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| Seeing the bike was a BMW, I'm really surprised that the BMW factory didn't tell this guy it was HIS fault. Anyway...he has a tripmeter, too...but for the money he paid, EVERYTHING should work....accurately, too! I have both a fuel gauge and a tripmeter. The gauge itself seems to be 1/8 tank off (full tank = ALMOST full on the thing), so it is a handy REFERENCE, nothing more. My re-settable trip meter is what I use for any accuracy. It's always been that way since my 1971 Honda 450. All this talk about fuel pumps...and burning them out....and the absence of pet-cocks, and no reserve.....boy, am I glad I have a pre-historic (21 year old) motorcycle with gravity feed (never fails), carburator (I can fix the thing without a 500 dollar computer hookup), I have a petcock and 1/2 gallon "reserve". All the things that give me, at least the IMPRESSION that I'm in charge....not some electronic gizmo. And that, to me, is what motorcycling is all about. Could be that's also why the Honda and Motoguzzi automatic transmission versions never sold well and were discontinued after only 2-3 model years.
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Maybe just me but I tend to add up the numbers on a map and say next gas 150 miles even if I have a 240 mile range riding the speed limit. If I stay in a town for the night after riding 16-18 hours the day before and that last tank I only used 30 miles of the gas I still top it off in the morning. No matter cage or motorcycle it gets topped off before the beginning of the day. 2001 FZ1 had a hidden petcock, no access but it did technically have one under the tank, made tank removal nice.
It does not take long to TOP off a gas tank on a motorcycle, maybe ibafran takes his sweet time, I simple pull up swipe my card and take off. That simple, I would guess no more then 5 minutes wasted...I'm not eating (unless its breakfast) and even then its grab a breakfast burrito from the station and fill and go. Maybe int hat case 10 minutes used up.
I'm proud to say I have NEVER ran out of gas on any motorcycle with the 100,000+ miles I have done. I did run out 5-6 years ago in my cage for the first time...I loved it...it was an Adventure in NV, I actually just laughed my butt off. As for fuel pumps I ran that Explorer dry and it was fine, added gas and it started right up. Not sure why people worry about it. I would never worry about it on a motorcycle *shrug* Now a Diesel engine that is a different story.
Would it make me mad if I bought BMW GS and it did not work right...sure. I gathered from the article the guy bought a used one anyways...small issues like this should always be expected in a used vehicle. Sounds like an easy fix too, even a DIY fix.
But on the flip side its not a SAFETY issue, if you ride a motorcycle like people have for decades. New rider, maybe has no clue...I would argue Ibafran that a trip meter works best, you learn the mileage of a motorcycle it doe snot drastically change you learn the low and the high and you get a feel for it....if you want to eeek out ever last possible mile from a tank then that is your issue if you run out. (All my trips I have yet to find a closed gas station, or one that had issues)....but then that is not the bikes fault and could happen to anyone if they are mileage Jews.
Even if I run out of gas on a motorcycle its not like you stop in the middle of the road...you coast off to the shoulder. Sounds again like people panic to easily. Not really a big issue, and if your in a city and your that low I question why someone would not pull off at the first sign of fuel and fill up....LOL
Sorry I just don't get it...
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| these days i have to stop to pee @every 100 miles, and they usually have gas there, but more to the point, the trip meter and good old fashion look in the tank works pretty well. (note: it may be dark when you look in the tank- DO NOT light a match.)
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This is a humorous thread to me. If you purchased a car and the gas gauge did not work, would you be pissed? Yes, and that is what the guy is expressing. Most Beemer sites are riddled with this thread, this and the fact that the seats on new Beemers suck, plus the final drive failure. All of that together has a common theme, BMW is not addressing fundamental concerns by those that own the machines. I have long stated if it were not for the mechanic I know who is local and not a dealer but specializes in Beemers, I would not be riding one.
Some people get there panties in a wad over the strangest things and for that guy, it is the fuel strip. Others its the wife putting her shower towel on the door handle, for me - the RT saddle sucked and I had to purchase an after market. Everybody has their likes and dislikes, and I think the guy (no matter the length of time as a rider) has a legit gripe - if it is supplied at purchase it should work.
The "Z" MAN - North Carolina
2005 R1200RT
BMW MOA #115950
Olympia, Scorpion, Gerbings, Alpinestars, Amsoil, Russell Day Long, Metzler, Duragloss
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What if your gas mileage is worse on the tank then you stand the chance of walking. Many years ago on an old GoldWing my gas gauge quit and I did go by the odometer for a while but I knew I was selling the bike soon and didn't want to go to the trouble of fixing it. But if the Beemer was relatively new you pay a fortune for those things the gauge ought to work. Here is a good formula: the "F" means "Full" and the "E" means "Empty." Buy gas before the little needle gets to "E" and you wont have to walk, set the odometer or worry about how often you need to pee. Scratch that last one; you still need to worry about when you need to pee or risk wet pants.
OzarkHarleyGuy
H-D 2012 RoadGlide Ultra
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For what it's worth I ride an old 1984 Honda CB650. It has a fuel gauge and surprisingly a gear shift indicator. Even though the bike is 28 years old the fuel gauge on my bike is deadly accurate. I still reset the tripmeter after every fuel-up and watch it in correlation with the fuel gauge. Plus I do have the handy reserve feature with the petcock. And while I have yet to leave it on reserve and ride I have on a few occasions left it in the off position and sputtered to a stop a mile or two down the road.
Look, Lean, Believe!
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Its really weird. My first motor vehicle was a motorcycle. It required I reset the tripometer each fillup or I had no idea how much fuel I had left. This has stayed with me in all vehicles I have owned with or without a gauge. Do I think the BMW rider was whiny, Absolutely not, (Not anymore than the new generation BMW Rider). They have stripped us of the petcocks and even tripometers in some instances.
The wife wanted me to get some service work done on her Prius, so I did, washed it and filled it up. When I went to reset the tripometer I could not find it to save my life.
Phil 
BMWMOA # 13006
04 R1200CLC
08 ZX10R
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| Above posts: What is a "milage Jew"? And what is the "new generation BMW owner? (Different than the "old generation" BMW owner?)
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[quote]jerseyjim (1/27/2012)
Above posts:
What is a "milage Jew"? And what is the "new generation BMW owner? (Different than the "old generation" BMW owner?)[/quote]
I am not sure what a "milage Jew" is but BMW has made new products, bringing new customers and different expectations with them. The same thing happened when BMW went from the 2002, headlight flashing followers to the more sophisticated sedans and drivers seen today. I am surprised you never noticed this.
Phil
BMWMOA # 13006
04 R1200CLC
08 ZX10R
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Someone who is trying to get most miles per tank before HAVING to fill it up.
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