Cruising Range - Motorcycle-Journal Forums

Tanker2 · 04-09-2006, 07:55 PM

I've got a virtually new DL650 V-Strom (1200 miles) and on the previous tank measured 53.1 mpg. I filled up at 239 miles and it took 4.5 gal. With a 5.8 gal tank it should have had 1.3 gallons left. I figure I should get a fairly comfortable 270-290 mile range before REALLY needing to stop for gas. I was riding today and at 270 miles it started sputtering as though it was running out of fuel like my old Vulcan did when it was time to switch to reserve. Fortunately I was able to coast into a gas station and still took less than 5 gallons. If this thing really does have a 5.8 gallon tank it should have still had nearly a gallon left. Does the V-Strom have a reserve that I'm not aware of? Did I panic too quickly when it sputtered?

C2W? · 04-09-2006, 08:10 PM

I'm not sure it really does (hold 5.8 gallons). . . . .I've never had it "sputter" but then I never ride it past about 250-260 miles per tank. And like you it takes "roughly" 4.3-4.5 gallons to fill it up. On longer trips toss a couple of aluminum pint containers of fuel in my panniers "Just in case".

stp1971 · 04-09-2006, 08:42 PM

I have been running it at a consistent 0-70 miles per hour. Averaging about 5000 rpm for the two road trips I took it on the past two Sundays. I was getting exactly 50 mpg. I had the low fuel light blink today and it took 4.2 gallons to fill it up.

I am not trusting it past 240 miles I figure. That way it gives me plenty of range with a much needed rest stop.

S83 · 04-09-2006, 10:26 PM

Suzuki claims a 22 liter (5.8 Gallon) fuel tank.

22 liter = 5.811785127 gallon [US, liquid]

stp1971 · 04-10-2006, 07:04 AM

Suzuki definately claims it has a 5.8 gallon fuel capacity,,wonder if some of that 5.8 gallons is unusable?? It might be that the pickup is too high in the tank or something. Well I will never know for sure. If the light starts to blink I am finding a fuel stop. Plus as Nightwolf said,, everyone else I ride with usually the furtherest they can ride is 160 miles so I will defiantely just fill when they do.

Tanker2 · 04-10-2006, 08:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stp1971

Suzuki definately claims it has a 5.8 gallon fuel capacity,,wonder if some of that 5.8 gallons is unusable?? It might be that the pickup is too high in the tank or something. Well I will never know for sure. If the light starts to blink I am finding a fuel stop. Plus as Nightwolf said,, everyone else I ride with usually the furtherest they can ride is 160 miles so I will defiantely just fill when they do.

I can't help but wonder if Suzuki used "Imperial" gallons for their spec sheet. An Imperial gallon is .833 of a U.S. Gallon so 5.8 Imperial gallons would equate to 4.83 U.S. gallons which is about what I put in it after running it dry. I'll have to defer to someone else when it comes to the metric stuff. At any rate, as far as I'm concerned my bike has a 4.8 gallon tank. NOT 5.8.

stp1971 · 04-10-2006, 08:32 AM

That is good to keep in mind. Thanks Tanker!!!!

Lew · 04-10-2006, 10:08 AM

Drain the tank, look to see if any is left. Then fill it up and measure how much goes in.

Tanker2 · 04-10-2006, 11:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lew

Drain the tank, look to see if any is left. Then fill it up and measure how much goes in.

Thanks and I guess I could do that but it's really irrelevant at this point. It ran out, I filled it, it took 4.8 gallons. Regardless of listed capacity it's got a usable fuel capacity of 4.8 gallons.

tlwisner · 04-10-2006, 11:38 AM

Sometimes manufacturers fudge their specs a bit. Go with your experience!

stp1971 · 04-10-2006, 11:43 AM

That is still 240 miles. If you stop at 200 to fill it up you will still outride over 80% of the bikes on the road today. Just fill up the 2.5 gallons everytime everyone else stops to fill their 3-4 gallons,,that is what I am going to do.

