Filling up my 06RT (please tell me I an not nuts)!

[birglte]

Hi All,

Recently swapped my '02 1150RT for a brand new spankin' 06 1200RT and I think I am going a little bit when I pull up to the pump.

On my old RT I used to crank out about 220 miles before each fillup. Pumped in about 5 gallons or so. I was able to fill that tank up to the rim(and yes it was on the center stand). Was driving home from work on my 06 last night. Left work with about 100 miles till empty. I usually fill up in Jersey(I pay the same price from premium I do in Jersey compared to regular in NY) but I had a appointment I had to get to. Got to my appointment drove about 20 miles. During the ride my warning light came on and about 80 miles or so left. After I left my appointment I was down to 60 miles on display. Started riding home(about 35 miles to get there) but I was dropping miles left in tank pretty quickly. I dialed up the GPS to find the nearest station. By the time I got to the station (about 7 miles down the road) the display read 20 miles left(half a gal). Filled her up and I just barely broke the 5 gal mark. Gas guage was down to about 1/8 left in the tank (almost a gallon).

So now I am totally confused...

I am only putting the same amount of gas of my 06 as in my 02 even thought the 06 has a gallon increase in capacity. Does that little "pipe" leave room in the top of the tank? I know on my 02 if I filled it up with the bike on the center stand I was able to get almost a gallon more in it compared to on the side stand. I always put the bike on the center stand to fill it. Somehow I am missing a gallon of gas.

Does the computer read miles tilt reserve or miles till the tank is empty? I never ran the bike that low on gas before. That little yellow triangle kept flashing at me and I didn't feel like getting stranded. I would love to read about the computer but I don't have the manual yet...good ole BMW shipped a bike with everything but the manual.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Ted :dunno

[hlothery]

This has been discussed in other threads for the 2005 RT, I don't know if the 2006 is the same, but I would assume so. For the 05, the computer reads empty as when the reserve starts. So it always appears you are running out prior to when you actually are. One individual, last year, I think, actually took a gallon of gas with him and drove until he ran out. It was long after the computer told him he was going to, and the refill worked out to be almost the 7 gallons BMW advertises. I don't remember the title of the thread, but there was a long discussion on this right after the 05 RTs came out.

[TomfromMD]

MCN magazine noted this in their road test last year although a few folks have claimed to be able to pump 7 gallons with the miles to empty reading at about minus 40 or so! Best I've done is 5.5 gal. by repeatedly topping off the tank to about an inch below the top of the filler neck. At that point the reserve warning had been on for 30 miles and the OBC read 20 miles to empty. Apparently, the reserve is about two gallons, not one and is usable if you're willing to ride with the damn light flashing for 100 miles or so!

[username]

it also sounds like the "miles to empty" calculator is screwy? the OP made it sound like the calculator told him he had 80 miles, and then while he was inside talking to people, that number dropped to 60 miles, but the bike was just sitting.

[PacWestGS]

FAIK if the computer thingy is anything like the one in my Bimmer it has an awful lot to do with your right hand (foot in my case). It knows how much fuel it has left before running out. If you are heavy on the throttle (sucking) it will keep changing the distance down until empty. If you are light on the throttle or cruising it will keep going and going and going until it runs out. Slowly decreasing the miles left or adding them back.

I don't have a computer on my '02 GS, but the fumes went 65 extra miles one night after the last bar went away. The idiot light was on for over 100 and I don't get 100MPG. Angles were smiling down on me, because there wasn't a gas station to be found.

[BobMielke]

There's a rubber sleeve/bushing in the gas filler cap that needs to be removed. Just stick your finger down the pipe and pull it straight out. This will allow you to get more gas in the tank. I've emptied my 05 RT going 40 miles beyond "-----". I put in 7 gallons with a total range of 365 miles on the tank. I've repeated this a number of times. You can always replace the bushing at any time. Doc's right, this has been discussed a dozen times but now you've heard it "One More Time".

[TomfromMD]

it also sounds like the "miles to empty" calculator is screwy? the OP made it sound like the calculator told him he had 80 miles, and then while he was inside talking to people, that number dropped to 60 miles, but the bike was just sitting.

The countdown has been (consistently) non-linear on the 3 BMW autos I've owned as well as my RT. ON the RT, it is about 20~30 miles high when full, and pretty accurate from about 200 down to 100 miles remaining. But after that it drops much faster - sometimes going from 80 to 50 in just 5 miles! It usually reads about 80~90 when the reserve light comes on (I average 50 mpg) and is pretty much useless after that.

[stealthrider]

it has an awful lot to do with your right hand (foot in my case). It knows how much fuel it has left before running out. If you are heavy on the throttle (sucking) it will keep changing the distance down until empty. If you are light on the throttle or cruising it will keep going and going and going until it runs out. Slowly decreasing the miles left or adding them back.

I agree on this. I thought I was going crazy (still debatable) when I first got my RT.. But after having it awhile I've noticed the miles left does depend greatly on how you're riding. The harder you’re on the throttle the faster the miles will tick away. I've taken mine down right to 0 miles and it took 6 gals. to fill.. So my conclusion is it counts down to reserve...

just my .02