Kawasaki Concours Forum

The C-14, aka Kawasaki Concours-14, the new one :) => The Bike - C14/GTR 1400 => Topic started by: eng943 on November 18, 2012, 11:23:41 AM

Title: how many miles until you hit reserve?
Post by: eng943 on November 18, 2012, 11:23:41 AM
I have not pushed the range on my C14 yet. I get about 120 miles or so before it is down to the "E" bar, but no fuel light. Hoping I can get 200 miles on a tank...safely  ;)
Title: Re: how many miles until you hit reserve?
Post by: Rhino on November 18, 2012, 11:32:20 AM
I find that when the low fuel panic screen comes on and if I fill up immediately I can only put about 4.5 gallons in the tank leaving about 1.3 gallons for reserve. This happens between 170 and 200 miles depending on what type of riding I've been doing. Even at the low end that leave plenty of gas to go 200 miles.
Title: Re: how many miles until you hit reserve?
Post by: VirginiaJim on November 18, 2012, 12:49:11 PM
120 to 'E'????  With mine, anywhere from 200 to 220.
Title: Re: how many miles until you hit reserve?
Post by: ljcorby on November 18, 2012, 12:53:37 PM
120 to 'E'????  With mine, anywhere from 200 to 220.

+1, same here.
Title: Re: how many miles until you hit reserve?
Post by: C1xRider on November 18, 2012, 01:00:36 PM
My all time max for distance on a tank is 236.8 miles.  Of course, I've never seen 50MPG either though.

Your range on a tank is dependent on many factors, including how full you fill the tank (i.e. filling to the brim vs. filling to the splash plate), throttle usage, ECO vs non-ECO modes, terrain, and temperature.  Range to E is a subset of that information.

As always YMMV.
Title: Re: how many miles until you hit reserve?
Post by: gPink on November 18, 2012, 01:16:28 PM
Mine trips the takeover at about 150. If I add then I'll put in around 3.5. Makes the gauge kind of useless.
Title: Re: how many miles until you hit reserve?
Post by: ZG on November 18, 2012, 01:21:24 PM
I get less miles out of a tank when I ride with Rob, Gumbi, and OL...  ;)
Title: Re: how many miles until you hit reserve?
Post by: C1xRider on November 18, 2012, 01:25:46 PM
I get less miles out of a tank when I ride with Rob, Gumbi, and OL...  ;)

I think yours has a hole in the bottom of the tank.   ;)
Title: Re: how many miles until you hit reserve?
Post by: Skinny on November 18, 2012, 03:51:58 PM
I get to 190 before the flashing starts......but how much more could I go?  I dunno how much is left after that.

Rhino, I'll have to fill up when it flashes next time to see how much I can get in, haven't noticed 'till now.
Title: Re: how many miles until you hit reserve?
Post by: Tarheelbob on November 18, 2012, 04:00:14 PM
2009 here, no ECO-mode:

Max was 235 miles to low fuel warning, max tankful at 255 miles.

Usually 180-200 miles before flashing in normal, everyday use.
Title: Re: how many miles until you hit reserve?
Post by: pistole on November 18, 2012, 04:46:16 PM
- on the highway (slabbing) = about 310 kms ( 200 miles ) on ECO Mode.

- then the Low Fuel warning goes on.

- at the point , the tank will take about 15 liters (ie , 4 gallons).

- ie , there is still about 7 liters of "reserve" left in the tank (which is about 2 gallons).
Title: Re: how many miles until you hit reserve?
Post by: CARLÃO on November 18, 2012, 05:06:13 PM
I use to ride ECO mode at 95 miles/hour (150km/h) or less, and, at this speed, the boring LOW FUEL comes around 160 miles (250 km). There is one gallon or a little more remaining. Brazilian fuel is amazing...
Title: Re: how many miles until you hit reserve?
Post by: gPink on November 18, 2012, 05:16:15 PM
too much sugar in your fuel?
Title: Re: how many miles until you hit reserve?
Post by: PH14 on November 18, 2012, 06:00:24 PM
Have you tried synthetic ATF in the gas tank?  :stirpot: :popcorn:
Title: Re: how many miles until you hit reserve?
Post by: Pokey on November 18, 2012, 06:04:16 PM
FI bikes don't have a reserve.  :)
Title: Re: how many miles until you hit reserve?
Post by: pistole on November 18, 2012, 06:50:19 PM
- yes yes, correct that

- but : most people still use the word "reserve" for the period after the Low Fuel warning comes on for EFI'ed bikes.

