200 miles on a tankful before the flashy-warning on a 2008

[Y0ssarian]

   I had a stretch on my ride home yesterday that surprised me a bit...I went 200.5 miles (indicated...more later) on a tank of gas before the "Low Fuel" warning came on. I've never been able to do that before, and I thought it was some sort of "Holy Grail" of sport-touring. The com-pooter-iser indicated 45.0 mpg, which implies about 4.46 gallons. Here's the rub, though. The trip odometer indicated 200.5 miles when the warning came on, and 201.0 when I stopped at the pump (I reset the first trip odometer and the average mileage at every stop). But my GPS and Google maps both agree that the distance from pump-to-pump was 198 miles (implying that the odometer reads "long" by about 1.5%, at least with these tires). Personally, it still doesn't really matter to me, since I don't really like going 200 miles without a bit of a stretch; I stopped once in the middle of the 200 miles at a service area, so I could just as easily have picked up some gas there. The stop probably cost me a few miles, too.


Here is the route on Google Maps, if anyone cares.

2008 C14
Pirelli Angels front & rear (front nearing end-of-life, rear about 50%), filled & checked before the trip at 42/42
Mobil 1 4T 10W-40
Mobil 1 75W-90 rear gear lube
Windshield fully down the whole time
65 on the Taconic State Parkway; 72 on the Thruway (measured by GPS)
Bags fully loaded
Sleeping bag on the rear seat, Cortech soft tail pack on the rack (maybe they helped aerodynamics?)
No tailwind that I noticed, but I only looked near the end, when I thought I might go 200 miles
Filled up flush with the metal guard in the top of the tank
One "comfort" stop

   Is this unusual, or have others managed the same thing from time-to-time? I know the people on this board must have a metric butt-load of collective miles...

[Bob]

Mine use to normally go anywhere from 170 to 210 on a full tank! I guess it depends on where and how I rode!

[Pokey]

My 08 is pretty much like yours.

[MAN OF BLUES]

I fill mine in the same manner, but seldom allow it to get to the "flashy point", simply because it's annoying as hell, and even if you can accomplish the "2 finger salute" to kill the flashing warning, you still have that damned huge red light, which is equally annoying...
This occured to me the other day, and even though I only went about 6 miles before re-filling it was annoying. Odo showed 208 mi (I reset at each fillup also, habit from the C10) and pumped in 4.82 gallons...

this is accumulated city and freeway, about 50/50, when I am just running the slab @ 70+ mph, I never see the flasher till I hit 220 mi....

it's normal.

[JetJock]

On a trip yesterday I had the computer showing 99.9 mpg! More than once, too. Seems it'll do this when you go from steady cruising to a quick deceleration.

At times on the trip out, I saw averages between 48 and 51 mpg at times. On the way back, exact same route, I never saw it read more than mid 40s and most of the time around 39, even through the same areas where it was hitting 51mpg earlier in the day. Same speeds overall, LESS traffic on the return trip. Weird.

[maxtog]

I fill mine in the same manner, but seldom allow it to get to the "flashy point", simply because it's annoying as hell, and even if you can accomplish the "2 finger salute" to kill the flashing warning, you still have that damned huge red light, which is equally annoying... I never see the flasher till I hit 220 mi.... it's normal.

Yep, I am new to the Concours, but I can get 200+ miles before flashy hell.  And yes, the warnings are as annoying AS HELL.  And when you finally get to clear the damn thing with the two fingers, yes, the red light is almost as annoying as the sear-your-retenas-off highbeam lamp.  But not quite.

[maxtog]

At times on the trip out, I saw averages between 48 and 51 mpg at times. On the way back, exact same route, I never saw it read more than mid 40s and most of the time around 39, even through the same areas where it was hitting 51mpg earlier in the day. Same speeds overall, LESS traffic on the return trip. Weird.

Ambient temp, road surface temp, humidity, wind power, wind direction, gas quality, exact weight, windshield position, body position, tire pressures...  there are a whole lot of factors that can affect fuel efficiency even on the same bike on the same trip by the same person on the same day.

[JetJock]

Ambient temp, road surface temp, humidity, wind power, wind direction, gas quality, exact weight, windshield position, body position, tire pressures...  there are a whole lot of factors that can affect fuel efficiency even on the same bike on the same trip by the same person on the same day.

There was very little change in any of those factors and all on the same tank of gas. I'm aware of the factors that affect mileage and none of them were in play yesterday in any significant sense that I could detect.

[Y0ssarian]

Well, here I was feeling all special. Heh...I very rarely stretch it down the interstate, so I've never seen 200 miles before getting blinked at. And yeah, the warning light is bright when you do the two-finger salute.

[Bob]

Well, here I was feeling all special. Heh...I very rarely stretch it down the interstate, so I've never seen 200 miles before getting blinked at. And yeah, the warning light is bright when you do the two-finger salute.