Tanker2 · 04-10-2006, 12:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stp1971

That is still 240 miles. If you stop at 200 to fill it up you will still outride over 80% of the bikes on the road today. Just fill up the 2.5 gallons everytime everyone else stops to fill their 3-4 gallons,,that is what I am going to do.

I'm not complaining as 240-250 miles is plenty of range. It's just that riders should know what their actual safe range really is. Even though I'd never been able to get more than 4.5 gallons in the bike I had always thought that I had another gallon based on the specifications Suzuki publishes which, in reality, I did not. Riders of this type of bike are more apt than some others to be hauling a$$ down the interstate (as I was) or off-road somewhere thinking they've got a gallon more fuel than they really do. I got lucky but someone else might not be.

stp1971 · 04-10-2006, 12:58 PM

That is a good point. I didn't mean it to sound like I was accusing you of complaining. I was just saying that I will never have to worry about it. This should be clarified by Suzuki though. Hmmm,,wonder if thew fuel injection has to be re-primed if you run out of gas???

Tanker2 · 04-10-2006, 02:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stp1971

That is a good point. I didn't mean it to sound like I was accusing you of complaining. I was just saying that I will never have to worry about it. This should be clarified by Suzuki though. Hmmm,,wonder if thew fuel injection has to be re-primed if you run out of gas???

I just hit the key, hit the button and hit the road. I think it automatically primes when you turn on the key. I was told that was the buzzing sound while the speedo. & Tach cycled.

stp1971 · 04-10-2006, 03:05 PM

Cool. That is good to know as well. Alot of FI on cars sometimes have to be re-primmed if they run out. Glad that is not the case here with the bike.

Hmmm,,maybe I should go riding tonight again,,or maybe I will work on the '81 GS650G. Too many choices and not enough daylight.

**Clint** · 04-10-2006, 08:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tanker2

I can't help but wonder if Suzuki used "Imperial" gallons for their spec sheet. An Imperial gallon is .833 of a U.S. Gallon so 5.8 Imperial gallons would equate to 4.83 U.S. gallons

Ya got your conversion bakkerds, bud. 5.8 IMP = 7.0 US. An imperial gallon is larger.

A good converter.

stp1971 · 04-11-2006, 06:38 AM

That is an interesting link. Well my manual clearly says 5.8 gallons,,checked it last night. Hmmm...

Tanker2 · 04-11-2006, 07:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RowdyRed94

Ya got your conversion bakkerds, bud. 5.8 IMP = 7.0 US. An imperial gallon is larger.

A good converter.

Yep..You're right..Well okay..So much for that theory

but the fact remains that it wont hold 5.8 of anybodys gallons.

stp1971 · 04-11-2006, 07:39 AM

Maybe it's 5.8 knome gallons.

stp1971 · 04-17-2006, 07:51 AM

Just a note,,, I had the low fuel light blinking on my Strom at about the 220 mile mark the other day. Ran her all the way to 242 miles and then re-filled the tank. It held 4.2 gallons. Not exactly 5.8 gallons,, but was happy to see I got 57 mpg!!!!!

04-09-2006, 07:55 PM	#1 (permalink)
Tanker2 Seat Tester Joined: Mar 2006 Bike: '06 Suzuki V-Strom DL650 Location: Fayetteville, Arkansas Posts: 52	Cruising Range I've got a virtually new DL650 V-Strom (1200 miles) and on the previous tank measured 53.1 mpg. I filled up at 239 miles and it took 4.5 gal. With a 5.8 gal tank it should have had 1.3 gallons left. I figure I should get a fairly comfortable 270-290 mile range before REALLY needing to stop for gas. I was riding today and at 270 miles it started sputtering as though it was running out of fuel like my old Vulcan did when it was time to switch to reserve. Fortunately I was able to coast into a gas station and still took less than 5 gallons. If this thing really does have a 5.8 gallon tank it should have still had nearly a gallon left. Does the V-Strom have a reserve that I'm not aware of? Did I panic too quickly when it sputtered?

