Drop Dead Test

[JeffreyMcCollum]

How well do you know your bike ?

The last test on my new bike before I head out on my epic journey around Thailand is the drop dead test. How far the bike will go before It runs out of fuel. I wantd a worst case number so I picked a loop with not one but two passes each way. Chiang Mai to Lampang. Probably the worst I will come across in my normal rides. I kept a good pace of 95 kph - 120 kph, the fastest motorbike on the road and in the top 20% of everything out there.

With my small 3.7 L tank, I started to sputter at the 159.9 km mark and soon died a slow smooth death. I pulled over, and filled up with the gas can I had brought along. A empty wide mouth water bottle would work too.

I know I could do better, but don't think it could be any worse. And that is the point, as I am traveling along the back roads, I will know just how far I can go and when to start to worry

Happy trails

[guzzi850m2]

Which bike to you have?

I find a test like that unnecessary, it all depends of how and where you are riding.

One thing I do check on my bikes is the fuel gauge, just filled 3.2 lit in the Fino, was running on the fumes and the gauge indicated the same (empty).

Feed up with the small tank, looking forward to get my new PCX hopefully this week with a much bigger tank.

[commande]

Never had a reason to worry about this issue. 2012 Nouvo gets about 150km on a tank, more but never ran it dry, I stop for gas . 2011 Versys gets easily 350km + on a tank driving normal and not racing around, again I stop for gas before running out. Than again, I don't generally travel roads that don't have a gas station at least every 1 hour between stops, I can ride 2-3 hours straight before stopping. Gas station gives me a good reason to take a break and fill up with fuel.

Good to know your bike, just never had a real reason to push it that far and it's not good to run a fuel injected engine out of gas, at least this is what I have heard in the past. I could be wrong, supposably has something to do with the system being pressurized and when out of gas it can pump air into the system that you have to bleed out through excessive cranking. Could be rumor, not sure...

Edited May 21, 2012 by commande

[YipYipYa123]

Never had a reason to worry about this issue. 2012 Nouvo gets about 150km on a tank, more but never ran it dry, I stop for gas . 2011 Versys gets easily 350km + on a tank driving normal and not racing around, again I stop for gas before running out. Than again, I don't generally travel roads that don't have a gas station at least every 1 hour between stops, I can ride 2-3 hours straight before stopping. Gas station gives me a good reason to take a break and fill up with fuel.

Good to know your bike, just never had a real reason to push it that far and it's not good to run a fuel injected engine out of gas, at least this is what I have heard in the past. I could be wrong, supposably has something to do with the system being pressurized and when out of gas it can pump air into the system that you have to bleed out through excessive cranking. Could be rumor, not sure...

350+km on a 2011 versys ?

Mine is flashing at 240km (i know thats not empty )

Do you have any modifications ? do you run it till its near bone dry to get 350+ km ? or is that when your fuel light comes flashing ?

[commande]

Never had a reason to worry about this issue. 2012 Nouvo gets about 150km on a tank, more but never ran it dry, I stop for gas . 2011 Versys gets easily 350km + on a tank driving normal and not racing around, again I stop for gas before running out. Than again, I don't generally travel roads that don't have a gas station at least every 1 hour between stops, I can ride 2-3 hours straight before stopping. Gas station gives me a good reason to take a break and fill up with fuel.

Good to know your bike, just never had a real reason to push it that far and it's not good to run a fuel injected engine out of gas, at least this is what I have heard in the past. I could be wrong, supposably has something to do with the system being pressurized and when out of gas it can pump air into the system that you have to bleed out through excessive cranking. Could be rumor, not sure...

350+km on a 2011 versys ?

Mine is flashing at 240km (i know thats not empty )

Do you have any modifications ? do you run it till its near bone dry to get 350+ km ? or is that when your fuel light comes flashing ?

365km and my fuel light starts blinking, I have no mods, everything is factory spec with the exception of some parts that are painted. I don't drive my bike like a race car though and rarely go beyond 120kmh so maybe this is the reason I get better fuel economy. If you drive normal and are getting this type of fuel economy you might have a failed Oxygen Sensor which I have found doesn't always trigger the FI light (check engine warning). You might have the dealer look at it. Mine failed in the past and my fuel economy dropped to around 265km per tank of fuel, replaced the part and fuel economy returned to 365km per tank.

