Another dumb n00bie question - that fuel light!!

[Yams]

Sorry for another n00bie question, my SV manual is at home.. I'm at work.. so can't check it ;)

Erm, how does this fuel light/reserve system work?

The fuel light is currently flashing at me wildly telling me to fill up but I'm saying fook off I've only done 106 miles since filling up, but now I'm wondering.. just how many miles to reserve? And how many miles to a tank? I was told 150 odd?? :? but I've got this light flashing at me at 106 miles already.. does reserve have another 30 miles to go?


Thanks!

[mattSV]

I used to regularly get at least 120 from a tank before the light came on, and would then get another 20 miles before I would fill it up - I never let it get too low to avoid sucking up any crap that might be in the bottom of the tank .

There is no 'reserve as such' - the fuel light flashes to let you know it is getting low, it is up to you when you fill it up again!

The only way to find out how far you can get will be to let it run out (suggest strapping a fuel can to the back first :wink: )

Good luck!

[Ceri JC]

I used to regularly get at least 120 from a tank before the light came on, and would then get another 20 miles before I would fill it up - I never let it get too low to avoid sucking up any crap that might be in the bottom of the tank .

Fuel consumption on the SV varies massively depending on how you ride-when riding steadily, in a high gear and not revving the nuts of it, I've had 140ish before the fuel light came on.

Other times, ragging it like a loon, I've had the fuel light come on at only 100 miles. I've never run it dry, but I've done 30-odd miles (very sensible speeds) but I'd not push it further.

Running it dry becomes more of a problem as the bike gets older, generally the older the vehicle, the more crap in the tank, so the sooner you should refuel it. My car is 12 years old and when I ran that near empty, I had all sorts of problem with it for weeks afterwards, so now I try to keep it at 1/4 tank minimum.

[Yams]

I think I should ease up on the revs a bit :lol: Might get more to a tank :lol:

[Scoobs]

Also, if you fill the bike up on the sidestand, you will not 100% fill the tank. If you brim it and wait a few seconds, you will see it drain down a bit. You may just find you are not filling it right up.

[Yams]

Also, if you fill the bike up on the sidestand, you will not 100% fill the tank. If you brim it and wait a few seconds, you will see it drain down a bit. You may just find you are not filling it right up.

I tend to be sat on the bike when filling up, so bike is upright.

I got £10 exactly until it was full on Sunday. I was on reserve, but only about 5 miles onto it so no idea how much fuel was still left in the tank, but £10 filled it to full.

[trailer_parks]

I get around 160 before the light comes on, and I fill it to the bottom of the filler neck whilest sitting on the bike. I'm commuting...

[diamond]

I got a telling off for sitting on the bike whilst filling up in the texaco garage by me last week. He said it was illegal, and i should put it on the centre stand if i wanted the bike up right. I then used a few choice words to point out there was no centre stand.

[Yams]

I get around 160 before the light comes on, and I fill it to the bottom of the filler neck whilest sitting on the bike. I'm commuting...

:shock:

Hmm I think I really need to ride around everywhere in 6th! :lol:

I have a feeling my bike is running a bit rich, I need to get it on a dyno for a proper set up soon, might sort the fuel consumption a bit as I definetly reckon it's a bit lower than the average range.

[Scoobs]

Also, if you fill the bike up on the sidestand, you will not 100% fill the tank. If you brim it and wait a few seconds, you will see it drain down a bit. You may just find you are not filling it right up.

I tend to be sat on the bike when filling up, so bike is upright.

I got £10 exactly until it was full on Sunday. I was on reserve, but only about 5 miles onto it so no idea how much fuel was still left in the tank, but £10 filled it to full.

I can squeeze in about £11.50 in. This is with about 5 - 10 miles into reserve.

[SVeeedy Gonzales]

I get about 140 before the light flicks on, then it goes off, comes back on a bit later and I fill up with about 14 litres after 155 miles - about 50mpg or so. Think the K4 has about 17 litres tank capacity so there's a few miles left in there.
The manual says that the light is meant to come on when there's about 1 gallon left.

