I've read stats on my 2002 600 F4i, and all sources say my gas tank is a 4.8 gal. As the pump, I can only fill up at best, 3.8 gals, topped off. I wait for my 4 bars to completely go away and I fill it up and still nothing!!! Where is my reserve switch?! Sources say the tank is a 4.8 (including .9 reserve), ok where is it, how do i switch over?? I've only ever been able to fill up to about that 3.8 mark which would make sense if it really is a 4.8 tank. And to add, I have not actually tryed seeing what happens if I go past all the bars blinking out, I was afraid it might die on me.

 

I dont believe there is a switch for the reserve its auto when the bars come on. I could be mistaken someone correct me if wrong. Yeah I have never gotten my bike to hold 4.9 gallons I coasted into the station once it was still only like 3.5 to full.

 

the 4 bars are for when you have .9 gallons. when it gets to 1 bar you need to be getting to a station. ive ridden on one and none fora little.

 

This has been discussed quite a bit. I'll answer it, but search a bit next time =)

Your gas tank has a small amount of fuel that sits below the pump, so it doesn't get used. In the meantime, your reserve is the last 0.9 gallons of usable fuel left in the tank. There is no switch for it. The bars come on when you've reached that point, and you can do the math on how many miles you have left before your bike starves. That's why you'll never come close to the full capacity mark when filling up.

 

Why does gas get kept below the pump? Isn't it kind of... not as useful... down there...?

 

So the pump does not burn up.

 

I am completely guesing, but I would imagine it has something to do with the lean of the bike. If you are low on fuel, and the fuel pump goes all the way to the bottom, then when you lean, your fuel might fall to a part of the tank that won't allow any fuel to get into the pump. This would be a VERY bad thing in a lean. That's my best guess, but again that is a complete guess.

 

Probably packaging or maybe if something like a dime falls in it doesn't get funnelled into the pickup, it'll just go to the lower dead spot.

 

that makes sense to me, me too couldn't get even the close to 18 liters of fuel into the gas tank, even when all bars were blinking already..

 

that extra fuel below the pump is just to f*ck with people, engineers have a strange sense of humor