'Long range' bikes - from factory?

**Tazz** · 4th August 2015, 14:04

Have been pondering what sort of bikes I'd like too add to the mix in the distant future and was curious what people would recommend as good long range bikes, from factory i.e. Not bolting a long range tank onto a DR650.

Do many exist?
Are they only 'big' touring bikes?

I guess, importantly, to me long range would be considered as 450+ kms to a tank in 'normal use' situations.

**Gremlin** · 4th August 2015, 14:44

Depends what you define as long range

450 wouldn't be long range to me.

2010-2013 BMW R1200GSA has a factory spec of 33L tank, but I'm getting 36-38L into it with no modifications. Range depends on how you ride it, and with such large capacities, your range varies by a greater amount as well, ie, over 100km variance. I budget a minimum of 600km and when twisting the right bar "enthusiastically" that could be to empty. I've also done 750km (majority open road) with more left in the tank on an economical run doing about 4.6-4.8L /100km.

The new GSA has a 30L tank, no idea whether that's real or not. The pre '10 ish GSA (but still 1200) had a flap in the top of the tank you could remove to increase range.

Otherwise, look to bikes like the NC700/750. Their tanks are only around 15L, but when the consumption is around 3-3.5L /100km it goes a long way.

**5ive** · 4th August 2015, 14:51

My Ninja300 has a 17litre fuel tank and manages 500kms easily, though some people tend to look down their noses at sub 600cc bikes...

I took my camping gear strapped to the bike from Auckland to up past Kaitaia (and back) last Christmas, and only made one fuel stop.

Travelling on group rides with cruisers can be a chore though

**Metastable** · 4th August 2015, 15:15

Supposedly the Triumph 800 xcx has a range over 430kms....

From triumph.com:
"The new Tiger features a liquid-cooled, 800cc in-line-three cylinder engine, delivering 95PS and 79Nm of torque for power across the entire rev range and the distinctive Triumph triple sound and character.
Fuel Efficiency

The Tiger XCx has a 17% improvement in fuel efficiency on the EU ‘mixed cycle’ which means that fuel economy improves from 55mpg to 65 mpg versus the outgoing Tiger giving a potential range of 272 miles."

BMW F800GS Adventurer apparently has an 24L tank with a 4.3L/100km @ 90km/h and 5.7L/100km @ 120km/h.

Dunno about the older F650GS, but when I rented one in France, the damn thing sipped fuel even when riding 2 up..... I can't remember the range, but it seemed like I barely ever had to fill it up.

**clint640** · 4th August 2015, 15:24

KTM 640 Adv has 28ish litres which would get you 600km+ ridden gently. Tank is swappable onto other 640 variants of the same era.

You have be pretty dedicated to dodging petrol stations to need more than 350km range very often in NZ. Oz is a different story of course.

Cheers
Clint

**Tazz** · 4th August 2015, 15:44

Originally Posted by Gremlin

Depends what you define as long range

450 wouldn't be long range to me.

2010-2013 BMW R1200GSA has a factory spec of 33L tank, but I'm getting 36-38L into it with no modifications. Range depends on how you ride it, and with such large capacities, your range varies by a greater amount as well, ie, over 100km variance. I budget a minimum of 600km and when twisting the right bar "enthusiastically" that could be to empty. I've also done 750km (majority open road) with more left in the tank on an economical run doing about 4.6-4.8L /100km.

The new GSA has a 30L tank, no idea whether that's real or not. The pre '10 ish GSA (but still 1200) had a flap in the top of the tank you could remove to increase range.

Otherwise, look to bikes like the NC700/750. Their tanks are only around 15L, but when the consumption is around 3-3.5L /100km it goes a long way.

450kms gets me to my fathers doorstep and then back to the fuel station, so it's just the minimum I would personally accept as a 'longer range'

I was going to expand on 'normal riding', but to me that means you're not feathering the whole way to save gas, but you're not dropping the hammer out of every corner either. Just nice and smooth with some overtaking where you feel the need.

When you say you budget a minimum of 600kms, to me, that's a 600kms range of 'normal'.

Originally Posted by 5ive

My Ninja300 has a 17litre fuel tank and manages 500kms easily, though some people tend to look down their noses at sub 600cc bikes...