[mysteryjimbo]

Also, if you fill the bike up on the sidestand, you will not 100% fill the tank. If you brim it and wait a few seconds, you will see it drain down a bit. You may just find you are not filling it right up.

I tend to be sat on the bike when filling up, so bike is upright.

I got £10 exactly until it was full on Sunday. I was on reserve, but only about 5 miles onto it so no idea how much fuel was still left in the tank, but £10 filled it to full.

I can squeeze in about £11.50 in. This is with about 5 - 10 miles into reserve.


I commute and do around 150 miles to a tank and fill up two or three times a week for work. 5-10 miles into reserve i can get around £12 in. 25 miles in i can get £12.50 in.

[steveo]

You could always just go and fill it up as soon as the light comes on. See how many litres you squeeze in, subtract that from the total tank capacity and that will give you a rough idea of how many miles you had left in the tank.

[kinesin]

Remember the SV650 light is has two stages.

It will start flashing at about 100-20miles and then become a glowing a solid orange with about 20miles left in the tank.. Defo time to get gas then.

The most I've ever pushed it is 8miles into this zone.. but did end up with 167miles on the clock! :mrgreen:

[Mr Toad]

I ran my K4 dry last summer :oops: and had to push it half a mile along Clapham Common to the filling station. I could only get 14.2 litres into the tank - bike upright, filled right up to the very top of the lip.
Don't believe the stated capacity in the manual :shock:

[jon]

I have the manual infront of me.

"When the fuel in the fuel tank drops below approximately 3.5 liters (0.9/0.8 US/Imp. gal), this indicator light flickers. When the fuel drops below approximately 1.5 liters (0.4/0.3 US/Imp. gal), the indicator light remains lit."

[jordyal]

My light just comes on and stays lit. Have never seen it flash. Usually comes on around 115 miles. Would it flash at a later stage, ie when the level drops really low?

ali

[jordyal]

My light just comes on and stays lit. Have never seen it flash. Usually comes on around 115 miles. Would it flash at a later stage, ie when the level drops really low?

ali

[Carsick]

My light just comes on and stays lit. Have never seen it flash. Usually comes on around 115 miles. Would it flash at a later stage, ie when the level drops really low?

ali
no, new shapes only come on solid. It'll come on with about 4-5 litres left, I think.

[hall13uk]

I get around 160 before the light comes on, and I fill it to the bottom of the filler neck whilest sitting on the bike. I'm commuting...

:shock:

Hmm I think I really need to ride around everywhere in 6th! :lol:

I have a feeling my bike is running a bit rich, I need to get it on a dyno for a proper set up soon, might sort the fuel consumption a bit as I definetly reckon it's a bit lower than the average range. theres a 6th gear :shock: :shock: :shock:

[Carsick]

theres a 6th gear :shock: :shock: :shock:
Yup, and I'm still disappointed that there isn't a 7th, I keep trying to change into it on the motorway.

[Yams]

theres a 6th gear :shock: :shock: :shock:

Yep, although I rarely use it :lol: Sounds nicer with more revs :twisted:

[markfc]

My K5 fuel light flashes for a while then goes solid.

[Carsick]

My K5 fuel light flashes for a while then goes solid.
They obviously worked out that the flashing fuel light is useful and brought it back.

[Graham]

I've run out on my 2000 model and it took 16 litres as the manual states.
I regularly fill up after the light goes solid and 15+ litres in. Once it starts flashing I would get about 25 miles bfore the light turns solid and there is another 15 or so miles left

[RandyO]

theres a 6th gear :shock: :shock: :shock:
Yup, and I'm still disappointed that there isn't a 7th, I keep trying to change into it on the motorway.

how fast do you ride, I rarely get out of 4th and I have been able to go faster in 5th than in 6th, or do you like to lug your engine


I get my worse milage on steady high speed 75+mph highways and my best milage at lower speeds in lower gears

wind resistance is the big milage killer IMHO

[Graham]

I don't put mine in 6th until atleast 60mph but will go as low as 40mph in 5th without labourong the engine

[Yams]

I don't put mine in 6th until atleast 60mph but will go as low as 40mph in 5th without labourong the engine

SV seems to do over 100 in 4th, so why change up :lol:

[trailer_parks]

K2 Naked... My last tank was 176 miles on 3.6 gallons, light was still flashing. I was getting nervous and preparing to walk, but had faith in technology (see, the light's still flashing! I'm gonna make it).

