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miles per gallon

6K views 23 replies 18 participants last post by  The Admiral 
#1 ·
anyone know about how many miles I can ride on a full tank at highway speeds?
 
#6 ·
Keeping the bike under 5000 rpms saves ALOT of fuel.
I've noticed 5000 seems like the magic number for me. If I stay under that, I can regularly run 120 miles on a tank. With the wife on back, I don't feel comfortable running more than 110 (though I'm not sure if it's due to a decrease in fuel mileage, or to avoid her repeated mocking if we were to run dry).
 
#4 ·
I get about the same on my 2000 VN 750, 120 -130 per tank and still have the reserve if no fuel stations are in sight. While riding in unfamiliar areas I will start looking at 110 miles and feel pretty safe that I will not be pushing or left on the road side.
 
#7 ·
When I first got mine, I ran it till it started to sputter and switched to reserve. That was 124 miles. Changed out the plugs, new air filters and ran seafaom through it and got a few more miles out of it. But at 120, I'm looking for a station.
 
#8 ·
I think I agree with KM basically - I usually looking for a gas station right around 90 miles or so, give or take a few depending on wind, etc. I only put 2.5 gals in mine each time, as I don't like to run it completely full. But I pretty consistently get 100+ miles out of that.

I had a bad experience with the bike I had before my VN750 though where I ran out of gas and flipped it to reserve - only to find out there WAS NO reserve fuel! Apparently, the little pipe that sticks up from the bottom of the tank on that bike to separate out the "reserve" had fallen off, and I had run through all the gas I had - yikes! The good news? I was in town, only about 1/2 mile away from a gas station. The bad news? It was here in Phoenix, in the summer time, and I was (as I always am) in full gear.

So yeahhhhh.... I start looking before I get "too close" now - right around 90-100 miles like KM said : )

Ride safe all.

AZ Kev
 
#9 · (Edited)
A month ago I filled my up on Chevron 87 octane and rode back roads for 141 miles before I went to reserve because of hilling roads. I usually fill up at around 125 to 130. I'm 310 pound. Not high revving but a lot of shifting took place. I use to get 150 mile on a tank but the 10% ethanol hurt the mileage. I check my mileage by the pump and the calculator. Never less than 47.5 when I run her up a little. Hard to fine a station here that doesn't have ethanol and if you do water is usually in there somewhere.
 
#10 ·
thanks for the info. It helped. I never kept track of how many miles before tank is close to dry. I will be on a 9 hour trip so I am trying to plan when to fuel up and where. I can look at the gas gauge, but like I said i never ran it close to dry, I would fill it up when It got at half tank. Thanks again for all your input.
 
#11 ·
I go by miles and never the fuel guage, once that sucker hits 1/4 tank it starts dropping fast!
 
#12 ·
I've been flipping the petcock at right around 120 the past 3 fill ups. Coastered and ear shaved/ jetted.
 
#13 ·
Again half tank 100 miles start looking for gas .mine after half a tank the gauge drops like a rock! 20 miles later I want fuel im in no mood to walk or push the bike for fuel
 
#14 ·
I start looking for a gas station at around 125 miles for in town riding and usually get around 130 when out on the highway. The most I think I ever got (and started to panic as I was about 20 miles from any gas stations) was about 140 miles running about 65 MPH. I switched over to reserve about then and made it to a station, but was really sweating it out until I could see the station. Haven't done much highway riding this season to check.
 
#15 ·
That sinking feeling in your gut when when you've flipped to reserve and you realize there's a chance that the closest gas station...may be out of range, is all to familiar.
 
#16 ·
I've been flipping to reserve now at about 135 miles on a regular basis now. Seems like the more I ride the better milage I get (it also helps to keep it under 70mph). Then when I go to fill up I usually only get about 3 gallons in her, which leads me to beleive I could go roughly another 15-20 miles before running dry. Tonight I pulled into work at 141 miles and still no reserve.
 
#17 ·
I've filled up at 173 before, but it did take reserve to get there and high-speed highways don't give me that kind of mileage. For a tank of all highway, I'd have it in reserve for any critical maneuvers no later than 120-130 miles. It would probably still run without reserve in steady-state riding up to 140 or a little more and not go dry until 160 or a little later, but I don't run it that close to the line, I wouldn't recommend anyone else do so, and YMMV.
 
#18 ·
I'm lucky to get 90 before I hit reserve. I'm a big dude...320 pounds.
 
#19 ·
I have never used reserve. Fill up at 120-125 miles. Always takes 2.3-2.6 gallons.
 
#20 ·
Hey guys , just a quick question: does the 3.57 gal fuel tank includes the reserve? my '93 model does about 100 miles until I need to switch to RES. for 100 miles it takes about 2.8 gal of fuel . the truth is that I crank it up at about 6000-7000 revs, but never gone faster than 75 mph (no windshield :) )
 
#24 ·
Getting from 90 miles(ave 80+mph) to 130mi(55mph) before reserve. Seems to be about 2.3gal at that point.
 
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