2010 R3T Fuel Tank Range

I’ve always been a gauge watcher. I usually don’t care what the bike mpg is, but when I’m on a destination trip, I always compare the mpg with the distance and time riding. I ride with Harleys often. No matter how gentle I am I can’t last as long as they do. Most have at least a gallon less but ride at least 25 miles farther. My friends comments are about what to expect with a tractor engine.
My 08 averages close to 38-40 mpg if I baby it. Play a little,and I’ll loose 8 mpg. Gauge is very accurate. The 2015 is closer to 35 mpg. Push it, and I’ll drop to 30 mpg. The first 100 miles and the gauge is down 1/3 of the tank. The next 50 miles 2/3 tank. Can’t use the gauge without keeping that in mind. Both R3Ts digital reads are consistent. Not as good as the Lincoln SUV but better than the older bikes with gauges.

Mighty Mouse said:

I may be wrong and probably am but doesn't your fuel gage constantly recalibrate your mileage as you ride? If you drive around town and are a little hard you may get say 100 miles out of a tank. Now when you fill up doesn't the gage state what your last mileage was so it would register lower and maybe show 120 miles (based on the previous tank of hard riding). I noticed on long hauls on the freeway when I fill up my mileage on the fresh tank of gas has gone up to 165miles on the last tank of say 45 miles to the gallon. Now that 165 will drop fast if you start the hard riding again and may show 150 miles even though you have only gone 10 miles. It constantly recalibrates due to the type of riding. Am I stating the obvious or just incredibly wrong?

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On my '08 I think that is what I am seeing. I can actually see my gas gauge needle moving down the faster I go. I can fill up and see the 150 to 160 range indicated and then suddenly it is down to 100. Just yesterday my reserve/low fuel light came on, got gas a little later, filled with as much as I could stuff into the tank....4 gallons. With close to 2 gallons left my low fuel light comes on. Why? If I don't go over 70 mph my range indicator steadily moves upward which is very encouraging but who on this planet can keep a Rocket bridled back to just 70 mph? Not me. My best guess is I am getting 25-30 mph on my dyno-tuned, Ramair, D&D bike. I did not give a hoot about gas mileage on any bike i've owned till now. Here in California, the land of fruits and nuts, gas is now 5 bucks a gallon, give or take, and climbing. I have to carry gas bottles in my bags.

Agreed. On longer rides during trips though you do want to make the most of your mileage only for the fact you don't want to stop every 90 miles. Stopping at say 110 to 130 miles is a little more acceptable to me so I can stop and move around for a few minutes. Around the hood I'm like you and really couldn't give a f*** about mileage but send me to Idaho or Oregon and I'm going to try to get whatever 80 to 90 mph mileage will give me.