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[jwygo]

I've just finished a 2100 mile trip to Teton-Yellowstone and back.  The 2008 is supposed to have a 6 gallon capacity.  Using the gauge and/or the 'r' miles to go on the LCD readout, I never put in more than 4.8 gallons.  The 4.8 gallon fillup was with the 'r' showing 'Lo'.   The low gas icon lit up almost every time at about 'r' = 25.

What's the deal?  I've read the manual and it's pretty clear I need to follow the gas gauge and the 'r = x' LCD.  If it says anything about their being a 1 gallon reserve, I can't find it. 

Ideas?

[hard10]

Do you really believe everything Harley tells you?

edited to add:
I'd venture to say that there's a big reserve. I'm sure some one else with more knowledge will chime in. (I don't need double secert probation again  )

[BaggerDave]

Perhaps r=25 means 25 miles until you are on Reserve?

[grc]

Since there is no actual reserve with the fuel injected bikes, it makes sense that the gauge would be set up to read a little low.  Better to think you're running on fumes when you really have a gallon left, than to have the opposite problem.  And btw, if you remember the carb bikes, reserve usually was 1.0-1.2 gallons. 

If you enjoy taking stuff apart and playing around, you can adjust the float to make the gauge read the way you want.  Just be aware that H-D isn't famous for supplying precision gauges; if you adjust it to read empty when it's sucking fumes, don't be surprised when you find yourself pushing the bike to the nearest gas station while the gauge shows 1/16 or 1/8 remaining.  In other words, be thankful your's reads low enough to prevent running out by accident.  Many of us had the opposite problem.

Jerry

[porthole]

Average your fuel mileage and reset your trip meter every fill up.

You can reset the fuel gauge, I had mine done at one of my dealership visits. I knew how much fuel was in the tank and I had them set the gauge to whatever I wanted at the time.

Worked great until the shop at another visit damaged my tank and had to replace it.

My bike, I am looking for fuel at 150 and I WANT fuel at 175. And that depends on the area. You don't want to go into the hills of North Carolina needing fuel.

[Piper]

I let mine run down to r=8.
Filled up with 5.1 gallons so I am thinking that when r=0 we should have about one gallon left.
Too sceered to let "r" go to negative numbers though, any takers wanna try it ?

[bunt]

Like those that have posted above I find the R- is to the reserve so you've a gallon when you hit r-0.
When I hit E it takes =or- 5 gallons.

[greglyon]

Makes sense that "R" stands for reserve and R=8 means 8 miles until you get to the 1 gallon +/- reserve. 
At fill up and then going about 65 with no head or tail wind, I ave about 42-44 MPG.  The gauge shows around 220 as the starting miles to reserve.  Add 42 for the reserve and you get 262 for the range at an ave MPG of 43.66 MPG.  I wish my butt had the same range.   

[wenchal]

I ususally fill up around r at 25 and put about 4.9 gal in. 

[08SEUltra]

I think I remember an early review of the '08 touring bikes which stated that the 6 gallon tank cannot be filled when the bike is on its sidestand -- only when it is upright.  Anybody else remember seeing such a review or having that experience?

[BaggerDave]

I think I remember an early review of the '08 touring bikes which stated that the 6 gallon tank cannot be filled when the bike is on its sidestand -- only when it is upright.  Anybody else remember seeing such a review or having that experience?

Get outa here! 

[DCC]

On mine, I usually can get 200-215 miles before the low fuel light comes on.  Depending on speed, I get around 40-45 MPG.  At the same time the low fuel light comes on, the r- shows up in the LCD and usually reads 35 to start.  That number varies and will go up or down depending on your speed.  In my case, the r- means "remaining miles until empty".  I've had the Lo show up once and took 5.6 gallons.  The thing that bugs me is the fuel gauge will show empty and still have around 2 gallons left.  I've had several Ultras and have never had an inaccurate fuel gauge,  They've always been real close.  I tend to also reset the trip and watch my MPG very closely.

D.
2008 FLHTCUSE3

[WFP]

On my 04 and again on my 06, the guage was pretty bad.  It would read full to half full while consuming 4 gallons.  Then the last 1.5 gals would drop the needle really quickly.

On the 08, the rate of decline  on the needle is comprable to the amount of fuel in the tank...but I also agree that it stays on E longer.  This weekend, I would say that, starting from full:

Gauge    Consumption
F:          full
3/4:       40 miles (~1.1 gals. consumed)
1/2:       100 miles (~2.6 gals. consumed)
1/4:       150 miles (~3.8 gals consumed)
E:          195 miles (5.1 gals consumed)

I am getting about 38 mpg average.

/Bill

 

On mine, I usually can get 200-215 miles before the low fuel light comes on.  Depending on speed, I get around 40-45 MPG.  At the same time the low fuel light comes on, the r- shows up in the LCD and usually reads 35 to start.  That number varies and will go up or down depending on your speed.  In my case, the r- means "remaining miles until empty".  I've had the Lo show up once and took 5.6 gallons.  The thing that bugs me is the fuel gauge will show empty and still have around 2 gallons left.  I've had several Ultras and have never had an inaccurate fuel gauge,  They've always been real close.  I tend to also reset the trip and watch my MPG very closely.

D.
2008 FLHTCUSE3

[56FLE]

On my 04 and again on my 06, the guage was pretty bad.  It would read full to half full while consuming 4 gallons.  Then the last 1.5 gals would drop the needle really quickly.

On the 08, the rate of decline  on the needle is comprable to the amount of fuel in the tank...but I also agree that it stays on E longer.  This weekend, I would say that, starting from full:

Gauge    Consumption
F:          full
3/4:       40 miles (~1.1 gals. consumed)
1/2:       100 miles (~2.6 gals. consumed)
1/4:       150 miles (~3.8 gals consumed)
E:          195 miles (5.1 gals consumed)

I am getting about 38 mpg average.

/Bill

 

Bill,

How many miles you have on the new bike now? How is it running?
My mpg seemed to get a little better after I got to about 5K.

[J-Carr]

The low fuel light is supposed to come on at approximately one gallon left.  The countdown on the LCD is supposed to be until empty.  On my bike it goes to "LO" on the LCD display and I can get about 5.9 gallons in the tank.  The guage goes to E at about 15 miles before the low fuel light comes on when I get about 5 gallons in the tank.

My guess is that you're encountering the "phoney full" experience.     Mine starts clicking off like its full at about 4.7 -4.9 gallons in the tank.  No matter how I hold the nozzle it will only run for a second and then click.  I pull the nozzel almost all the way out of the tank and do a quick pull on the handle over and over again.  If you try to just let the fuell flow in it will over flow.  If you do a quick pull and then let it settle and then repeat until it reaches all the way up to the top of the neck, right into the area where the cap seats you'll have a full six gallons in the tank. Of course you'll be the only one still at the pump because the last gallon took about 5 minutes to get in.

If you go to far and the gas is sitting in the neck where the cap site, just wiggle the bike left and right and it will settle in and go down enough to get the cap on without overflowing.

Hope that helps!

Ride Safe,
J-Carr