.
Title: Re: how many miles until you hit reserve?
Post by: bombsquad1201 on November 18, 2012, 07:07:34 PM
Howdy,
In my Owner's manual (2010 C14) on pages 41, under general information it states the following:
"FUEL LOW" this indicates that the remaining in the tank is 4.0L ( 1.1 US gal).
I think what they are saying in this Japanese to English translation is, there is about 1.1 gal of fuel left in your tank when the lie fuel light/indicator is displayed.
How far you go depend on how you drive/ride.

J.

How about that Jim, I read my owners manual all the time.
Title: Re: how many miles until you hit reserve?
Post by: Conrad on November 19, 2012, 04:40:16 AM
Howdy,
In my Owner's manual (2010 C14) on pages 41, under general information it states the following:
"FUEL LOW" this indicates that the remaining in the tank is 4.0L ( 1.1 US gal).
I think what they are saying in this Japanese to English translation is, there is about 1.1 gal of fuel left in your tank when the lie fuel light/indicator is displayed.
How far you go depend on how you drive/ride.

J.

How about that Jim, I read my owners manual all the time.

Give that man a cookie Jim!    :)
Title: Re: how many miles until you hit reserve?
Post by: VirginiaJim on November 19, 2012, 05:55:28 AM
Don't have cookies today, only hockey pucks...
Title: Re: how many miles until you hit reserve?
Post by: CARLÃO on November 19, 2012, 06:34:50 AM
too much sugar in your fuel?
Water, solvents, alcohol, anything to increase the profits.
Title: Re: how many miles until you hit reserve?
Post by: ugocon on November 19, 2012, 07:06:34 AM
Mine displays the "You're running out of f... fuel! What the f... are you waiting to fill me up???" message after an average of 150 miles (yes, around 250KM) with no use of ECO and riding not that fast.
Usally this includes city traffic: if the incidence of it is high I cannot even make the 120 miles.  :-\ (traffic lights are killing me!)
I noticed that if I go on long trips at a fair speed, I can even reach 190 miles.
This is frustrated by the simplest "hard play" with the throttle, increasing dramatically the gas waste!  >:(

It's a heavy and powerful bike!  ::)

Title: Re: how many miles until you hit reserve?
Post by: Pokey on November 19, 2012, 10:02:51 AM
Mine comes on "during a road trip" at around 170/175 miles, and I typically fill up around 200/210. I generally have almost a gallon left, so that seems about right to me.
Title: Re: how many miles until you hit reserve?
Post by: Bourne2Ride on November 19, 2012, 10:32:49 AM
Mine comes on "during a road trip" at around 170/175 miles, and I typically fill up around 200/210. I generally have almost a gallon left, so that seems about right to me.

Lately, those numbers are just about right for me. I figure I have a 220 mile range if I drag the tank dry during my normal riding experience. When I cruise the speed limit on the super-slab in a group, I can get to 225-240.
Title: Re: how many miles until you hit reserve?
Post by: VirginiaJim on November 19, 2012, 01:41:58 PM
Mine displays the "You're running out of f... fuel! What the f... are you waiting to fill me up???" message after an average of 150 miles (yes, around 250KM) with no use of ECO and riding not that fast.
Usally this includes city traffic: if the incidence of it is high I cannot even make the 120 miles.  :-\ (traffic lights are killing me!)
I noticed that if I go on long trips at a fair speed, I can even reach 190 miles.
This is frustrated by the simplest "hard play" with the throttle, increasing dramatically the gas waste!  >:(

It's a heavy and powerful bike!  ::)

Your rear brake is probably stuck.... ;)
Title: Re: how many miles until you hit reserve?
Post by: ugocon on November 20, 2012, 01:23:01 AM
Anyway, I don't think we can compare tire and fuel waste/consumption between US and Europe, Italy in particular.
The riding styles, the kind of roads and the traffic are completely different.
When I read US forums I see people stating that their tires last for more than 50.000 km (Harley Davidson), that in 50 years of riding they never had an accident or that bikes usually known for having "leaky tanks" ;) can pass the Sahara desert no stop for refuelling.
I keep reading this also on some Italian forums where you always meet someone swearing that his bike is capable of 40 km/litre...

