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[Layin the Pipe]

Thanks to whoever merged this for me. The other first I had today was hearing the rear cylinder shut off and start pumping air when it got hot. Sounded like whump whump whump whump.

[grc]

Someone mentioned this in another topic, just didn't feel like looking for it. Last three days I've ridden to work, about 100 miles round trip. Filled up before I came home yesterday and rode through some pretty rough wind. Today I leave the office with about half a tank and decided to take the scenic route through Rolling Hills and Glen Rock, Wyoming (beautiful country but windy). As I'm coming into Casper the bike just quits. I look down at the mileage to empty and there is like 45 miles left. Downshift and I'm good to go. Does this like four times. I finally died about 200 yards away from the gas station. Fortunately it cranked right back up and I made it to the pump. Definitely a pucker factor of like 15 on a scale of 1 to 10. Once your gauge goes down to 1 bar or you are 75 to 100 miles to empty, stop and get some fuel.

I suppose you could let Harley off the hook and just fill up when the gauge shows plenty of fuel remaining, but you really should insist the MoCo fix the gauge.  The argument could be made that having a bike run out of fuel and quit running while cruising down the road (while the gauge shows plenty of fuel remaining) is a safety related defect, just like stalling for any other reason.  Sounds like a typical Harley fuel gauge btw, plus or minus a gallon or two. As long as folks keep accepting this crap, Harley will never take their fuel gauges seriously.  There is no excuse in this day and age for inaccurate gauges.

Jerry

[Dobeman2000]

I will be taking mine in at some point this spring

I suppose you could let Harley off the hook and just fill up when the gauge shows plenty of fuel remaining, but you really should insist the MoCo fix the gauge.  The argument could be made that having a bike run out of fuel and quit running while cruising down the road (while the gauge shows plenty of fuel remaining) is a safety related defect, just like stalling for any other reason.  Sounds like a typical Harley fuel gauge btw, plus or minus a gallon or two. As long as folks keep accepting this crap, Harley will never take their fuel gauges seriously.  There is no excuse in this day and age for inaccurate gauges.

Jerry

[89Speedy]

Was out on the new bike yesterday and noticed I had what looked to be a little less than 1/4 of a tank (what my assumption was based on the digital guage).  The fuel light comes on and I start losing power in 6th gear, downshift to 5th, start losing power there after about 1/2 mile.  Long story short, I just made it to the gas station and put almost a full 5 gallons in the tank- so I don't know if there is a fuel gauge issue or what, but I will be watching the milage from here on out and not just the fuel guage.  Let me know if any of you have experienced similar issues with your Breakouts.

Interesting, I have had that loss of power twice on different rides when running low on gas. Guess I won't be doing that anymore.

[OXMP]

Hey fellow Break Out owners! What an awesome bike hey? I took delivery of mine 3 weeks ago here in South Africa ...and on my first ride when fuel was low (40Ks to go) mine also cut out and then restarted once I stopped and switched off and restarted. I returned it to the local dealer (Big 5 Nelspruit) and they reset the electronics (whatever that means). Again today while out riding and fuel warning on with 40Ks to go on the tank same issue .... cut out 2x before I got to refuel and I had 2 litres left in the tank ... so cant be a gauge problem surely if theres fuel remaining. I was however cruising at 100 miles per hour on both occasions when the engine cut out .. so wondering if the g-forces are not pushing the fuel into the rear of the tank?? Great to find though that I'm not the only BreakOut owner suffering these frustrations ...

[Z06_Pilot]

Hey fellow Break Out owners! What an awesome bike hey? I took delivery of mine 3 weeks ago here in South Africa ...and on my first ride when fuel was low (40Ks to go) mine also cut out and then restarted once I stopped and switched off and restarted. I returned it to the local dealer (Big 5 Nelspruit) and they reset the electronics (whatever that means). Again today while out riding and fuel warning on with 40Ks to go on the tank same issue .... cut out 2x before I got to refuel and I had 2 litres left in the tank ... so cant be a gauge problem surely if theres fuel remaining. I was however cruising at 100 miles per hour on both occasions when the engine cut out .. so wondering if the g-forces are not pushing the fuel into the rear of the tank?? Great to find though that I'm not the only BreakOut owner suffering these frustrations ...

OXMP, Welcome!

I think you may win the prize for taking delivery furthest away from the factory   

[G_Fend]

Wlecome, OXMP!  I've added you to the map!

[OXMP]

Hey guys thanks for the welcome ... Its quite a story how I ended up with the BreakOut having ordered it in October 2012 and then having my deposit returned and being told H-D Motor Co. had pulled back on the dealer allocations, etc, etc. I was at Warrs London last weekend and they havent seen a Break out yet ! So yes I do feel priveleged to be part of this CVO Breakout club! I have enjoyed reading up on the various topics posted as well, especially on the V&N pipes and tuners. I definitely need more sound as I have a 99 FX-DWG with V&N pipes that has been cammed up and it makes a stunning sound ... so that will be my next accessory if we can get stock to South Africa. Cheers !

[hdaliaconis]

Don't trust any of the H-D fuel gauges.  I personally believe they are there to keep the RUBS happy.  Start resetting one of your trip odometers each time you fill up and take note of the millage between fill-ups.  Eventually you will determine when you should start looking for a gas station or how many mile you have before needing to refuel.  I always leave the odometer on the trip meter that tracks my distance between fill ups.  The shape of the teardrop gas tank is not conducive to an accurate fuel gauge reading.  JMO.   

[Z06_Pilot]

Don't trust any of the H-D fuel gauges.  I personally believe they are there to keep the RUBS happy.  Start resetting one of your trip odometers each time you fill up and take note of the millage between fill-ups.  Eventually you will determine when you should start looking for a gas station or how many mile you have before needing to refuel.  I always leave the odometer on the trip meter that tracks my distance between fill ups.  The shape of the teardrop gas tank is not conducive to an accurate fuel gauge reading.  JMO.  

Good advice!  Although I have not experienced this on my CVO, we have had 3 V-Rods, and every one of them has experienced various severities of the infamous V-Rod gas guage problem.  11 years that bike has been out, and I rented a 2013 Muscle while on vacation 3 weeks ago....brand new bike....every time the tank got to 1/3 full, the gauge dropped to flatline and the fuel light came on, even though I knew there were ~60 miles left in the tank.

So, by habit from that experience, as hdaliaconis suggested, I reset the trip odom at every fill up and i know how far I can go on each bike in case the problem happens.

It's not a major deal, but how, how can the MoCo not get a niggle as simple as this right?

Just as an aside, my wife started on a 2008 Sporty before moving to V-Rods.  That bike did NOT come with a fuel guage....nope, not on the tank, not on the digital readout....no gauge...in 2008....wow

[hdaliaconis]

Good advice!  Although I have not experienced this on my CVO, we have had 3 V-Rods, and every one of them has experienced various severities of the infamous V-Rod gas guage problem.  11 years that bike has been out, and I rented a 2013 Muscle while on vacation 3 weeks ago....brand new bike....every time the tank got to 1/3 full, the gauge dropped to flatline and the fuel light came on, even though I knew there were ~60 miles left in the tank.

So, by habit from that experience, as hdaliaconis suggested, I reset the trip odom at every fill up and i know how far I can go on each bike in case the problem happens.

It's not a major deal, but how, how can the MoCo not get a niggle as simple as this right?

Just as an aside, my wife started on a 2008 Sporty before moving to V-Rods.  That bike did NOT come with a fuel guage....nope, not on the tank, not on the digital readout....no gauge...in 2008....wow

Not trying to show my age but at one time non of the bikes had fuel gauges.  Just a reserve valve on the front of the tank that you pulled up to go to reserve.  I just never got out of the habit of using mileage.  But that doesn't excuse the inaccurate fuel gauges.   

[Willie D]

Not trying to show my age but at one time non of the bikes had fuel gauges.  Just a reserve valve on the front of the tank that you pulled up to go to reserve.  I just never got out of the habit of using mileage.  But that doesn't excuse the inaccurate fuel gauges.   

"A" trip is the safest way, and looking back on the bikes I've had, I would much prefer a reserve lever, unless of course you forget to switch it back after A Fill and then run empty. . . . . 

Glad to hear the BO is making a splash.

WD

[grc]

As long as you always fill the tank exactly the same, and ride under the exact same conditions with the same fuel, and don't vary from those things, then the 1950's tripmeter method might be OK.  Only thing is, back when that was the only method available we also had that handy dandy 1 gallon reserve on the petcock so if we didn't remember to reset the tripmeter, or didn't get the tank completely filled, or rode hard into a headwind so our tripmeter method was way off, we still didn't run out of gas because we had the reserve.  OK, now lets move to the modern fuel injected era.  There is no reserve fuel supply, so if your estimation using the tripmeter is off you could easily be either pushing your 700-900 pound bike down the side of the road, or sitting on the side of the road waiting for a road service truck with a can of gas.  Not so romantic or fun these days, is it?

Get the gauge fixed.  There is no excuse for an inaccurate gauge, and just because it's a motorcycle doesn't make an accurate gauge impossible to achieve.  As I said before, as long as the majority of Harley riders let Harley screw them over on this issue, Harley will be more than happy to let things go along just as they are.  If your dealer says it can't be fixed or adjusted, tell them they are FOS and then contact the MoCo.  File a complaint on the NHTSA website, since it's a safety related defect.  Raise a little hell.  If enough of you do it, something will change.

Jerry

[kb1]

just yesterday i rode out heading for fuel station as my light was on but stated i had 53kms to go before nothing left , hit 3rd gear and it started missing i was out of fuel , i agree this is not acceptable , yes the gauge was low and yes i needed fuel but 53 kms is a fair way , enough to get the higher quality juice from  a decent servo.

[hdaliaconis]

As long as you always fill the tank exactly the same, and ride under the exact same conditions with the same fuel, and don't vary from those things, then the 1950's tripmeter method might be OK.  Only thing is, back when that was the only method available we also had that handy dandy 1 gallon reserve on the petcock so if we didn't remember to reset the tripmeter, or didn't get the tank completely filled, or rode hard into a headwind so our tripmeter method was way off, we still didn't run out of gas because we had the reserve.  OK, now lets move to the modern fuel injected era.  There is no reserve fuel supply, so if your estimation using the tripmeter is off you could easily be either pushing your 700-900 pound bike down the side of the road, or sitting on the side of the road waiting for a road service truck with a can of gas.  Not so romantic or fun these days, is it?

Get the gauge fixed.  There is no excuse for an inaccurate gauge, and just because it's a motorcycle doesn't make an accurate gauge impossible to achieve.  As I said before, as long as the majority of Harley riders let Harley screw them over on this issue, Harley will be more than happy to let things go along just as they are.  If your dealer says it can't be fixed or adjusted, tell them they are FOS and then contact the MoCo.  File a complaint on the NHTSA website, since it's a safety related defect.  Raise a little hell.  If enough of you do it, something will change.

Jerry

There's more to it than just the gauge.