Fuel tank capacity

Bear · Oct 18, 2020

Taking the tank of my twin-cam GS has made me wonder if I'm able to use the full capacity. As this from realoem shows https://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/sh...25-BMW-R_1200_GS_10_0450,0460_&diagId=16_0682 the tank has a low point on each side. There's no external balance pipe so is there an internal pipe so the fuel pump can pick up the last couple of litres? Also, are there any parts I need to buy in advance (gaskets, seals etc) if I decide to pull the fuel float out to try to set it's low point by gentle bending as there appears to be no calibration facility available.

botus · Oct 18, 2020

USA gallons are smaller than normal gallons....

its a 20 litre tank isn't it.... Since the free new fuel pump recall, mine runs out and stops with no fuel whilst still showing 11 miles to go. If yours has the trip computer... Wait till you're 20 miles to go, take a litre of petrol in a container and ride about within 5 miles of a fuel station (smoothly in a fairly upright boring manner, no mad acceleration or braking) and see what the range is at when it dies. Put the litre in the tank and ride like a cabbage to fill it up (and you should have 10 miles). Once at the petrol station fill it up and take off the amount you think you used. Then you know what range it stops at for future ref and what the size of the tank is when you fill it up..... Mine can easily get 2 litres more in on the side stand... when you patiently wait for it to settle before you keep pushing more in. And about 1 litre more after you brim it and keep trying on the centre stand.

But there's not much point, you can get 50 to 80 more mile out of a tank full by going slower. Ride 1000 miles across Europe at 60mph and miss every other fuel stop your mates need on their bikes doing 85mph and arrive at the same time with 200 quid more in your pocket and half your rear tyre left

Slipperyeel · Oct 20, 2020

botus said:
USA gallons are smaller than normal gallons....

its a 20 litre tank isn't it.... Since the free new fuel pump recall, mine runs out and stops with no fuel whilst still showing 11 miles to go. If yours has the trip computer... Wait till you're 20 miles to go, take a litre of petrol in a container and ride about within 5 miles of a fuel station (smoothly in a fairly upright boring manner, no mad acceleration or braking) and see what the range is at when it dies. Put the litre in the tank and ride like a cabbage to fill it up (and you should have 10 miles). Once at the petrol station fill it up and take off the amount you think you used. Then you know what range it stops at for future ref and what the size of the tank is when you fill it up..... Mine can easily get 2 litres more in on the side stand... when you patiently wait for it to settle before you keep pushing more in. And about 1 litre more after you brim it and keep trying on the centre stand.

But there's not much point, you can get 50 to 80 more mile out of a tank full by going slower. Ride 1000 miles across Europe at 60mph and miss every other fuel stop your mates need on their bikes doing 85mph and arrive at the same time with 200 quid more in your pocket and half your rear tyre left

Not quite sure you'd save £200

tho I like the idea! But you're about right with the usage, I mean 85 and above (with luggage) it starts to really drink the fuel.

But last week I got from Basel to Liege, via Pforzheim on one tank, and my average was around 77mph (down to about 45mph in the knotty/busy areas). And it was raining, windy ect. So not favourable. My gauge said 15 miles left.

I'm pretty impressed with that.

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Bear · Oct 20, 2020

I deliberately ran my tank dry with a full five litre can in the top box. Ignoring the amount used in the few miles between using the can and filling up the tank the capacity measured at 20.9 litres, which is a couple of litres down on my previous model although consistent with the stated capacity in the handbook. The range remaining went to zero 38 miles before it ran dry so I have two issues. The first is getting the range to show something like correctly and the second, which was the reason for my original question, is to determine whether I'm using the full capacity of the tank.

Slipperyeel · Oct 20, 2020

38 miles. I see what you mean!

Has your tank got the fuel strip or float? Or is this a control unit setting/calibration?

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Bear · Oct 20, 2020

It has to be a float as there aren't enough cables to be a strip. As best I can tell there's no calibration procedure for the float, although in it's defence it is at least reliable in the lies it tells me.

Bem · Oct 20, 2020

Have you made the extra hole in the filler neck, essentially to allow you to fill right up?
I seen to recall this gave almost two litres if you put it high enough.
Just remember to ride the twenty or so miles after fillup!

Doofus · Oct 23, 2020

botus said:
Ride 1000 miles across Europe at 60mph and miss every other fuel stop your mates need on their bikes doing 85mph and arrive at the same time

Only if it takes them over two hour to refuel...

Jersey_GS · Oct 24, 2020

I have the reverse issue mine says empty when there is 8-10 litres left, I changed the fuel strip and calibrated with a GS 911.
Its a GSA so usually i can get around 320 - 350 from a tank. I ran it to empty in the vein hope the "computer" might calibrate itself.
Anyhow im still runnig off the filled up tank as it takes weeks to empty with the amount of use the bike gets lately to see if my theory works.

botus · Oct 24, 2020

Doofus said:
Only if it takes them over two hour to refuel...

no, done it lots of times....

they wear themselves out and are half deaf, so have a 20 minute break each time on the 110 mile range junk, after getting 38 mpg, I've been just off tick over, no noise, no tiredness and get 240 out of a tankfull,... and I get home first, fresh as a daisy

Fuel tank capacity

Bear

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botus

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Slipperyeel

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Bear

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Slipperyeel

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Bear

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Bem

younger than some, older than others

Doofus

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Jersey_GS

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botus

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