04-09-2006, 08:10 PM	#2 (permalink)
C2W? In Training Joined: Jan 2006 Bike: "Little" 6Fiddy Location: Carlsbad (Not NM) Posts: 124	I'm not sure it really does (hold 5.8 gallons). . . . .I've never had it "sputter" but then I never ride it past about 250-260 miles per tank. And like you it takes "roughly" 4.3-4.5 gallons to fill it up. On longer trips toss a couple of aluminum pint containers of fuel in my panniers "Just in case". __________________ Experience is a hard teacher because the test is first, the lesson afterward.

04-09-2006, 08:42 PM	#3 (permalink)
stp1971 May 2007 Member of the month Joined: Mar 2005 Bike: 2004 Suzuki Intruder 1500LC / 2005 Suzuki DL650 V-Strom Location: Douglasville, Georgia Posts: 7,775	I have been running it at a consistent 0-70 miles per hour. Averaging about 5000 rpm for the two road trips I took it on the past two Sundays. I was getting exactly 50 mpg. I had the low fuel light blink today and it took 4.2 gallons to fill it up. I am not trusting it past 240 miles I figure. That way it gives me plenty of range with a much needed rest stop. __________________ Biketoberfest 2006 flashback courtesy of Intimid8er: "Like you knew damn well you shouldn't eat something like that, but all be damned to hell, you were gonna eat it!" __________________

04-10-2006, 07:04 AM	#5 (permalink)
stp1971 May 2007 Member of the month Joined: Mar 2005 Bike: 2004 Suzuki Intruder 1500LC / 2005 Suzuki DL650 V-Strom Location: Douglasville, Georgia Posts: 7,775	Suzuki definately claims it has a 5.8 gallon fuel capacity,,wonder if some of that 5.8 gallons is unusable?? It might be that the pickup is too high in the tank or something. Well I will never know for sure. If the light starts to blink I am finding a fuel stop. Plus as Nightwolf said,, everyone else I ride with usually the furtherest they can ride is 160 miles so I will defiantely just fill when they do. __________________ Biketoberfest 2006 flashback courtesy of Intimid8er: "Like you knew damn well you shouldn't eat something like that, but all be damned to hell, you were gonna eat it!" __________________

04-10-2006, 08:32 AM	#7 (permalink)
stp1971 May 2007 Member of the month Joined: Mar 2005 Bike: 2004 Suzuki Intruder 1500LC / 2005 Suzuki DL650 V-Strom Location: Douglasville, Georgia Posts: 7,775	That is good to keep in mind. Thanks Tanker!!!! __________________ Biketoberfest 2006 flashback courtesy of Intimid8er: "Like you knew damn well you shouldn't eat something like that, but all be damned to hell, you were gonna eat it!" __________________

04-09-2006, 10:26 PM	#4 (permalink)
S83 Handlebar Consultant Joined: Sep 2005 Posts: 613	Suzuki claims a 22 liter (5.8 Gallon) fuel tank. 22 liter = 5.811785127 gallon [US, liquid]

04-10-2006, 10:08 AM	#8 (permalink)
Lew Seat Tester Joined: Oct 2005 Bike: Suzuki GZ250 Location: Cataula, Ga Posts: 78	Drain the tank, look to see if any is left. Then fill it up and measure how much goes in.

