Cali 1400 Touring first steps-reserve range

[drbone641]

Ok, so I have been doing shakedown runs on the new to me 1400 Touring. First was wind management and I think the winglets helped that enough by moving the low pressure away from the rider. I have been been using an MRA movable airfoil, which has given me a smooth, albeit really hot, nice pocket of air for over 70 mph runs. Now, the fuel consumption issue. I have had the reserve warning light come on @ 109 miles (around town and hooligan riding), and yesterday @ 125 miles, which was a comfortable touring pace, lots of 6th gear. I pushed another 25 miles before fueling, but that is not going to be sufficient for a lot of the stretches out west. so...
How far have you pushed the reserve? Before you pushed the bike.
I am always worried that the 5.5 gallon promise is going to be a rude (but only 4.5 usable) wake up call on a lonely road.
I ran out of gas on my Multistrada, after getting my replacement tank lined due to the swelling, and learning that the 60 mile reserve had shrank to about 28 to be exact.
Thanks

[Sheepdog]

Carry a one gallon jug of fuel with you and drive til you run out. Note the mileage on your tripmeter, put that gallon of fuel in the tank, and go fill it up. Add the gallon of fuel you put in to your tank to the fill-up total and you'll have a rough idea of actual capacity. The noted tripmeter reading will give you approximate mileage/tank. It's sort've a pain in the neck, but it will give you data that you will use for the life of the bike. I don't ride a 1400, but I'd say that bike could easily travel 175 miles on a single tank...

[Kiwi Dave]

Carry a one gallon jug of fuel with you and drive til you run out. Note the mileage on your tripmeter, put that gallon of fuel in the tank, and go fill it up. Add the gallon of fuel you put in to your tank to the fill-up total and you'll have a rough idea of actual capacity. The noted tripmeter reading will give you approximate mileage/tank. It's sort've a pain in the neck, but it will give you data that you will use for the life of the bike. I don't ride a 1400, but I'd say that bike could easily travel 175 miles on a single tank...

Unfortunately, mileage will vary with conditions, so it will be no guarantee.  Continue to carry the separate fuel is also not a guarantee, as you might still be out of range of the next gas station.

I've had over 200 miles out of my Custom, riding in all over California on 91 octane.  But I found the mileage depends on ambient temperature, elevation, and to a lesser extent how active the throttle hand is.  I'm also not convinced that the mpg indicator is aware of the fuel consumed with spirited riding, as it appears to show better mileage when riding in this way.

[mjptexas]

Unfortunately, mileage will vary with conditions, so it will be no guarantee..... 

What he said...

Mileage is very dependent on riding conditions and speed.
- Around town mileage is abysmal - typically in the low 30s at best.
- Highway mileage below 70 mph is typically 42-45 mpg, barring a big headwind.
- Highway mileage above 70 mph will drop off as your speed increases.  Above 85 mph I usually see about 35 mpg.

Worst highway mileage I ever got was 27 mpg:  constant 90 mph into a 25-30 mph headwind.

I always have about 1.2 gallons in the tank with the light comes on (based on how much it takes to fill the tank).

I never worry about fuel until I get close to 170 miles on a tank.  I'm sure I could get 200 miles out of a tank if I was careful with my right wrist.

[stephenm]

I ran mine to empty once on purpose, with spare fuel on board, and once heading for fuel on a cold, dark and wet night (with spare fuel on board). Both times the bike had gone 75km from when the fuel light came on.

Stephen

[toaster404]

Mine: http://www.fuelly.com/motorcycle/moto_guzzi/california_1400_touring/2014/vtwinlaw/620915

Wind management - I have the bottom of the windshield shimmed out about 1/2" and the upper a bit less, plus a laminar lip.  Big homemade curvy lowers.

My mileage has steadily improved as the machine breaks in. 

Goes a long way after it starts screaming.  I recall putting over 4 gallons in only a very few times.  Have done 176 miles on a tank.  Fortunately, my back demands stops every couple of hours at the most.

[Kiwi Dave]

I ran mine to empty once on purpose, with spare fuel on board, and once heading for fuel on a cold, dark and wet night (with spare fuel on board). Both times the bike had gone 75km from when the fuel light came on.

Stephen

That's good to know.  My limit has always been 40 miles or 60 km.

[Bud]

     All of the above but I've only seen a bit over 40 mpg a couple of times. I figure reserve is 1.3 to 1.4 gallons If you look at the trip meter reading when the reserve light comes on and divide that by 4, that should be a safe distance before you run out.

[drbone641]

I have put about 3.5 gallons in it after riding 25 miles on reserve warning. Book says 5.5 gallons. I'm getting the feeling that some of that may not be usable fuel.

[Zoom Zoom]

As a general rule, I've been getting 42mpg out of mine. It does vary a bit but that would be the average. I did go 31 miles once after the light came on because a friend and I were trying to get to a car museum before they closed. Although I would like to, I have yet to carry some spare fuel and run out on purpose. Perhaps one of these days.

John Henry

[rocker59]

I have put about 3.5 gallons in it after riding 25 miles on reserve warning. Book says 5.5 gallons. I'm getting the feeling that some of that may not be usable fuel.

No.  Just a low fuel light that comes on early.  Common in Guzzis.

I've had several EFI Guzzis and they all seemed to light the low fuel indicator with about 3.8 gallons consumed, despite fuel tanks with 5.0 to 5.5 gallons.

[drbone641]

My Multistrada would go 70 miles after it came on. But now that I think of it t, that was right before I had it replaced for swelling. About two weeks after they had replaced the tank, I ran out, about 10
Miles south of Dahlonega, after 20+ miles. My main issue is I can do the math about mpg and capacity, it's the unusable fuel, that is my concern.

[drbone641]

Wanted to update, for the benefit of Cali 14 riders. I took a 1 gallon can of gas , and hit the Interstate. Reserve light came on at 106 miles, bike ran out of gas at 178. Pulled off, put my gal in and only 2 miles to exit. There, I stood the bike straight up and managed to squeeze in 4.12 gallons. So, according to my calcs, 5.1 gallons usable with only about .3 gal unusable. This was at an mpg of 35.9. Mixed riding so the mpg figure is a bit,(very small bit) lower than normal. Riding 72 miles with the reserve light on seems very wrong, but now I know.