If I obviously say "poor guy" to the Italian above because he clearly wants to show off or to be noticed anyway, I can almost believe to what is declared in US because:
- you (generally) ride bikes following cages rules with no accelerations, no quick overtakings, no lane splittings and respecting speed limits of even 25/30 mph or less
- most of you live and/or ride in immense spaces with long straights where a constant (low) speed (usually 55mph) is kept with the slightest use of the throttle: constant rpm's, no accelerations... for miles and miles!
- even in most of the cities, roads are large and straight and traffic flows well at a low speed; traffic lights and stop signals are present and this increases the gas waste but the driving style (for both cars and bikes) is not "nervous" but relaxed, thus accelrations are smooth and gradual with the least possible waste of gas

In Europe instead, and in Italy particularly, the style and the road conditions are completely different
- lot of curves, caotic traffic in cities where you have to be quick, thus accelerating much more
- less respect of speed limits when we are reasonably sure that there are no speed traps around
- bikes are perceived as a "fast" vehicle to avoid car traffic, slowings down and queues, thus almost all rules of driving a cage DO NOT apply: we pass where a car shouldn't, we split lanes, we "infiltrate" in a traffic jam (obviously we respect traffic lights and stops ;) )

Notice that the rules for cars apply exactly to bikes, but bikers risk more and police usually (not always unfortunately  >:( ) considers that breaking a road law for a bike helps to reduce in many cases the traffic jam

If you consider all this you can probably better agree that fuel and tyre wastes on this side of the pond are noticeably higher than those in the US.

 :)
Title: Re: how many miles until you hit reserve?
Post by: martin_14 on November 20, 2012, 02:04:55 AM
Anyway, I don't think we can compare tire and fuel waste/consumption between US and Europe, Italy in particular.
The riding styles, the kind of roads and the traffic are completely different.
When I read US forums I see people stating that their tires last for more than 50.000 km (Harley Davidson), that in 50 years of riding they never had an accident or that bikes usually known for having "leaky tanks" ;) can pass the Sahara desert no stop for refuelling.
I keep reading this also on some Italian forums where you always meet someone swearing that his bike is capable of 40 km/litre...

If I obviously say "poor guy" to the Italian above because he clearly wants to show off or to be noticed anyway, I can almost believe to what is declared in US because:
- you (generally) ride bikes following cages rules with no accelerations, no quick overtakings, no lane splittings and respecting speed limits of even 25/30 mph or less
- most of you live and/or ride in immense spaces with long straights where a constant (low) speed (usually 55mph) is kept with the slightest use of the throttle: constant rpm's, no accelerations... for miles and miles!
- even in most of the cities, roads are large and straight and traffic flows well at a low speed; traffic lights and stop signals are present and this increases the gas waste but the driving style (for both cars and bikes) is not "nervous" but relaxed, thus accelrations are smooth and gradual with the least possible waste of gas

In Europe instead, and in Italy particularly, the style and the road conditions are completely different
- lot of curves, caotic traffic in cities where you have to be quick, thus accelerating much more
- less respect of speed limits when we are reasonably sure that there are no speed traps around
- bikes are perceived as a "fast" vehicle to avoid car traffic, slowings down and queues, thus almost all rules of driving a cage DO NOT apply: we pass where a car shouldn't, we split lanes, we "infiltrate" in a traffic jam (obviously we respect traffic lights and stops ;) )

Notice that the rules for cars apply exactly to bikes, but bikers risk more and police usually (not always unfortunately  >:( ) considers that breaking a road law for a bike helps to reduce in many cases the traffic jam

If you consider all this you can probably better agree that fuel and tyre wastes on this side of the pond are noticeably higher than those in the US.

