How far on the red light?

[Crazcnuk]

Ok, assuming you hit a gas station almost immediately, that would guve you 37mpg (US) which is pretty good.

Question now is how far you could have gone until you had to switch to reserve, and then how far you could go on reserve.

Using 3.96 US gallons as the total tanks size, ignoring the light for now, you would have had a total cruisng range of 147ish miles.

Adding what little is in the tubes and float bowls you may have gone 150, giving you exactly 30 miles after the light goes on, which is as it should be.

[eroellig]

Originally posted by Crazcnuk
Ok, assuming you hit a gas station almost immediately, that would guve you 37mpg (US) which is pretty good.

Question now is how far you could have gone until you had to switch to reserve, and then how far you could go on reserve.
[...].

AS it turned out, I was within a quarter mile of a gas station.

Once I get my brakes in order and finish the tune up, I'll tote a small gas can and "play"....

Eric

[datter]

Re: How far on the red light?

Originally posted by fredintoon
Note that my bike has no windshield or fairing so is dealing with the drag coefficient of a fat old man ...

Do you have the cooefficient numbers on that? My bike is set up the same, and being a middle aged guy heading in a similar direction I think it might be wise to know what I'm dealing with as far as the math goes.

Also, my bike has no red light that I'm aware of. I just fill it when my trip meter gets to 160km or so.

[fredintoon]

no red light on Standard

Hi Datter,
fat old guy no windshield is bad enough, it's the same thing plus sidecar that really adds to the drag and the vehicle weight.
The Standard has a real fuel gauge.
The Special don't. Instead there's a red light in the tach that lights up when the gas is low. There must be different senders in the tanks too? The Standard needs a linear variable Voltage sender to work the gauge needle while the Special needs an on/off sender to work a light?

[datter]

That sounds about right to me, though it strikes me odd that the Standard has the proper fuel gauge and the Special doesn't... you'd think they'd have rigged it up the other way around.

[fredintoon]

Idiot light

Hi Datter,
they are called that for a reason.
Only an idiot would buy a Special over a Standard. Or someone like me who was offered one at a total bargain. Turns out I'm a lucky idiot too. A Special is better suited to the conversions (the cheap conversions, that is) that are recommended for hauling a sidecar than is a Standard.

[STEPPENWOLF]

My 80 special is just about identical to EROELLIG (120 miles it starts coming on)with the same type of riding. I always fill up on the side stand.At or about 110 miles I start looking and has been very consistant over the past 27 years. But I too reset the tripometer at every gas stop.

[oseaghdha]

+1 at 120 miles

I am getting about 39 +- 2 MPG mixed city/hwy.
So at 120 I fill up. Usually takes 3.4 gallons.
The bike is currently nekkid.

[STEPPENWOLF]

Forgot to mention a Windjammer faring with extra tall windshield and lowers in winter with Bagman soft saddle bags and a K&N air filter.

[oseaghdha]

Re: +1 at 120 miles

Originally posted by oseaghdha
I am getting about 39 +- 2 MPG mixed city/hwy.
So at 120 I fill up. Usually takes 3.4 gallons.
The bike is currently nekkid.

Hmmmm
That math don't work out, does it?
I did calculate it once or twice, and did get 39 and 40 ish.