04-10-2006, 11:38 AM	#10 (permalink)
tlwisner Throttle Jockey Joined: Apr 2004 Bike: '05 Boulevard C50 Location: Central Kentucky Posts: 3,208	Sometimes manufacturers fudge their specs a bit. Go with your experience! __________________ Tim Wisner AMA, SCRC Happiness is something we create

04-10-2006, 11:43 AM	#11 (permalink)
stp1971 May 2007 Member of the month Joined: Mar 2005 Bike: 2004 Suzuki Intruder 1500LC / 2005 Suzuki DL650 V-Strom Location: Douglasville, Georgia Posts: 7,775	That is still 240 miles. If you stop at 200 to fill it up you will still outride over 80% of the bikes on the road today. Just fill up the 2.5 gallons everytime everyone else stops to fill their 3-4 gallons,,that is what I am going to do. __________________ Biketoberfest 2006 flashback courtesy of Intimid8er: "Like you knew damn well you shouldn't eat something like that, but all be damned to hell, you were gonna eat it!" __________________

04-10-2006, 12:58 PM	#13 (permalink)
stp1971 May 2007 Member of the month Joined: Mar 2005 Bike: 2004 Suzuki Intruder 1500LC / 2005 Suzuki DL650 V-Strom Location: Douglasville, Georgia Posts: 7,775	That is a good point. I didn't mean it to sound like I was accusing you of complaining. I was just saying that I will never have to worry about it. This should be clarified by Suzuki though. Hmmm,,wonder if thew fuel injection has to be re-primed if you run out of gas??? __________________ Biketoberfest 2006 flashback courtesy of Intimid8er: "Like you knew damn well you shouldn't eat something like that, but all be damned to hell, you were gonna eat it!" __________________

04-10-2006, 03:05 PM	#15 (permalink)
stp1971 May 2007 Member of the month Joined: Mar 2005 Bike: 2004 Suzuki Intruder 1500LC / 2005 Suzuki DL650 V-Strom Location: Douglasville, Georgia Posts: 7,775	Cool. That is good to know as well. Alot of FI on cars sometimes have to be re-primmed if they run out. Glad that is not the case here with the bike. Hmmm,,maybe I should go riding tonight again,,or maybe I will work on the '81 GS650G. Too many choices and not enough daylight. __________________ Biketoberfest 2006 flashback courtesy of Intimid8er: "Like you knew damn well you shouldn't eat something like that, but all be damned to hell, you were gonna eat it!" __________________

04-11-2006, 06:38 AM	#17 (permalink)
stp1971 May 2007 Member of the month Joined: Mar 2005 Bike: 2004 Suzuki Intruder 1500LC / 2005 Suzuki DL650 V-Strom Location: Douglasville, Georgia Posts: 7,775	That is an interesting link. Well my manual clearly says 5.8 gallons,,checked it last night. Hmmm... __________________ Biketoberfest 2006 flashback courtesy of Intimid8er: "Like you knew damn well you shouldn't eat something like that, but all be damned to hell, you were gonna eat it!" __________________

04-11-2006, 07:39 AM	#19 (permalink)
stp1971 May 2007 Member of the month Joined: Mar 2005 Bike: 2004 Suzuki Intruder 1500LC / 2005 Suzuki DL650 V-Strom Location: Douglasville, Georgia Posts: 7,775	Maybe it's 5.8 knome gallons. __________________ Biketoberfest 2006 flashback courtesy of Intimid8er: "Like you knew damn well you shouldn't eat something like that, but all be damned to hell, you were gonna eat it!" __________________

04-17-2006, 07:51 AM	#20 (permalink)
stp1971 May 2007 Member of the month Joined: Mar 2005 Bike: 2004 Suzuki Intruder 1500LC / 2005 Suzuki DL650 V-Strom Location: Douglasville, Georgia Posts: 7,775	Just a note,,, I had the low fuel light blinking on my Strom at about the 220 mile mark the other day. Ran her all the way to 242 miles and then re-filled the tank. It held 4.2 gallons. Not exactly 5.8 gallons,, but was happy to see I got 57 mpg!!!!! __________________ Biketoberfest 2006 flashback courtesy of Intimid8er: "Like you knew damn well you shouldn't eat something like that, but all be damned to hell, you were gonna eat it!" __________________

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