I took my camping gear strapped to the bike from Auckland to up past Kaitaia (and back) last Christmas, and only made one fuel stop.

Travelling on group rides with cruisers can be a chore though

Not at all, that is very surprising to hear, in a good way. Was defiantly not a bike on my radar at all. I'm more than happy on an old CBR250 for everything but the range.

Originally Posted by clint640

KTM 640 Adv has 28ish litres which would get you 600km+ ridden gently. Tank is swappable onto other 640 variants of the same era.

You have be pretty dedicated to dodging petrol stations to need more than 350km range very often in NZ. Oz is a different story of course.

Cheers
Clint

I don't want to have to stop

It's one of the only things I hate about riding when you're trying to slab it somewhere. Cheers for the input!

**Banditbandit** · 4th August 2015, 15:53

One of these. I got more than 500ks out of a tank - bog standard ...

**Gremlin** · 4th August 2015, 16:15

Originally Posted by Tazz

When you say you budget a minimum of 600kms, to me, that's a 600kms range of 'normal'.

Normal would be 650km, perhaps a bit more. Think of the variance you'd get on a regular bike that can do 250-300km on a tank... now double that. That's why it can vary so much, as the terrain you'd cover in one tank can take you half way down/up an island...

One thing to be wary of, the new bikes have calculators on board which give you a range. Except it's to empty... and I've found you have a tendancy to cut it quite close as the computer can't be wrong aye? Oh... it most certainly can. I've filled up with the ranging saying 6-8km left... it's a heavy bike to push

Not to mention that all your mates know you ride a supertanker, so if you ran out you'd never hear the end of it. Of course... because you ride a supertanker you also ride past gas stations as you can make the next one easy...

**cynna** · 4th August 2015, 16:35

tenere 660 has a 23 litre tank - but you would have to ride very gently to get 450km

**nerrrd** · 4th August 2015, 19:04

Originally Posted by Gremlin

Otherwise, look to bikes like the NC700/750. Their tanks are only around 15L, but when the consumption is around 3-3.5L /100km it goes a long way.

Or the CB500X, around the same fuel consumption but has a 17 litre tank.

**JATZ** · 4th August 2015, 19:26

Originally Posted by Metastable

BMW F800GS Adventurer apparently has an 24L tank with a 4.3L/100km @ 90km/h and 5.7L/100km @ 120km/h.

That's pretty spot on.
I can get from Mot to Amberly on a tank when riding carefully, and the fuel light comes on. When "pressing on" it's a whole different story

that's on a standard F800 with a 17l tank. I'm generally ready to get out of the saddle by that stage anyway.
The Big would get just over 500 k's to a tank, with mixed riding.

**Gremlin** · 4th August 2015, 20:10

Originally Posted by nerrrd

Or the CB500X, around the same fuel consumption but has a 17 litre tank.

Is it about the same? When I looked up stats on it I was disappointed to see it was more around the mid to high 4s per 100km?

**BMWST?** · 4th August 2015, 20:41

its funny when you have a big tanked motorbike...I used to just run about half a tank on the gspd.,But if i was going for a decent explore i used to fill the 35l tank to the brim.Go into the servo and the attendant does a double or triple take...look at bike,look at till,look at me,look at till ,look at bike,,,,wow thats a big tank!

**nerrrd** · 4th August 2015, 20:45

Originally Posted by Gremlin

Is it about the same? When I looked up stats on it I was disappointed to see it was more around the mid to high 4s per 100km?

Here's how I'm tracking, almost all of it commuting though:

**Gremlin** · 4th August 2015, 22:46

Originally Posted by BMWST?

its funny when you have a big tanked motorbike...I used to just run about half a tank on the gspd.,But if i was going for a decent explore i used to fill the 35l tank to the brim.Go into the servo and the attendant does a double or triple take...look at bike,look at till,look at me,look at till ,look at bike,,,,wow thats a big tank!

Yup. Filled in Featherston the one time when heading north, having made it out of Wellington without filling. The guy inside almost gave my bill to another customer as he didn't expect a motorbike to take that much

Largest fill (almost empty) was in Picton the year of the Chch earthquake and a 5L jerrycan. Cost about $85 from memory