fuel issues

[Sawyer]

Hi There

I recently purchased a 2005 xb9sx city x, I was under the impression that you get roughly 50 - 65mpg and the tank holds 3.75g.

Although I havent ridden through the reserve yet the fuel light comes on after about only 120 miles. I was expecting the light to come on nearer 150 miles or more?

anyone else with a city x have the same problem.

thanks in advance - Andy

[mrdozer2you]

You will get closer to 40 mpg depending on how you ride. So 120 miles is just about right. I have the xb12ss and mine hasnt come on at 120 but then again thats about when I fill up.

[Sawyer]

Hi

I think I've been confusing U.S and U.K Gallons, there is quite a big difference. I filled the tank to the brim last night as soon as the fuel light come on and got in 10.38litres (2.28g). The city x can hold 14.5L (3.19g) and 2.8L (0.62g) in the reserve which is a total of 17.3L (3.81g) so the numbers seem to indicate that I can go for another litre or so before I even hit the reserve. I guess I'll just have to run it dry one day to know for sure.

By the way, very useful site
Thanks for the reply - Andy

[HOVERJOCKI]

I've been having issues with this on my 12S. It's supposed to hold 3.7 gals and the book says the light comes on at .7. Simple maths before i start using up the reserve i should be putting 3 gals in but i'm only getting 2.6, so going to have a word with the Harley dealer to see if the sensor needs recalibrating.
Will let you know what they say.
Justin

[NOMORE4s4ME]

My 12s is the same way. I get a little over 2.5 galons in after I hit the res. light. Let me know what those guys say.

[Sawyer]

Am I right in thinking that the fuel light comes on just to indicate low fuel, and not to tell you its started on the reserve?

Andy

[HOVERJOCKI]

Says in the book that it comes one when it hits the .7 of the 3.7 it's supposed to hold which i understand to be the reserve..... unless i read it wrong.
Justin

[PatrickMitchell]

I have an 07 City X. I get 40-50 MPG, depending on how hard I push it... I'm getting between 125 and 135 miles out of a tank, before the low fuel light comes on.

[HOVERJOCKI]

I'm getting the same, but it doesn't make sense...to me anyway.....light comes on when the fuel gets to .7 from 3.7...makes sense that i should be filling up with at least 3 gallons but only getting 2.5 to 2.8 depending on how far past i ride when the light comes on.

Justin

[HOVERJOCKI]

OK.
Went and spoke to the Harley people and asked about this little issue.
Apparently this seems to be the norm, the sensor triggers early for some reason and you can not adjust it so you can probably get another 30 to 45 miles on the actual reserve once the light comes on but this is just a guesstimate.
Still tempted to get one of those gallon gas cans and run this thing dry just out of morbid curiosity to see how far it will go.
Justin

[LeFox]

it's triggered early cause running the bike dry would cause damage to the injection.

[Strathclyder]

My new XB12Ss has done nearly 2000 miles now and from the start I regularly got 12 to 13 miles per litre depending on how hard it was ridden. The fuel light liiluminates dimly after 120 - 130 mi (ie after using about 10 litres) but then goes off until around 150 mi when the fuel trip starts operating. On a 160 plus mi fast run today the fuel trip came on after 168 mi! Refuelling with 12.4 litres confirmed the claimed capacity of about 16 litres. So my bike seems to be as per specification. Great bike, great handling and great sound - even with stock parts!

[midlifecrisis]

I've got an 06 XB12R with 1948 miles on her. I've never gotten the low fuel light to come on ,I'm a Journeyman Machinist/Tool and Die so my math is pretty good, and I've averaged about 48 MPG. I'm a sensible 40 year old who doesn't do burnouts, stoppies or ride around on my rear wheel, but I do thrash the beast more than half the time (close to redline quite often) so I'm pretty damn satisfied with my mileage. I own a V-10 Ford 15 passenger van that gets 7 MPG city so it's all relative but guys I know with the latest offerings from 4 cyl/4 valve land are pretty jealous of my enviromentally friendly 50 MPG sportbike.