Accuracy of fuel gauge (available fuel)

v8-7 said:

Are you getting 3 bars on the engine temp gauge ?

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T_C said:

3 bars on the temperature gauge?

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Two different folks asking if I have 3 bars on the temp gauge ... do I now have some other STead anomaly?

But yes, today with 72*F ambient temp, 24% humidity (a rarity here in Houston area), I'm showing 3 temp bars: a combination of 50mph stretches and with an occasional stop-light, about 15-20 miles total.

I now show 49 miles ridden, with 2 gas gauge bars missing (3 on the side-stand).

BakerBoy said:

I see several things...

• Looks to me your ground wires are bent in unusual ways, possibly pressing into that hose when the tank is lowered

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Actually, one of those ground wires was broken off - looks like the connector is a "two-wires to one connector" style.
Last night, I soldered a new ring connector on - not sure which ground wire it was for.

BakerBoy said:

• It looks like there's something else (another hose?) below that fuel hose. There should be nothing pressing on that large hose.

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Could be the angle of the camera (?)

BakerBoy said:

• It looks like the fuel hose was installed with a twist--it can't help but kink when the tank is raised.

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Quite possible. Here's a shot with the tank down ... hose is still crimped:

BakerBoy said:

I also wonder if the tank air equalization lines (tank-to-tank vent) and vapor line to the evap canister drain hoses are connected properly on the underside of the tank. See my pic below to see proper connection.

I'd replace that large hose and clamps if it were mine.

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Thanks for the comparison photo - I obviously need to check all hose routes.
And I will change out the top-to-bottom tank hose.

3 bars is good. But besides having a potential fuel line pinched you may have another issue. Gas mileage is way down unless you pull lots of wheelies.

The reason why so many others are asking if you see three bars on the coolant temp gauge is because, you guessed it, there is a common problem with this bike and that is having a stuck open thermostat. One of the common side effects with this issue is decreased fuel mileage especially in colder weather and if you take relatively short trips. Even if you have a stuck open thermostat, you will still reach three bars on the temp gauge if you're running it above 70 deg F which is why you usually don't see complaints showing up here in the forum until we move into the colder seasons. If you manage to get out for a ride when its 50 deg or so, pay attention to the temp gauge, it should only take about 1-2 miles to reach three bars...

caldercay said:

I was running through "exit loops" like this: http://goo.gl/maps/pg3T1 (about 40 MPH).

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You probably already know about these roads but if not, here is a much more enjoyable place to scrub in those tires to the N & NW of Houston. Best enjoyed on an early Sunday morning:

Houston & back via NW route

Your tires will be nice and scrubbed in well before you finish this ride.

Blrfl said:

45-50 seems about right for what you should see when you hit one bar.

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I filled up once just 2 or 3 miles after I got that one blinking bar. I put in 6.1 gallons to fill. If you assume a 7.5 gallon (effective) tank, that's 1.4 gallons remaining. STWiki says 1.32 so that figure is in the right ball park. A slightly less effective tank size than 7.5 would get it to the 1.32 gallons. At any rate, 1.32 gallons should give you about 55 miles to find a gas station under normal circumstances.

Mick said:

You probably already know about these roads but if not, here is a much more enjoyable place to scrub in those tires to the N & NW of Houston. Best enjoyed on an early Sunday morning:

Houston & back via NW route

Your tires will be nice and scrubbed in well before you finish this ride.

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Thanks Mick ... We've been trying to ride a similar route (with lunch in Burton as a milestone).
* First weekend - blowout on rear tire (just before a switchback!) 1/2 way into the ride
* Second weekend - cold front with rain 1/2 way into the ride
* Third weekend - extreme winds increasing (30+ side-winds) as we rode

We're convinced we're not supposed to do that ride

caldercay said:

Thanks Mick ... We've been trying to ride a similar route (with lunch in Burton as a milestone).
* First weekend - blowout on rear tire (just before a switchback!) 1/2 way into the ride
* Second weekend - cold front with rain 1/2 way into the ride
* Third weekend - extreme winds increasing (30+ side-winds) as we rode

We're convinced we're not supposed to do that ride

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Yeah, this has been one of the most cool, windy, springs I can remember down here. The wind I could especially do without.

New connecting hose comparison ... Re: Accuracy of fuel gauge (available fuel)

Okay folks ... you're not gonna believe this. I disconnected everything from the upper tank and took it off.
Here's the hose that was connecting the two tanks, alongside an official Honda hose.

Unbelievable, isn't it? No way in heck that installed hose is for this bike (oddly, the IDs on each end are different as they should be):

It could be an OEM hose sourced from a different vendor?

Well that should make a huge difference in the fuel getting to the lower tank. Looks like someone just put a straight hose on where there should be a molded hose.

st1300r said:

It could be an OEM hose sourced from a different vendor?

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Yes, it could be an OEM hose, for *another* bike. If I squeeze where it's crimped at the extreme ends, it's obvious the original was a straight hose.

970mike said:

Well that should make a huge difference in the fuel getting to the lower tank. Looks like someone just put a straight hose on where there should be a molded hose.

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Yep ... my thought is the original owner got stuck somewhere and that hose failed, and out of desperation, found a hose approximating the factory hose.
I can't imagine someone would replace that hose with that straight one, on purpose, as a permanent solution.

Last week, my fuel gauge went from 2 bars to blinking, at which point I reset the trip meter as usual. Later that day it went back to two bars. Figuring it was a glitch, I just kept riding ( my usual commutes around town). I had lost track of my total tank mileage due to various trip resets. Next day, the gauge went to blinking again....so I headed for a gas station, with the gauge showing 30 miles available. Splutter, cough, dead bike. Fortunately on a back street and four blocks from said gas station.
Is this probably a bad sensor?
Thanks. Love this forum!
Dave in Brooklyn

flamingkilt said:

Later that day it went back to two bars.

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If the thermistor gets splashed with fuel it will reset and thinks it has more.
I have found that leaning over in a round-about is enough to get it to re-wet.