Calvin Fuel Capacity

[JC85]

Does anyone know the real, practical fuel capacity of the Calvin? The specs say 5.02 gallons, but I've heard at least one owner say that it's far less. Closer to 3-3.5. so does anyone know for a fact what the actual capacity is?

[oldbike54]

 The total capacity is 5 gallons , the confusion comes about because the low fuel light comes on when there is 1.5 gallons left in the tank .

 Dusty

[JC85]

The total capacity is 5 gallons , the confusion comes about because the low fuel light comes on when there is 1.5 gallons left in the tank .

 Dusty

Ahhhh, gotcha. Makes sense! Thanks. I really didn't want to find out by trial and error and wind up sitting on the side of a road. 

[Ncdan]

I always went by mileage and not the light in any way. That being said, when the light came on I had about 1.5 gallons left in the tank.

[lazlokovacs]

I ran mine dry while carrying a spare jerry can once and posted the mileage on this site. Unfortunately, the post seems to have vanished and I don't have a record anywhere else. Definitely more than 5 US gallons though.

If desperate, you can also do some weird fuel swilling maneouvers once it's dry to get the fuel from the bottom of the tank over to the side where the pump is I think.

[Guzzistajohn]

My light comes on @ 130-135. I've ran with a 1/2 can to check but never finished the task. I will soon.

[oldbike54]

 Have ran out of gas twice in the last twenty years , both rimes on Highway 99 just South of the Kansas border in Oklahoma . It's like the Bermuda Triangle 

 Dusty

[Guzzistajohn]

Have ran out of gas twice in the last twenty years , both rimes on Highway 99 just South of the Kansas border in Oklahoma . It's like the Bermuda Triangle 

 Dusty

I did on the CX one time and coasted in to the pump. PREFECTION!

[Wayne Orwig]

I believe it is the same as the Cal 1100 / EV series.
Those are 4.7 gallons. And the low fuel light come on at 3.3 gallons used. Or 1.4 gallons left.
Trust me on that, I have drained it dry many times.
Part of the problem for me is that the stupid light would come on, and I know I have a good bit of miles left, so I tend to ignore the light. Until I and sitting by the side of the road empty.   
So when I replaced the fuel filter, I bent the fuel sensor. Now the light comes on at about 3.8 gallons used, and about 0.9 gallons remaining. As in, I get an extra 20 miles without the stupid light on, and when the light does come on, I can't ignore it.

I am sitting here beside the brochure that came with my 1994 California. It states 5.9 US gallons. That stranded me along the road a couple of times until I found that they had enlarged the airbox, shrinking the fuel tank by over a gallon. Bummer.

[nsmith]

My Calif Special light came on at @130 miles, unacceptable in South Dakota. Dumped the airbox had second tank rebuilt, bike runs with air pods. Now just over 7 gallons. Easy 200 miles to the light and another 100 miles before shoe leather.

[Robert]

Here is MY 2007 Calvin fuel tank capacity, on the center stand:

4.869 gallons to fill a completely empty tank after a fuel pump hose replacement.

4.753 gallons, and then 4.725 gallons to fill up when sputtering to make it to a filling station (I did have some gas with me, I did this twice on purpose.)

Also, I measured refill when low light came on to be 3.31 gallons.

Usable fuel of 4.73 or so, minus 3.31 at 'reserve light'  gives 1.4 gallons of reserve.

Note that fuel pumps, if calibrated, may have up to 0.5% error (not much).

And how full do you fill your tank?  Just to the bottom  of the internal neck, or finagle more into there?