It never really bothered me because by the time the warning would come on. It would be like I said 170 to 210 miles. On the highway, it would be more around the 200 or so mark. And at that point, I am usually ready for a break anyway. But if I think I may be away from fuel stations or the time may create problems. I would definetly stop and top off in advance. I would rather waste a minute of two than chance having a problem early on a Sunday morn or something! But that's just me!!!!!!

[Dustproof]

I dunno what you guys are doing but my 08 is regularly doing 350Km's (217Miles) on 17 litres of fuel (4.49 US Gallons) mostly 2 up.  The Range meter tells me I am getting up to 450Km's (279 Miles) on a tank but feel it could go more but not much.  I have never seen the flashing warning so far and hope not to by the sound of it.  I use 98 Octane fuel only since 95 was causing the engine to run like a chaff cutter, once I swapped to 98 I found an extra 120Km's (74 Miles).

Noel

[S.Ga.Rider]

The most I have ever gotten is 205. The computer was showing 43.5mpg.

[Bob]

I dunno what you guys are doing but my 08 is regularly doing 350Km's (217Miles) on 17 litres of fuel (4.49 US Gallons) mostly 2 up.  The Range meter tells me I am getting up to 450Km's (279 Miles) on a tank but feel it could go more but not much.  I have never seen the flashing warning so far and hope not to by the sound of it.  I use 98 Octane fuel only since 95 was causing the engine to run like a chaff cutter, once I swapped to 98 I found an extra 120Km's (74 Miles).

Noel

315KM's is the difference. You obviously are not in the US. I know from my experience that my fuel mileage was much better when I ran fuel from outside the US. The Canadian fuel yielded me much better miles per tank compared to when the low fuel light would come on with US spec $h!t gas!

[AirplaneTim]

My bike started blinking at me on my way in to work this morning, and I was thinking about how much fuel I had left after the light comes on.  On my old SV, I would use the low fuel indicator to let me know when to get more gas since it came on with 1 gallon left in a 4 gallon tank, and a 150ish mile range to fumes. 
With my '08 connie, I usually just refill around 180 miles to avoid the warning light.  I guess it's important to have a strong warning on a touring bike where you might be in the middle of nowhere and there might not be a gas station for another 30 or 40 miles, when you use it as a commuter and pass 10 gass stations in 30 miles though it's damned annoying.

[jonathan]

I dunno what you guys are doing but my 08 is regularly doing 350Km's (217Miles) on 17 litres of fuel (4.49 US Gallons) mostly 2 up.  The Range meter tells me I am getting up to 450Km's (279 Miles) on a tank but feel it could go more but not much.  I have never seen the flashing warning so far and hope not to by the sound of it.  I use 98 Octane fuel only since 95 was causing the engine to run like a chaff cutter, once I swapped to 98 I found an extra 120Km's (74 Miles).

Noel

Where are you and which gas station has the 98 octane? I could use some of that.

[lt1]

200 miles before reserve is not unusual for highway miles.  It is uncommon for city or high-speed miles.

The correct term is "boat-load".

It is easy to cut a 1/2" circle out of electrical tape or find a circle sticket to place over the red warning light. You can still see the halo, but the light no longer is annoying.

[Jeremy Mitchell]

Where are you and which gas station has the 98 octane? I could use some of that.

That was probably RON 98 which would be a European rating.  It would be roughly equivalent to 93 octane (AKI or (R+M) /2) here in the states.

[Corpssgt]

Last leg of my march trip to NC I got off the tail of the dragon and when I hit I40 I filled up. Lifted my feet pulling out of the station all green lights to the interstate 253 miles later I put my feet down for the first time a the hotel parking lot in raliegh NC. The low fuel warning came on when I pulled out of the parking lot the next morning. Mine is a 2010 and Eco mode was on. 53 mpg.

[Dustproof]

Yup, 98 RON which is referred to as Octane in Australia.  When I used 95 as the book advises, I had a bad harshness to the way the engine ran.  I figured I would get a PCIII and tune it out, I switched to 98 and problem gone and better millage to boot.  I got my 14 used so I am unsure if it had been previously tuned, it doesn't have any add on to help.  Before using 98 I would barely see 350Km, now on a trip the dash reads about 500Km's but in reality about 450km's.  Even around town (not City traffic) I still see 350Km's with 2 segments left on the gauge, as previously mentioned only takes 17 litres.  I was amazed because local write-ups said the 14 had rubbish fuel economy, I have no such problem although I do ride in a more economic manner but mostly 2 up.

See ya
Noel

[maxtog]

Where are you and which gas station has the 98 octane? I could use some of that.

Despite marketing and common misconceptions, octane is not a rating of fuel quality.  98 octane is not "better" than 97 or 96.  There is nothing to be gained from using a fuel with a higher octane than the engine requires (unless it is an old, beatup engine that pre-ignites).  Actually, I believe fuel economy will *drop* if you use higher than required octane.

(That, plus their measuring system for octane might be different)