Newbie question: How to check / know fuel level on VTR250?

**Zapf** · 3rd August 2004, 22:58

Hello,
Hav been pampered by my cage too much, got my VTR250 and to my horror there is no fuel gauge. How does one know when to fuel up? Or do I really have to knock the metal tank and guess how much fuel inside?

:confused2

tkns.

**k14** · 3rd August 2004, 23:03

Well, I always take note of the odo reading when i fill up. Know i can get around 200k out of a tank and just fill up accordingly.

Do you know about the reserve? There should be a tap below the fuel tank on the left side. This can change the fuel feed from the main to the reserve. This is just another indication that you have not got much petrol left. I think i can get around 30kms off my reserve.

**wkid_one** · 3rd August 2004, 23:12

JUST REMEMBER TO TURN IT OFF RESERVE ONCE YOU HAVE FILLED UP - OTHERWISE WHEN YOU ARE EMPTY - YOU WILL BE WALKING

**Zed** · 3rd August 2004, 23:17

Originally Posted by Zapf

Hello,
Hav been pampered by my cage too much, got my VTR250 and to my horror there is no fuel gauge. How does one know when to fuel up? Or do I really have to knock the metal tank and guess how much fuel inside?

:confused2

tkns.

If there is no gauge or light on your panel then you will have to "ride to your reserve", meaning every time your fuel level gets down to reserve you need to fill up. Firstly, you should fill up your tank and reset your odometer (trusting your VTR has one?) and then when the fuel gets down to reserve level you will know how many kms you can travel per tank before it hits reserve! - you may need to turn the fuel switch on the side of your bike to reserve once the main fuel supply runs out!

My current bike has a fuel light which generally comes on around the 250km distance on my odometer. I will go and fill up the tank at that point and reset the odometer - which is the best way IMHO to gauge how empty the tank is getting and when to refill.

Zed

**Mr Skid** · 3rd August 2004, 23:35

I carry a small torch in my tool kit, so as well as being able to conduct running repairs at night, I can see how much is left in the tank..

I don't know of anyone else doing this though, so maybe it's a really dumb idea..
I guess if I managed to drop the torch in the tank it'd suck a little bit..

**Ms Piggy** · 3rd August 2004, 23:41

I'm guessing that your owners manual or the bike shop should be able to tell you how many litres the tank holds and from there (as the others have said) just make sure your turn your trip meter back to '0' after every fill.

Easy as

**FROSTY:Me** · 3rd August 2004, 23:47

mind you pushing a bike always teaches ya when to fill up.

Seriously though Your fuel consumption is gonna be a bit screwed up untill that new bike is run in.
Do the tripmeter thing but I'd figure out how the reserve switch works and fill up before any decent ride.

**pete376403** · 3rd August 2004, 23:59

Once you get off the learner licence buy an early '80s Suzuki GS, 850 or larger. They have fuel guages. Sorted!

**wkid_one** · 4th August 2004, 00:00

Originally Posted by paparazzi

I carry a small torch in my tool kit, so as well as being able to conduct running repairs at night, I can see how much is left in the tank..

I don't know of anyone else doing this though, so maybe it's a really dumb idea..
I guess if I managed to drop the torch in the tank it'd suck a little bit..

A pack of matches or lighter will work as well

**moko** · 4th August 2004, 02:26

Originally Posted by pete376403

Once you get off the learner licence buy an early '80s Suzuki GS, 850 or larger. They have fuel guages. Sorted!

Not really,I had a GS850 and if you rode up a steep hill with a partly filled tank the fuel guage read full,get to the top and head down the other side and it read empty(or was it the other way round?),Loads of newer bikes have fuel guages that actually work,best ones are those on BMWs but then you need to be rich and over 45 otherwise they wont sell you one

What I used to do (new-ish Yamaha,what`s a fuel tap then?)is see what the trip reading was when it went on reserve then re-set it at every fill-up and go by that,i.e. my XT600,trip got to 100 miles and I`d know it was time to fill up but I had my reserve left,once this get`s to be a habit the days of tank shaking and getting high on inhaling petrol fumes should be over.Now I go by the low-fuel warning light,I know it gives me a fair bit of leeway before it`ll run out but as soon as it comes on I`ll be hitting the nearest forecourt without there being any need to panic.

**moko** · 4th August 2004, 05:13

This post deleted and re-posted where it should have gone in the first place

**MikeL** · 4th August 2004, 08:14

A couple of further points (as usual, I had to find out the hard way...)

Practise switching to reserve while riding. It's one thing to do it when your bike is on its stand and you can see what you're doing...

If you are used to filling up at a particular distance on the odo (usually just before you go into reserve), be aware that higher speeds will result in higher fuel consumption. I got caught out once when the bike coughed and sputtered and died after 160 km instead of the usual 190, and had a "WTF???" moment until I realized why. If it happens while you're overtaking uphill it could be awkward...

Finally a minor rant: why is it that every fuel gauge is designed so that for the first 100 km you seem to be using practically no fuel at all (which may lead you to make unwise decisions about not filling up before the Desert Rd...)?

**Posh Tourer :P** · 4th August 2004, 08:29

faster speed = more consumption????????? Higher speed = more distance covered. If you do it in a higher gear (5th not first) you use the same amount of revs for a greater distance, therefore it is more economical. Consumption may change with revs so you may be slightly less economical at 180 in fifth than at 110 in fifth (eg the RG150), but the main drive is what gear you are in.

The consumption goes up when you ride it *harder* ie using higher revs and lower gear for a certain speed, not when you ride it faster...

Switching to reserve while riding?? Try it on the ZXR400.... the tap is set into a ridiculously small inset that is almost impossible to get gloved fingers into enough to grip the tap.... The beemer?? Nice, easy, simple, practical

**Tigger** · 4th August 2004, 08:45

Zapf, my VTR gets at least 160km out of a tank, I just keep an eye on the odometer and when it gets towards that mark make a point of stopping at the next petrol station. I'm sure you can get more out of it than 160, but that's just my 'reminder' number. The reserve isn't that great actually, it just tips the tank over so you can get that last bit out, and it's not much.

Oh, and the odometer is quite easy to adjust back to zero 20 minutes later as you're zooming along and realise you forgot to reset it when you filled up.