Maybe I need to rev her out a little more often, but lately the police have been out in droves because of spring break. They just drive up and down one particular section of the I-95 interstate. I even see them exit, and then get back on the other direction.

[Stig]

I ran my K4 dry last summer :oops: and had to push it half a mile along Clapham Common to the filling station. I could only get 14.2 litres into the tank - bike upright, filled right up to the very top of the lip.
Don't believe the stated capacity in the manual :shock:

Same here, ran dry and only got 14 litres in. :x

[Carsick]

theres a 6th gear :shock: :shock: :shock:
Yup, and I'm still disappointed that there isn't a 7th, I keep trying to change into it on the motorway.

how fast do you ride, I rarely get out of 4th and I have been able to go faster in 5th than in 6th, or do you like to lug your engine
I change up to 6th around 80mph, if I'm not accelerating hard, otherwise whatever seems appropriate at the time.
Wind blast isn't that much of a problem on the S.

[ophic]

i generally have no idea what gear i'm in - just whatever is appropriate. I'd also like a 7th gear for motorways because the engine has enough grunt for this. It doesn't make sense for sports gearing, but for real use an overdrive gear would be handy. I spend a lot of time on motorways - motorway to work. motorway to visit friends, motorway to visit family etc. I sometimes even take the motorway to go find some nice A roads... :shock:

Oh and i've never seen more than 130 out of a tank before the light, and that's fairly rare. Usually about 110.

[RandyO]

i generally have no idea what gear i'm in - just whatever is appropriate. I'd also like a 7th gear for motorways because the engine has enough grunt for this. It doesn't make sense for sports gearing, but for real use an overdrive gear would be handy. I spend a lot of time on motorways - motorway to work. motorway to visit friends, motorway to visit family etc. I sometimes even take the motorway to go find some nice A roads... :shock:

Oh and i've never seen more than 130 out of a tank before the light, and that's fairly rare. Usually about 110.

go to a 16t or 17t front sprocket

[SlightlyModdedSV]

If Im not mistaken when the light is flashing it means that there is still 1 gallon in the tank. When the tank get to a half gallon remaining the light will be on steady.

[Graham]

Shouldn't talk gallons, It will only cause confusion.
Imperial Gallon - 4.54 Litres
Yank Gallon - 3.9 Litres

Mine flashes with 3.5 Litres left and goes solid with 1.5Litres left, They all probably vary slightly anyway

[SlightlyModdedSV]

Sorry about the confusion. Im not used to having to put both metric and standard. Sorry guys!!!

[Carsick]

Sorry about the confusion. Im not used to having to put both metric and standard. Sorry guys!!!
Dude, imperial isn't metric.

[stardust]

hi.. I'm really new to the bike, riding a SV400S, but from what I know it's the exact same frame as a SV650S, just a smaller engine that's all.

My fuel light indicator is not working!! :( I don't think it's the bulb cos when I first on the ignition, the orange light comes on, then fades away when I start the engine.

Should I take it to the mech or is it just a simple job? Problem with the mechs in my country is.. the SV is an alien machine to them.. cos so few ride it here.. I don't really trust them.. :(

[SlightlyModdedSV]

Again I apologize guys. Imperial? Metric? I dont know either. Sorry

[GSXR Carlos]

today i did a very silly thing, ran right out of petrol, think i got 150 miles, and when i filled it right up it showd 16.28 litres, that about right.

Fortunately i was near the end of yeadon way and only had to push my bike about 100 yards :lol: