RT range

[BMARC153920]

I've done some long rides on my RT, but always I stopped around 225 miles for fuel with the bike usually taking 5 to 5.5 gallons if I fill to the brim. This summer I will attempt a 50cc gold and tank range rather tank range I can trust is important for planning and execute this ride. I'd like to plan for 250 mile fuel stops with reserve available if possible.

Based on the above and my own experience I get about 40 to 45 mpg (my onboard generally says 43 mpg) so my question, does the bike really have a usable 6.6 gallons?

I've read conflicting reports of having g a 6.6 with an additional 1.3 gallonss of reserve for a total of 7.9 to 5.3 with one gallon reserve and others.

Anyone know for sure?

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[David13]

On mine the range is 200 miles. Then I get gas.
That way I never run out.
If I run out it might be 50 or 100 miles from a source (station) so I go with 200.
I suppose I could also go fairly safe with 225, I have probably done that, maybe even 250. But running out could be no fun, sometimes.

Those measurements, gallons, miles to go all that is approximate, more or less.
So don't rely on too much of that.
People say I put in 6.284 gallons. Well, did they measure it? No, they rely on the pump gauge, etc., and none of that is accurate.
Your bike computer is probably not accurate, either, I never tested mine, but many have said they can be way off.
dc

 

[jdubick]

I have a 2010RT. My low fuel light came on and I got off of the interstate and the engine quit. I coasted into a gas station. I had gone exactly 300 miles. I was running 80mph on the slab so I think 250 miles is safe as long as you are in civilization.

 

[BMARC153920]

Thanks guys. I've done 225 miles time and time again, tank to tank for a 1000 miles with no issue and never put more than 5.5 gallons, so I think 250 is safe, but I'd like to know if it's 6.6 or 7.6 to know how safe I am at 250.

I agree they are all approximate numbers but the difference between 6.6 and 7.6 even approximately is huge.

I know the easiest way is to fill up ride until empty and bring an msr can with me to get me to a station when empty, but its winter and I want to plan and then test, the finalize the plan.

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[JIGGIN]

The tank on the newer RTs is 6.2 gal.. I typically can go 275 miles road or town. Keeping at 55 mph (no fun) , I have gotten to 300 miles. I figure overall I am getting 48mpg.

 

[BMARC153920]

The tank on the newer RTs is 6.2 gal.. I typically can go 275 miles road or town. Keeping at 55 mph (no fun) , I have gotten to 300 miles. I figure overall I am getting 48mpg.

Great thanks. For this ride I need to average about 65 mph, which means I will be cruising over 70 for long stretches so I'm guessing I'm going to get about 40 mpg overall. Looks like I should plan for 230 mile fuel stops.

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[rangerreece]

So I guess I'll be the bell curve guy. I have a 2005 R1200RT that averages 52 mpg with a 7.1 gallon tank. I will get 350 miles per tank I start looking for a non ethanol gas station at 300 miles. To my knowledge I haven't put ethanol in my bike since 2008.

 

[BMARC153920]

So I guess I'll be the bell curve guy. I have a 2005 R1200RT that averages 52 mpg with a 7.1 gallon tank. I will get 350 miles per tank I start looking for a non ethanol gas station at 300 miles. To my knowledge I haven't put ethanol in my bike since 2008.

Around here it's all we can get, and on this sort of ride you grab the first gas you see. No time to search. Also, I think the older RT has a larger tank than the new ones, I could go well over 250 per tank on my 2007 with gas to spare.

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[lee]

I've read conflicting reports of having g a 6.6 with an additional 1.3 gallonss of reserve for a total of 7.9 to 5.3 with one gallon reserve and others.

Anyone know for sure?

The BMW website and the online Riders Manual shows a Usable 6.6 gallons, and 1 gallon of that is the reserve for the RTW.

 

[lee]

I know the easiest way is to fill up ride until empty and bring an msr can with me to get me to a station when empty, but its winter and I want to plan and then test, the finalize the plan.

If you plan to stretch your range you really need to see if the Miles to Empty readout on the computer is accurate. The only way to do this is run the tank dry.

 

[wbrownell9]

I have an RTW with the 6.6 gallon tank (5.6 + 1 "reserve"). I usually get itchy as I get close to 250, prefer to fill before 225. If I'm at 200+ and the range shows close to 100 I'll push it over 250 so long as I know I'll be close to a gas station. I've done over 250 about 20% of the time, in all cases the bottom segment was showing yellow. My observation is that the mileage sweet spot is about 60-65 MPH. Slower just takes longer without improving mileage, faster uses more and more gas to punch that big hole in the air.

I keep thinking I'm going to carry some extra gas and run it dry so I know exactly how much reserve I have but probably won't do that until I'm getting ready to leave for Alaska.

 

[rangerreece]

On Ursula I have never got less than 300 miles a tank. And I have run it dry inadvertly once at 352 miles. Like it was mentioned earlier, one can reasonably expect to be able to run the range of the tank with a predictable outcome by carefully monitoring the performance of the engine over time.

 

[jdubick]

My 2010 owners manual says 6.6 gallons. I also run non ethanol high test and average over 50 mpg at normal speeds. One thing I don't trust is the miles remaining indicator when the fuel is low. Mine said I had about 50 miles to go when the low fuel light came on and the engine quit. As someone posted, if you want to really know when it is going to run dry you need to carry a gallon with you and just let it quit.

 

[exgman]

It's always good to know how much is in the tank when you see signs like this:

 

[BMARC153920]

Yeah I'd like to avoid that panic.

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[exgman]

Yeah I'd like to avoid that panic.

BMARC - Sorry, I didn't want to engender panic. That photo was taken at the Nevada/Utah state line looking into Utah on US50 (aka "The Loneliest Road in America"). When I made it there was a gas station to my right which seemed to have lots of gasoline. However, I was heading west on my 2008 R1200RT and was only about 100 miles into my 300-mile expected range. My new RTW seems to get the same MPG, but the tank is smaller.

FWIW, US 50 is a pretty neat road, but not very twisty for sure.

 

[RYD1WD]

Marc,

I get 300+ with fuel to spare, consistently. If you're not getting darn close to 50 MPG during sustained open road operation, you may want to experiment with the gearbox. I find at 60-65 MPH the boxer is more efficient in 5th gear (especially using CC), I don't even use 6th 'til 70 MPH. I try to keep my RPM's in the 3800-4000 range. as much as possible.

 

[BMARC153920]

Marc,

I get 300+ with fuel to spare, consistently. If you're not getting darn close to 50 MPG during sustained open road operation, you may want to experiment with the gearbox. I find at 60-65 MPH the boxer is more efficient in 5th gear (especially using CC), I don't even use 6th 'til 70 MPH. I try to keep my RPM's in the 3800-4000 range. as much as possible.

Hmmm never thought of that. As my bike is currently getting a brand new gearbox on BMWs dime ill have to wait a few weeks to try it. But I can say I've never gotten 300+ my last ride home from Nashville all highway I cruised about 70 to 75 mph in 6th, fuel light came on always between 225 and 250 miles.

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[rangerreece]

In the aviation world we have many sayings. This is one: there are three things you can't get back, runway behind you, altitude above you, or the fuel, you didn't take. As others have eluded on this thread get gas before you need it. The flip side, know beyond a shadow of a doubt when you need it.

 

[t6pilot]

2015 shows 6.6 gallons usable, I average 42 mpg. So to make things simple I use 40mpg X 6= for a range of 240 miles, by that time I need a bladder break
I always reset the trip minder at each fuel stop, keep track of miles ridden!!!