found out the hard way..

[100thwindow]

So this morning I found out I get 37 miles after the low fuel light comes on. I walked about a mile and a half for gas, spilled gas on my tank and ruined my paint and I was late to work to top it all off. Does anyone know if letting my bike run out of gas have any ill effect.on my bike?

 

[snrusnak]

repeatedly yes it'll hurt the fuel pump, assuming it's an electric fuel pump(fuel injected).

 

[100thwindow]

Yeah its a 06 lightning ss. Its the first time and last time it has happened to me but I don't know about the previous owner. Thanks

 

[06xbss]

Only 37 miles.....?? What RPM were you at ??

I also have a 06XBSs and regularly go 20-30 miles after my light comes on, when I fill it up it only takes 3.5-3.7 gallons. Had to push my luck once and went almost 60 miles with the light on, still didn't run out.(kept it around 3k RPM after the light came on)

 

[100thwindow]

It was all highway miles going about 85 in fifth. I may need to remap my ecm. I have a modified exhaust and k & n filter

 

[06xbss]

ah.... 85mph would put you around 5000rpm. Even at 5000rpm I still get around 45mpg and I usally have around a gallon of gas left when my light comes on.(always wondered if something was wrong with my low fuel light)

I've always gotten great gas milage, not sure why or how. I generaly run between 3000rpm and 5000rpm and average 50mpg.(90% canyons)

I have the factory race muffler, race ECM and a K&N.

 

[CrazyTexan]

Happened to my brother, his light kicked on and in 5 mins dead on the road. I just always fill up after 120 miles.

 

[snrusnak]

Running the tank dry/low is bad on the pump because the fuel cools the pump. More fuel = more cooling. I know some never have an issue but the more fuel in there the better. I also usually just fill up ~100 miles or so. Usually don't ride in 100+ mile sprints anyway.

 

[100thwindow]

Yeah I usually do put gas within 10 miles of the light coming on but not this time. And I think my manual says I have .8 gallons left after the light comes on so I guess that should put me in the 45 50 mpg range.

 

[100thwindow]

Well more like 45

 

[raz65man]

I have pushed my 09 Ss 35 miles after the light came on. Kept it at 3k or less and it only took 4.2 gallons to fill up.
Raz

 

[Theycallmecrash]

Ok this is bothering me terribly. My bike runs great, power and reaponse are all there, even when im mellow and keep the bike in the rpm i get 35-40mpg my light on the dot everytime i swear no matter how i ride comes on at 107 miles. 08xb12r just an exhaust, the exhaust made no change in economy. Wtf!?!

 

[100thwindow]

Well as far as fuel capacity goes, the ss holds more fuel because our frames are bigger so the light comes on later. I think my light comes on around 125.

 

[Theycallmecrash]

Still guys are boasting 50mpg, why such a huge difference in economy?

 

[06xbss]

The Ss has a longer frame and holds 4.4 gallons of fuel. When I ran almost 60 miles after the light came on, it took 4.2 gallons to fill it up. When I fill up right after the light comes on it averages 3.5-3.6 gallons, so I guess it is coming on with .8 left in the tank. Slowed my pace down because of the cooler weather(cooler pavement+cooler tire temps=slick) and ran 198 miles on 3.1 gallons of gas.[confused]

Raz, ran it kinda close on yours. Still doing a little better then the op though.

Crash, low 100's sounds about right for your light coming on, since you have the smaller XB12R tank.(3.8gl, I think)

 

[06xbss]

Crash;
I think part of the reason I get such great mileage might be my altitude. Most of my riding is done in the 6000ft to 10,000ft range. With fuel injection, less air means less gas.

 

[snrusnak]

The biggest factor in fuel economy is the rider. Many people who claim low mpg like to cruise at 4000+ rpm. I usually cruise around 2,500-3,500 rpm, and get great mpg. That's even riding fairly hard I still get good mpg, just cruise easy.

 

[jriffe108]

2008 XB12SCG, Race Pipe, K&N, Lightly modded ECM, Breather re-route, Iridium plugs, 120 miles until low fuel light. That's approximately 3 gallons of fuel. Super unleaded 93 octane, Doesnt matter if its ambient air temp or 105 or 75. Easy cruising, max rpm 5000, always cruising 5th gear, average speed 65 mph. When bike was completely factory, 108 until low fuel light. 2008+ XB's MPG suck!!

 

[theMelvster6]

I have an '05 xb9sx, d&d pipe, k&n filter, open air box, race maps, breather reroute...doesn't really matter if i run 91 octane or 100 oct. unleaded race gas, i consistently get about 35 mpg around town and 40 mpg on highways. My gas tank is the 3.8 gal and my low fuel light comes one after i have consumed approx. 2.7 gal...leaving a gallon in the tank, which just so happens to be between 95 miles on weeks I sit in a lot of traffic or 110+ miles when i do a lot of open freeway riding. My AFV stays right around 99% with the 100 oct. race gas and 108% with 91 oct. gas. I cruise right around 3500 rpms when riding in town and about 4500 rpms @ about 80mph on the highways. I dunno, it seems my xb 9 likes to be ridden in those rpm ranges. And I am very content with my mpg...I could probably get better...BUT DAMMIT IT'S A BUELL and I LIKE TO HAVE FUN!!! Sure beats the hell outta my '98 Dodge Dakota pickup...Which costs me between $65-70 a week...where my BUELL costs me $15-20, I do a lot of riding! I love it that much!!