Low fuel warning light question

[TracyPrier]

Hi all

When I picked up my 1997 850 the owner mentioned that the low fuel light always came on very early.

Is this a known/common thing or what??

Does anyone else have this issue. I find it comes on at about 220km (140miles).

What IS the usual city-riding range of a tank on an 850?

Appreciate any help with this as I don't want to run out of fuel to find out the range but I also don't want to always topping up the tank

Thanks
Tracy

[The Meromorph]

Mine usually comes on with at least a gallon left (anywhere between 140 and 160, usually 140 or so). Working as designed.

[omg1010]

Tracy,

I ride the R1100R which is prety similar to the 850 but i suppose fuel consumption will be slightly higher (especially since my engine is tweaked ). Depending on my mood and my riding style the low fuel light turns on between 230 and 280 kms. I believe that is not very unusual.

Kind regards
Oliver

[sweatmark]

It's been 5+ years since my '96 R850R was sold, but I remember similar low fuel lamp illumination at about 150 miles. For ultimate miles/tank, I want to say 210 miles, but it's been a long time. FWIW, the R1100R, R1150R Roadster, and Rockster we've owned since the R850R have the same 150 miles fuel warning light; fuel tank miles has differed for each of these.

[babulin2002]

220 km sounds just about normal, mine '94 1100 is pretty much the same, 220-230 ( i usually look for a gas station at around 200 km so it's not often that the light actually comes on)
cheers!

[omg1010]

Yes but remember the bike would run much longer because the reserve is quite a lot. One would probably not run out of gas below 300 kms ...

Cheers
Oliver

[TracyPrier]

The previous owner said about the same, 300km. Thanks guys (Oliver) for the info.

Good to know there isn't an actual fault or anything.

I have to say though that it seems an odd level to set the warning light... I'd normally expect to get about 20-30 km past the light being solid on... important thing is that I know now

thanks again guys
Tracy

Yes but remember the bike would run much longer because the reserve is quite a lot. One would probably not run out of gas below 300 kms ...

Cheers
Oliver

[philbytx]

You will find it comes on earlier if it's on the side stand. Run it to 160 miles then top it up...you should find that it takes from 3.7 to 4.2 US. gallons

[TracyPrier]

Thanks, will do

[Edmundo Amado]

Hi, the gas light on my 2003 R850R turns on at about 220 kms, at first I thought it was a malfunction, thanks for the post...

[cycl2day]

What are u all getting for mileage? I recently puchased my 2002 R1150R and it seems to get around 36mph. That brings the low fuel light warning on around 140 miles (225km). Does this seem about right ??

[The Meromorph]

What are u all getting for mileage? I recently purchased my 2002 R1150R and it seems to get around 36mph. That brings the low fuel light warning on around 140 miles (225km). Does this seem about right ??

It's about right. A lot depends on riding style. I get about 40 - 42 mpg on my R1100R.
You might want to try a dose of Fuel Injector Cleaner. That improved my mileage by a couple or three. Use Techron or B12 Chemtool...

[philbytx]

I average around 42mpg. As high as 48 and as low as 38 when thrashing around.

Yesterday, the low fuel light came on at 158 miles and ended up with 178 miles showing when I filled up and put 4.16 gallons of 93 in the tank. This meant that the warning light came on with around 1 gallon left in the tank.
So the bike got 42mpg and this after some serious 70/80mph (PLUS!!) riding......!!!

This is better "balls out" MPG's than I received in the past (38). It may well be because I recently installed a new HES as the old one failed and also did a "quicky" TBS at the same time.
I am VERY pleased with the performance and fuel efficiency of the R now !!

[Weaze]

I just took a ride out of town last weekend and it was almost all 55mph back roads. I filled up on my way home and had averaged 49.8 mpg. Granted I was not riding it hard at all on the straights but still was very impressed that the bike did that good with full panniers + top case.

[myr1100r]

I'm getting 42 mpg as well on mix riding condition. Engine feels like new, 17777 kilometers on mileage meter.

[daytonaredeye]

My R1100R light comes on about 140 mi. I've stretched it out, when on an interstate with no exits in sight, to 170 once (yep, the low fuel light came on at 140 and I was getting worried) before topping off. I keep telling myself that I'm going to strap a gallon of gas on the back and see how far I can actually get out of a full topped off tank sometime but just haven't gotten around to it, so to speak.

[ICBMguy]

Just bought a new to me 2000 R11R. On the way to work the fuel light came on (about 160 mi) and so I stopped at the pumps before hitting the office. Getting 48 mpg on a bike that has 34K on it!

[decimus]

Just got back from a vacation ride in Colorado from Boulder to Glenwood Springs and back. Of course I avoided I-70, and rode Hwy. 285 down to Buena Vista, then up and over Hwy. 82 into Aspen (spectacular ride, especially with the leaves in full color this time of year.)
Normally I ride in and around Boulder (getting 35-40 mpg,) and I haven't taken a really long ride since putting in a new K&N high flow air filter. Anyhoo: I got 55mpg all the way there and back.
Could the new air filter make that much of a difference?

[The Meromorph]

Just got back from a vacation ride in Colorado from Boulder to Glenwood Springs and back. Of course I avoided I-70, and rode Hwy. 285 down to Buena Vista, then up and over Hwy. 82 into Aspen (spectacular ride, especially with the leaves in full color this time of year.)
Normally I ride in and around Boulder (getting 35-40 mpg,) and I haven't taken a really long ride since putting in a new K&N high flow air filter. Anyhoo: I got 55mpg all the way there and back.
Could the new air filter make that much of a difference?

No. The stock air filter can flow over twice what the engine ever needs...

[Redhawk4]

On the open roads, riding fairly hard and cruising at about 80 mph or so I get about 46 mpg. I've seen 50 mpg when taking it just a little steadier but still crusing 75-80 mph. I'm at altitude to 5,500 to 7,000 ft above sea level on most rides, I've always been impressed by how good my gas mileage is, particularly as I have real problems keeping my speed down - the bike just seems to want to go .

My fuel light seems to come on at about 170 - 180 miles or so. It will come on very early for a time on steep uphills or when I'm on my drive which is on a slope, but then go out again. A fuel gauge would have been a huge improvement IMO and have required very little for BMW to have fitted one.