 :)

^^^ spot on. I do about 15-20 thousand miles a year, and put at least a third of that in Italy. Your assessment encompasses most of my observations. Although I've never been to the US, I do drive in other big American countries (Brasil, Argentina,...) every now and then, so I know the styles are completely different, and fuel mileage varies hugely.
Title: Re: how many miles until you hit reserve?
Post by: Boomer on November 21, 2012, 04:55:54 AM
Riding in the UK on some of the most congested roads in Europe I average about 180 miles before the "OH MY GOD!!, YOU NEED PETROL NOW!!!!!!!!!"  ::) warning appears.
I am a heavy guy (160Kg/355lb) and I thrash the crap out of her.
I cruise at 85Mph on Motorways but generally ride at the speed limit anywhere else, maybe a little over.  ;)

Ugo, if you are getting 150 miles to "PLEASE FEED ME! I NEED FEEDING! PETROL! PLEASE GIVE ME PETROL!!!!" then you have one of the following problems.
1 - They fitted the ECU from a race spec ZX10R.  ;D
2 - Your rear brake is dragging quite badly.  :(
3 - Your fuel level sender is badly adjusted. If you fill up as soon as the "LOW FUEL" appears, how many litres until she is full? Also, do you fill the fuel right to the top? If you use the auto-stop when filling then the tank is only half full.
Title: Re: how many miles until you hit reserve?
Post by: blue14 on November 21, 2012, 05:03:23 AM
Right after I fill up it tells me I have 220+ Miles.

After 160 to 180 it says feed me.  The 47 miles per gallon on the dash is just a little off as well.
Title: Re: how many miles until you hit reserve?
Post by: CARLÃO on November 21, 2012, 07:02:10 AM
I think that it is reasonable to drive about 180 miles at most, maybe a little more (300 km), these routine speeds up the trip, but then, fill it up, rehidration and 10 minutes rest is advisable, don't you? People of my age must be aware of excessive effort...   :)
Title: Re: how many miles until you hit reserve?
Post by: VirginiaJim on November 21, 2012, 09:18:08 AM
+1
Title: Re: how many miles until you hit reserve?
Post by: GREEKWARLORD on November 22, 2012, 03:26:08 AM
HI,to all.
the E mark always at 120miles or less!!!!.....
usually everyday speeding between 160-220 KM/h...
lucky gas station owners!!!!!!!!! :D ;D ;) :)
Title: Re: how many miles until you hit reserve?
Post by: Pokey on November 22, 2012, 09:47:01 AM
HI,to all.
the E mark always at 120miles or less!!!!.....
usually everyday speeding between 160-220 KM/h...
lucky gas station owners!!!!!!!!! :D ;D ;) :)


Lucky morticians and Coroners too.......careful pushing your luck at those speeds. :yikes:
Title: Re: how many miles until you hit reserve?
Post by: GREEKWARLORD on November 23, 2012, 12:29:42 PM
Hi.....
after 19 years and almost 400000kms i think i know the limits for me and my bikes....
after all that's the reason for choosing this bike...take me where i want...fast....safe...and with a big  ;D in my face...!!!!
luck has nothing to do with anything....having a good physical condition,your bike serviced well,and your senses on the road every second....that makes the difference my friend.... :popcorn:
Title: Re: how many miles until you hit reserve?
Post by: danl on November 24, 2012, 05:40:44 AM
180 is around when me low fuel light typically comes on. Sometimes less, sometimes more depending on how I've been riding. The farthest I went before filling up was 225 miles, that was a 60mph US highway with minimal traffic and minimal stops/starts for stop lights. 6th gear, 2800 rpm or so.
Title: Re: how many miles until you hit reserve?
Post by: Slideways on November 24, 2012, 06:55:32 AM
I have an iPhone app that I use to track auto & moto info. Average mpg for me has been 36mpg, best ever was 46mpg. I get to "low fuel" warning at 150mi to 175mi typically.
Title: Re: how many miles until you hit reserve?
Post by: dolomoto on November 25, 2012, 11:30:06 AM
I've got around 63,000 miles on my '08. I usually get the "Low Fuel" indication around 225 miles. I've averaged 45mpg over the last 40k miles or so; my mpg display seems to be accurate.

If I need to hypermile (out West..ex. Riding from Elko to Gabbs, NV and passing up fuel in Battle Mountain), I keep it around 45mph in sixth gear and can get around 50mpg. Most miles ever out of a tank was 321.

