accessory gas gauge?

[plexiform]

Wondering if anyone has tried to create a way to determine how much fuel you have remaining in your old airhead gas tank? Are there any aftermarket accessories for something like this?

[Jeff]

After awhile you just look at the trip gauge, you will know that at a certain mileage you will expect to need to flip the reserve levers. really all you need. This is sometimes better than a gauge.

[ChrisF]

When I had my /5, I took advantage of the center hump in the tank along with the connecting hose through the airbox:

1. I started out with the right petcock on, left off.
2. When the engine started to stumble, I turned on the left petcock. The gas level on the left side of the tank was higher than the level on the right due to the hump.
3. When the engine started to stumble again, the right petcock was set to reserve.
4. When the engine stared to stumble again, the left petcock went to reserve.
5. Fortunately, I never got to the point where the engine stumbled for a fourth time!

I never measured the amount of gas remaining after each step, but guessed it was about a half-gallon per step. I can tell you that my guesses were more accurate than the gas gauge on my '04 RT.

One potential problem with this procedure is having to remove a hand from the handlebar to turn the petcock more often. Depending on where I was, I would perform step 3 as soon as safely possible after step 2 to ensure throttle control.

[Braddog]

After awhile you just look at the trip gauge, you will know that at a certain mileage you will expect to need to flip the reserve levers. really all you need. This is sometimes better than a gauge.

In fact, my tripmeter/odometer didn't work for the first 4 years that I owned my RS. Since I used the bike mostly for commuting, I knew exactly when I could expect to hit reserve, and on what day to stop at the station on the way to work.

It's really all about getting to know your motorcycle.

Footnote: Odometer and tripmeter are fixed now, and yeah, I appreciate having this info.

[rinty]

I have never seen an aftermarket gas gauge for airheads, but fuel management for them is simple.

Chris's technique above is a good way of doing it. When I had my airhead RS, I would just use the trip meter, and start looking for fuel at about 250 km. The only exception would be if I had been running hard into strong headwinds, when I would start looking at about 225 km.

My bike would usually hit reserve at 300 km.

My oiler has a gas gauge and a bingo light, which are useful, but I still rely primarily on the trip meter.

Rinty

[Jamming]

When I had my /5, I took advantage of the center hump in the tank along with the connecting hose through the airbox:

1. I started out with the right petcock on, left off.
2. When the engine started to stumble, I turned on the left petcock. The gas level on the left side of the tank was higher than the level on the right due to the hump.
3. When the engine started to stumble again, the right petcock was set to reserve.
4. When the engine stared to stumble again, the left petcock went to reserve.
5. Fortunately, I never got to the point where the engine stumbled for a fourth time!

I never measured the amount of gas remaining after each step, but guessed it was about a half-gallon per step. I can tell you that my guesses were more accurate than the gas gauge on my '04 RT.

One potential problem with this procedure is having to remove a hand from the handlebar to turn the petcock more often. Depending on where I was, I would perform step 3 as soon as safely possible after step 2 to ensure throttle control.

Excactly what I did with my R100RS....

Roger

[RandallIsland]

It's really all about getting to know your motorcycle.
Once you push it a mile, you'll figure a way. :D

[Friedle]

Remember (one of ) the golden rule(s):

You can ride a bike farther in five minutes than you can push it ALL DAY LONG


I sometimes have up to 6 bikes in daily use. Gets confusing as to which bike has how much gas. Wife is getting very tired of bringing me the 2 gal gas can from the garage to save my ass....yet again.

To avoid domestic unpleasantness you might try writing down your mileage on the speedo face with a grease pencil when you fill up the tank. Total fuel range will be determined, for that particular bike, by caculating the average distance travelled for the last three times you ran out of gas on that bike.

Worked for me.

Friedle
sleeping back inside the house again :)

[plexiform]

Thanks chris for the detailed stepwise approach to fuel management. I will use that methodon my next trip and see how it goes. Thanks to everyoneelse for their input as well.