How do people find the fuel gauge?

My says empty way before the main tank is gone.

Not sure on the full side as only fuel the bike once so far, didn’t quite fill it and gauge said 3/4’s

 

With the optimistic speedometer and pessimistic fuel gauge, it evens out. I just look at the fuel gauge as a reminder to look at the trip odometer. Above 190 mi, I switch to reserve and start looking for gas. I ran out of gas once and before I could switch to reserve the bike stopped. Took me about five minutes of cranking to fill up the float bowls, with traffic inches from my handlebar. Never again.

 

So, does the bike have a lot of crank in it if you have problems starting it.
I've only flatten the battery once, day two of owning the bike. The alt/reg was shot so the bike was running on battery.
When I tried to start it next morning, my first cold start, I got about 2-3 minutes of crank.

My incompetence in starting the bike save me being stranded on the road somewhere.

 

i find my fuel guage stays at full for about 50 miles, then starts to drop, the other day i fueled up after about 150 miles since the guage was *nearly* on empty an it only took about 4 1/2 gallon (17L)

 

I just filled today (about 18Litres but wasn’t empty), Filled virtually to the top while on the side stand, it say just over 3/4.
I wonder if the gauge or sensor are adjustable as my gauge also says empty somewhere between 1/4 -1/2 of a tank left

 

sounds like the float on the sensor is sticking,I had a truck that did that and caused me to run out of gas.[:@]I changed the float real quick after that.

 

oh, another thing, when you do run out of fuel, dont' crank continually, turn the ignition on, crank it for a second, wait a afew, crank it for another second.. etc... the fuel pump in most electric punp systems will stay on for about 5 seconds after the last ignition pulse.. this is a safety thing.. haynes manual says nothing specific about it other than jumpering the relay when testing the fuel pump.. maybe tomorrow I'll jus turn thekey on and see if the fuel pump runs...

 

There are devices available on the net (I can't remember where sorry) that will enable you to re-calibrate your fuel guage.

But remembering that a fuel guage is nothing more than an a adjustable resister you can plug one into the wiring and adjust it yourself.

I rarely use the guage myself. I just use the trip meter & reserve.

 

I have done my first Tank since getting the bike back from the big service.

285km on the main tank (177miles) on a mix of around town and a bit of a trip.
I filled the bike on the side stand to nearly top and the gauge said full, the gauge had just moved to empty when I lost a cylinder and had to switch to reserve.

so for some reason now, the gauge is spot on where before it was a heap of crap

 

The shape of the tank doesn't allow a true reading by a float gauge. It "hits bottom" on the hump so has a decent amount of gas left when reading empty. I find that there is at least 50 miles left when it reads empty before to switch to reserve, which then has another gallon at least. This is on my '90 but believe it's the same from '90 up. The owners manual says reserve is something like .7 or .8 but I've found it's just over a gallon.

BTW, if you would manage to run out on reserve there is still a small amount of gas residing on the opposite side of the tank tunnel from the pick-up valve. You can tip the bike over to the kickstand side, almost on it's side, and then stand it back up. This will allow that gas on the opposite side to run over to the pick-up side and allow you to use it. It will be slow starting because the valve needs vacuum to open it before it starts to fill the floats again. This will take a minute. Not sure how much there is but it will at least get you to that theoretical exit almost in sight, off the highway, and into the theoretical gas station that's theoretically... let's say.... about a mile off the exit. A little birdie told me this. Only an idiot could run one out of gas after a gauge told him it was empty.... but it still ran a while.... probably fifty+ miles.... then gave the stupid guy another 50+ miles reprieve on reserve and he STILL managed to run it out of gas. The next time I see that idiot I'm gonna' tell him. He seems to show his face every time I'm shaving.