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Fuel Tank Size

23K views 19 replies 15 participants last post by  rosconey 
#1 ·
Another Item for discussion is the size of the Dyna Low Rider Fuel Tank. The book says 4.75 gallons. The weather here in San Antonio finally afforded me the opportunity to ride until the tank was empty. My Fuel light had been on since about 130 miles on this tank full. So it was up to 160 this morning and I decided to ride around south loop 1604 until it died. I first filled up a 1 Gallon container to take fuel with me for when it died. (I am not that dumb). At 179.9 miles on the trip meter, the bike finally died. I get about 45 mpg. So that would equate to 4 gallons used. I drove on and filled both the bike first and then refilled the 1 gallon container and pumped 4.3 gallons. For a total of 196.2 miles driven. That gave me 45.6 mpg. Why doesn't HD tell us that even though they rate the tank at 4.75 we can only use 3.9 to 4.0 gallons. I had the same problem on the 1200 Custom. Tank rated at 4.5 but you could only use up 4.1. I know why it happens but it isn't fair. The fuel filter and pump combination inside the tank takes up a bit of that space. In addition the fuel pump pickup point is not at the lowest part of the tank. That could easily be corrected with a hose inside the tank but it will never happen.
 
#2 ·
You could add a hose with a weighted end , to the pickup. But if you were to do that, you would also be sucking up water and trash ALL the time .

Just know apx how many miles you get to a fill up, and go from there . :)
 
#5 · (Edited)
Kainam when the light goes ON for fueling that means that you are on "reserve" ...
 
#7 ·
Kainam whe the light goes ON for fueling that means that you are on "reserve" ...
I don't really think of the light as a reserve. More like, if you don't get gas, you'll be carrying your ass by foot soon.

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#6 ·
Right. That is different than the carbed bikes that you have to physically move the lever to go from the main tank to the reserve.
 
#8 ·
That's just one of the reasons I like my old 02 W/G with a carb.
Rather that relying on an idiot light !
Book says my tank holds 5.2 gallons of which 1.2 is the reserve and that's pretty darn close to what it actually is . Even the fuel gauge is pretty accurate .
 
#10 ·
My gas gauge ain't worth sh*t. I may as well just tape over it. The only thing really reliable is re-setting a trip odometer to 0 when I fill up. I did think the "r miles" was decent but last week I found out different. Don't usually get too low before I fill up but I was coming back from getting a cup of coffee 50 miles from home and I thought I could make it to my regular gas stop. And I did make it, but, there I was a few miles away, the low fuel light had been on for a bit and then the mileage countdown on the "r miles" screen started out at 30. Then 29, 28, so forth and so on. Was at a red light waiting to turn left and the countdown was at 19. As soon as I turned left the 19 immediately went to 10. 2 blocks later I made another left turn and the damn 10 disappeared! It just said "low". Well, no sh*t Sherlock. A mile and a half later I was filling up, put 5.6 gallons in my 6 gallon tank.
 
#13 ·
We have our own systems for "not walking arround and try to find the gas station". After my light goes ON than I have to refuel on first gas station with out thinking to go further :) For me it works :)
 
#16 ·
Yea, I am used to setting the trip meter upon fill-ups. But I was really wanting to know how far I can go before the pump quits sucking up the gas. I filled up today on the way home with idiot light on for a while. 144.6 miles and 3.3 gallons to fill it. I just don't like the fact that 3.3 of 4.75 and the light was on for a while. Because on the Dyna Low the idiot light is not in your vision of sight being on the tank so you don't see it right away. And I like to keep the gage showing what gear I'm in, not trip A & B, odometer, R or time. But it will show LO automatically over-riding all the others.
 
#17 ·
Really you can't just rely on your odometer , especially if your the type that likes to ride hard and fast a lot . Takin it slow & easy you can probably get around 45 MPG but if your like me I tend to get bored easily and have to nail it a lot which will change your MPG to around 25 to 30 . So if you odometer is reading 100/125 miles & you are beliving you have an easy 45 to go till push time your already screwed .
 
#19 ·
Been there did that. FYI if your bike dies while traveling at a high rate of speed, coast to the side, lean her over on the jiffy. Hit it, see how far you can go. 4.9 on a 5 gallon. EFI
 
#18 ·
I find the gauge on my 2013 SuperGlide to be fairly accurate. Mine hold 5 gallons according to the specs. I've put 4.5 gallons in mine when it said I was completely out of miles to go. The gauge on top of the tank is decent for a quick reference only. It typically reads you have less fuel than what you really have
 
#20 ·
i have no fuel gauge- removed it ti install my tri-bar spinner caps

did 170 miles yesterday and it took 3.3 gallons to fill it - did the same on the way home and didnt worry about running out

i have a 103 with 48h cams and spend a bit of my riding twisting the heck out of the throttle
 
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