| Author | Message | ||
     Jayvee |
Seems like I regularly hit the Reserve setting on the petcock after only 3.5 gallons used. Is this "normal" for a 2000 M2? (Later, Manta-style, tank, nominal 5 gallons.) This should mean I still have 1.5 gallons. My previous bikes have all had between 1/2 gallon to 3/4 gallon reserve. Gas mileage running only about 43 highway (indicated 80 mph.) | ||
| Mikej |
There is a plastic tube sticking up inside the tank out of the petcock. You can trim this plastic tube shorter to reduce your reserve volume and increase your main volume. Knowing how much you have left when you flip the lever to reserve means more than how much you have used when you hit reserve. On a long trip I figure I've got a solid 200 miles on a tank before I get nervous about finding a gas station, under 180 if I've been throttle happy, over 220 if I've been going easy and have to push it a few miles farther before I'm really on fumes. | ||
| Captainkirk |
With the stock Manta tank and petcock, I get *exactly* 139 miles before I'm scrambling for the handle. I've left the height alone, though, as I would rather have extra to get me to the next gas station than to call it so close that my reserve position gets me a few miles more down the road. When I see 120 on the odo. the low fuel light in my head pops on and I start a hard-target search for the next pump with good gas and decent(???) prices (which is an oxymoron in today's day & age!) | ||
| Bad_karma |
Jayvee Next time you take your tank off give a good look at the design. I would guess somewhere between a quart to quart and a half of gas will remain. I have a one gallon gas can I can carry when I want to verify my reserve range. Joe | ||
| Djkaplan |
It's a good idea to leave the main tank tube kind of long for a few reasons, but this is the main one for me; if you should somehow get water in the tank, the tube will feed from a higher point in the tank and get only gas, not water at the very bottom. Believe me... it can get you home if you got a lot of water in your tank. | ||
| Captainkirk |
Good point, DJ-hadn't thought of that one. | ||
| Mikej |
I won't ask how water got into the tank, nor why not just remove the gas line and drain off the water into a cup.  | ||
| Jayvee |
I drove half-way across the country on my Yamaha with 3.2 gallon (total) tank. As I recall I carried an empty gas can, just in case. On a different Yamaha, I ran out of gas right on the Bay Bridge. Boy that was fun. I just thought a 5 gallon tank would have more range in the 'main' setting, 1 gallon of reserve seems like plenty. A reserve of 1.5 gallons isn't needed for in town, commuting use. Maybe it would be useful in Death Valley or somewhere. I will look into how much trouble to 'adjust' it. I just wondered if this is consistent with what other owners have noticed the reserve it. I never even paid attention to my M2 gas mileage until recently. | ||
| Mikej |
Reserve is to get me to a gas station if I've been getting happy with the throttle or didn't reset the odometer at the last gas change. Trim the tube just a little at a time until you get it to where it makes the most sense for you and your needs/wants. | ||
| Djkaplan |
"I won't ask how water got into the tank, nor why not just remove the gas line and drain off the water into a cup." I'll answer anyway. I got a tank of bad gas somewhere in North Carolina. I noticed right after the bike was cutting out like the sidestand safety switch was going bad. I was able to confirm that something had settled to the bottom of the tank when I took the bike off reserve and onto main while the bike was sputtering to stop on the highway. Later, when I got home (hundreds of miles away) I drained the tank from the float bowl drain (not the tank feed line) with the petcock on 'main' and got clear gas... then I switched the petcock to 'reserve' and... behold! Water! As it turned out, while I was out in the middle of nowhere with no tools, I was able to diagnose, confirm, and develop a workable plan to get home before the bike even came to a stop... all by just switching from 'reserve' to 'main'. Probably my finest hour. | ||
| Littlebuggles |
"As it turned out, while I was out in the middle of nowhere with no tools, I was able to diagnose, confirm, and develop a workable plan to get home before the bike even came to a stop... all by just switching from 'reserve' to 'main'. Probably my finest hour." That's funny DJ, I've had a couple of those fine moments myself - they're always good enough to be a great moment in MY mind, but no one else seems to get it.  Oh yeah, I trimmed my reserve tube and now get about 124 miles before I go switch over, have not tested the capacity/mileage yet... while I won't leave my bike unless things are extremely dire, I prefer not to push it. | ||
| Jayvee |
OK, that's a good comparison, 124 miles to switch to reserve. I think I'm averaging about 130 or so. So that's one thing I was wondering, where other M2's switch to reserve. | ||
| Mt624 |
Jayvee, I have a '97 with the smaller tank and hit reserve at 115-120 miles pretty consistently so far (got the bike last fall and have put about 1k miles on it). I have yet to refill it with more than 2.7 gallons. I believe the manual says tank cap. is 4 gallons and reserve is 1.5 gallons. I haven't run it out yet but want to carry an extra can with me to confirm the range one of these days... (I'm keeping my eye out for a newer tank/seat/tail for touring but love the narrower setup around town...) |
