due to forgetting to change the tap back after filling up

[gary tompkins]

Yep I've done that too

Resulted in a long uphill push in the rain on the A2

[the_adam]

It's always worth remembering you get through a bit more fuel in very cold weather too, 25miles is the most I'd normally risk doing after the light comes on but I once ran out within 15 in the middle of winter. Doubt that can be entirely put down down to burning more fuel but I've never had problems in more sensible biking conditions, as said the light's not that accurate though...best to keep it topped up just to be sure :thumbsup: