[stevieraygovan]

...but shouldn't I have been able to continue motoring along tonight rather than nearly getting clobbered multiple times as I attempted to coast my out-of-gas R1200R across three freeway lanes plus a merge lane despite my trip computer's remaining-miles-on-tank countdown feature indicating I still had twelve miles to go before hitting empty?

Christ, that poor guy on the Harley who had to pull a sudden panic swerve to avoid hitting me, his eyes bugged out something fierce.

At least the BMW Roadside Assistance worked great. The guy showed up in less time than it takes for the average pizza delivery.

 

[Lawrence of Suburbia]

At least the BMW Roadside Assistance worked great. The guy showed up in less time than it takes for the average pizza delivery.

Did you order the pizza for roadside delivery before the Assist guy turned up??

L of S

 

[fleuger99]

Don't rely on the computer. I reset my odometer at fillup and at 185 miles I refill it. Fool proof and no scary stories to tell

 

[jbarneshb]

I'm going to try to not get that low on gas and if I do, I'll stay in the right lane. I guess the computer is just a good estimate at best.

 

[Two Up]

I'm glad you made it safely to the shoulder. Did the fuel gauge show any bars remaining?

 

[stevieraygovan]

I don't recall. The yellow low-fuel light had already come on, and once that thing lights up I stop paying attention to the bars. As soon as that light goes on my display automatically reverts to the miles-countdown mode, and that was the one to which I was paying attention. It started at 40 miles, same as always, and worked its way down in normal fashion. Everything seemed fine. Then, with twelve miles still showing...sputter...stall...hey, we're coasting!

The other odd thing is I rode much harder on the previous tank, and even at 200 miles on the dot the yellow low-fuel light still hadn't illuminated. I gassed up anyway, knowing there would be no more fill-up opportunities for at least another thirty or so miles. On this final tank the light came on at 168 miles despite roughly half those miles being freeway/highway riding. It ran dry before I even reached 200.

 

[websterize]

I was on the way to work, in stop-and-go traffic, when the engine died. Pushed it over to the sidewalk and waited two hours for a gallon of fuel, which I had to pay for. Range computer said "33 miles" to empty.

Out of Gas on 16th Street | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

Motorrad pulled the residual-range part of the onboard computer as of 03/13 builds. What does that say about this feature?

 

[Pete In The 'Couv]

I could be totally wrong about this, but the range until emply is just a guess, not an exact number. The only way it could be an exact number would require a lot move sophistication than these bikes currently have. There are two ways to do it. One is by weight and the other is by volume. Knowing the weight or volume of fuel the engine burns per mile the computer could then display an accurate figure of the miles until empty. The only way to get an accurate figure of fuel burned per mile would be to get a reading off of the injectors. The computer can come close using the fuel strip, but it is not going to be accurate. I would say that 12 miles is within the margin of error.

In the olden days you had a petcock with off/run/reserve, when you switched to reserve, you knew how far you could run before you were out of gas. Off course that assumes that you moved the petcock back to run the last time you filled up.

Use the trip odometer (you have two) and fill up between 150 and 200 miles. I do that and it takes between 3 and 4 gallons.

 

[drDave]

You could also keep a quart of gas in a container in a side or tail bag. Enough to get you to the next station.

 

[stevieraygovan]

I just talked to a service advisor at my BMW shop and he said that yep, that countdown gauge only provides a "ballpark" estimate; it's not to be taken as gospel. We agreed that in the future I shouldn't let it drop below a reading of twenty miles remaining before filling up.

So be it. I still prefer having a temperature gauge and remaining-mileage readings, which were deleted from later 2013 models. At least when that yellow low-fuel light comes on I know I'm getting close. The actual remaining miles might be off, but it beats not having much of any idea at all as to how much is left in the tank. With the way my bike uses more/less fuel depending on how aggressively I'm riding, simply relying on the odometer would often have me stopping for gas much sooner than necessary.

 

[BlueR]

Stevie, with the later 2013 models, you do know how much is left in the tank when the low fuel light comes on, 3 litres. Not sure in U.S.G.
So once it's on I assume at least 50KM to find a gas station, if driving frugally ....

 

[Dr. Strangelove]

I reset my odometer at fillup and at 185 miles I refill it. Fool proof and no scary stories to tell

Depends on the fool. I went dry once at 180. I think your, the OP's, strip is working. It is no where near that accurate when it is not.

I sputtered recently showing 12 miles left, and 261 on the odometer, nursing it as I was in mid nowhere and 4 miles from nearest gas and knowing the sputter was coming.
I did have a couple of quarts of gas (MSR 33oz bottles). She sputtered and I coasted to a powered stop, put in a quart and made it to the station.

I do have the bars and put three colored dots next to the 3, 2 and one bar levels, so I can see with a glance how many bars. When I have nearly three bars I usually refuel and she takes 3.5-8 ish.

Although it's tempting to follow the miles left function, don't. Madness lies that way. And being stranded

 

[stevieraygovan]

Doubtless. Lesson learned.