I ride a 600F2, which has no gas gauge. I have been consistently getting 150-155 miles out of a tank of gas, and I upshift at 6k RPM most of the time. So today I was riding, and trip odometer was at 140 miles. I was going over a bridge across a river that has no emergency lanes or anything. It has 2 concrete walls right on either side of the lanes. The bridge in also arched high enough so that you can't see the downslope if you are not at the top of the hill.
Well, I ran out of gas right at the beginning of the downslope. The speed limit over this bridge is 50MPH, so people very commonly go 60MPH. I was over to the left as far as I could go, propping myself up with my left leg against the concrete divider, trying to turn the petcock to reserve and restart the bike. Traffic was kinda heavy, and I was worried that a cager would be going fast in the left lane and not be able to see me in time to change lanes or stop. It took me probably 30 seconds to get the bike started again, but it seemed like an eternity. All the while cars were honking at me and whizzing past coming within a foot of hitting me (they hads to have been that close!)
Anyway, in hindsight, I have been riding harder lately than I normally do. From now on, I'll fill up at 135 miles instead of 150!

 

couple questions 1st why would you not coast down the bridge and turn the petcock on the way down and why would you stop in the left lane?

 

My advise, Maybe you should invest in a gas guage so that you're stuck in the same predictement. You might of survived to see another day so why risk your life againg? So what's a gas guage worth to you?

 

they make gas gauges for these things?

 

thats always one of my worst fears but i started practicing turning on the reserve while im riding so i dont have to stop.. also my f3 didnt have a gas gauge and i never knew you could add one .. if you have a reference Joe Rocket pls supply it so i can check it out.

 

+1 i would love a gas gauge on my bike. my riding depends on my mood and that varies my fuel consumption greatly.

 

All, my older bikes have NO gas guage. I am so used to it, that it is not any issue at all. I do as you do, use the trip odometer as a gas guage. I do though try to flip to reserve or fill up before it runs out, for the very reason I don't want the engine to run lean while it is sucking on vapors.

 

don't you have a low fuel light that comes on? My 54 doesn't have a gas gauge but the gas light always comes on at 135 miles... guaranteed every time.

 

I had an F2, and now have an 06 1KRR, on both of em, I fill up every weekend or before a ride every time, which with my commute is more than enough. I hate that little light staring at me, but the F2 of course didn't have a light, just the reserve. Once or twice I had to switch over to the reserve.

 

I stopped in the left lane because there was traffic in the right lane and I couldn't get over. Also, the right side is exactly the same as the left side: nothing buit concrete barrier. I didn't coast down because I was fumbling with my left hand trying to turn the petcock, and I had my gloves on which made it harder. I had never practiced doing it before, so I was trying to look down without crashing or getting run over, but I still couldn't find it before I stopped. The hill isn't really steep enough to coast down fast. At one point I think I actually grabbed the idle adjustment screw instead on the petcock...