BTW, there is fuel in Gabbs, if you're lucky. Pump your own fuel and pay at the cafe across the street.

(http://dolomoto.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/HNBAS-Tour-2008/i-CjxHK8d/0/L/IMG_0155-L.jpg)

I've run it close a few times...can't find the pic of the time I got 5.81 gallons in...but this one is quite close.

(http://dolomoto.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/moto/i-j9Tzn3B/0/L/1110101624-L.jpg)
Title: Re: how many miles until you hit reserve?
Post by: Pokey on November 25, 2012, 01:51:35 PM
WOW.... talk about hitting fumes!  :yikes:
Title: Re: how many miles until you hit reserve?
Post by: C1xRider on November 25, 2012, 05:30:57 PM
Na, when your hitting fumes, it takes 6.15 to 6.19 gallons.  I've done both...
Title: Re: how many miles until you hit reserve?
Post by: dolomoto on November 26, 2012, 05:46:14 PM
Na, when your hitting fumes, it takes 6.15 to 6.19 gallons.  I've done both...

I thought the tank capacity is 5.8 gallons?

Today, this is what I pumped (245 miles). I suspect the pump is not calibrated correctly.

(http://dolomoto.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/moto/i-wK4Sx9F/0/L/IMG_1549-L.jpg)
Title: Re: how many miles until you hit reserve?
Post by: CARLÃO on November 26, 2012, 07:40:47 PM
DOLOMOTO, I agree that the pump must be recalibrated, but, after so many miles, I can say that the fuel was superb!
Title: Re: how many miles until you hit reserve?
Post by: martin_14 on November 27, 2012, 01:37:24 AM
Na, when your hitting fumes, it takes 6.15 to 6.19 gallons.  I've done both...

indeed. I went past the fumes  :-[
Bike stopped just one yard from the pump that my GPS told me I was going to find.
6.12 Gallons went in.
Title: Re: how many miles until you hit reserve?
Post by: VirginiaJim on November 27, 2012, 04:01:05 AM
That seems about right on a totally empty tank.  Running it low like that does not help the fuel pump.   Best not to do that a lot...
Title: Re: how many miles until you hit reserve?
Post by: maxtog on July 04, 2020, 09:38:53 PM
Something rare happened today; never happened in all these years....  I hit reserve exactly when I went to fill it up.  It took 4.7 gallons to fill a little above the neck plate.

So this means I actually have more like 1.4 gal remaining instead of what I thought- 1.1.  And that also explains why I always seem to have more mileage than expected when I hit reserve.  (Not that I want to push it to sucking air and get stranded somewhere.... hasn't happened yet, thanksfully).

Note- although the tank is identical on every C14, when it hits reserve (first low fuel warning) might vary a bit from bike to bike.
Title: Re: how many miles until you hit reserve?
Post by: just gone on July 05, 2020, 11:02:08 AM
Two things,

(1) This has got to be a record, no?
2777 days between posts in the same thread? I think this must show how important that C14 owners think fuel mileage is.  :D

(2) Being a bit picky ..or perhaps persnickety...

Note- although the tank is identical on every C14, when it hits reserve (first low fuel warning) might vary a bit from bike to bike.
I think that the California emission bikes have an extra tube running through the tank so there is just slightly less volume inside those tanks.
I'm not sure that the reduced volume caused by that extra tube would translate to a noticeable amount of range, but the tanks are not identical and have different
part numbers not related to paint colors.
I like the word persnickety, I'm just not sure I'm spelling it correctly.  :)

Title: Re: how many miles until you hit reserve?
Post by: B.D.F. on July 05, 2020, 02:23:19 PM
Yeah, and besides this is no where near a record- I have been maybe 60K, 70K, maybe even more miles since I hit 'reserve' (low fuel warning on  a C-14).

 ;)

Brian
Title: Re: how many miles until you hit reserve?
Post by: maxtog on July 05, 2020, 04:07:45 PM
This has got to be a record, no?  2777 days between posts in the same thread?

Just picked the most appropriate thread instead of unnecessarily creating another one :)

Quote
I think this must show how important that C14 owners think fuel mileage is.  :D

Not really.  I don't care about mileage all that much, until it matters (like when running low on fuel).