Edited May 21, 2012 by commande

[JeffreyMcCollum]

Diesel motors are the ones you don't want to run dry.

My gas FI started on the first kick.

I know some of the places I go it is 100 km or more between gas stations and many times I have gotten there to find it closed. By knowing, it help me decide to travel on or spend the night and wait.

[commande]

Diesel motors are the ones you don't want to run dry.

My gas FI started on the first kick.

I know some of the places I go it is 100 km or more between gas stations and many times I have gotten there to find it closed. By knowing, it help me decide to travel on or spend the night and wait.

Thanks for the clarification in regards to the Diesel engine's. Definitely good information.

[Polanskiman]

Never had a reason to worry about this issue. 2012 Nouvo gets about 150km on a tank, more but never ran it dry, I stop for gas . 2011 Versys gets easily 350km + on a tank driving normal and not racing around, again I stop for gas before running out. Than again, I don't generally travel roads that don't have a gas station at least every 1 hour between stops, I can ride 2-3 hours straight before stopping. Gas station gives me a good reason to take a break and fill up with fuel.

Good to know your bike, just never had a real reason to push it that far and it's not good to run a fuel injected engine out of gas, at least this is what I have heard in the past. I could be wrong, supposably has something to do with the system being pressurized and when out of gas it can pump air into the system that you have to bleed out through excessive cranking. Could be rumor, not sure...

350+km on a 2011 versys ?

Mine is flashing at 240km (i know thats not empty )

Do you have any modifications ? do you run it till its near bone dry to get 350+ km ? or is that when your fuel light comes flashing ?

365km and my fuel light starts blinking, I have no mods, everything is factory spec with the exception of some parts that are painted. I don't drive my bike like a race car though and rarely go beyond 120kmh so maybe this is the reason I get better fuel economy. If you drive normal and are getting this type of fuel economy you might have a failed Oxygen Sensor which I have found doesn't always trigger the FI light (check engine warning). You might have the dealer look at it. Mine failed in the past and my fuel economy dropped to around 265km per tank of fuel, replaced the part and fuel economy returned to 365km per tank.

Then not only my oxygen sensor must be dead but also there must be some serious leak!! (joke)

On my first tank I got a mere 180Km... The problem is how and where you drive the bike. I mostly use the bike in town with plenty of stop and go, on/off, traffic... That kills the mileage. If you have a mixed driving (city + cruising) you'll get much better efficiency and if you mostly use the bike for cursing out of town then it will be even better.

Edited May 22, 2012 by Polanskiman

[commande]

Never had a reason to worry about this issue. 2012 Nouvo gets about 150km on a tank, more but never ran it dry, I stop for gas . 2011 Versys gets easily 350km + on a tank driving normal and not racing around, again I stop for gas before running out. Than again, I don't generally travel roads that don't have a gas station at least every 1 hour between stops, I can ride 2-3 hours straight before stopping. Gas station gives me a good reason to take a break and fill up with fuel.

Good to know your bike, just never had a real reason to push it that far and it's not good to run a fuel injected engine out of gas, at least this is what I have heard in the past. I could be wrong, supposably has something to do with the system being pressurized and when out of gas it can pump air into the system that you have to bleed out through excessive cranking. Could be rumor, not sure...

350+km on a 2011 versys ?

Mine is flashing at 240km (i know thats not empty )

Do you have any modifications ? do you run it till its near bone dry to get 350+ km ? or is that when your fuel light comes flashing ?

365km and my fuel light starts blinking, I have no mods, everything is factory spec with the exception of some parts that are painted. I don't drive my bike like a race car though and rarely go beyond 120kmh so maybe this is the reason I get better fuel economy. If you drive normal and are getting this type of fuel economy you might have a failed Oxygen Sensor which I have found doesn't always trigger the FI light (check engine warning). You might have the dealer look at it. Mine failed in the past and my fuel economy dropped to around 265km per tank of fuel, replaced the part and fuel economy returned to 365km per tank.

Then not only my oxygen sensor must be dead but also there must be some serious leak!! (joke)

On my first tank I got a mere 180Km... The problem is how and where you drive the bike. I mostly use the bike in town with plenty of stop and go, on/off, traffic... That kills the mileage. If you have a mixed driving (city + cruising) you'll get much better efficiency and if you mostly use the bike for cursing out of town then it will be even better.

Absolutely true!!!