Question on size of tank and travel for 750/850GS

The manual on any model is an average for sure. Higher speed limits and headwinds combined will get you in a bind until you understand what your particular bikes behavior is. My GSA allows me wiggle room unless traveling with folks on less capacity.I have been the refueling tanker more than once crossing the wide open states and provinces.

Even in states with fuel available on major roads can catch you on rural routes where fuel was one year but not the next
Learning the 2.9 gal habits our first few runs on another brand had a few lessons

Several years ago Voni and I were riding eastbound across eastern Colorado on US36 on a Sunday afternoon. I "knew" there was fuel available in the next town because I saw the pumps at the Coop when we were riding west a few days before. We arrive at the pumps to discover that the office was closed on Sunday and their pay-at-the-pump machine took only their Cooperative account cards. We did NOT have enough gas to make it to the next town or back to the last one.

Apparently we were not the first people to suffer this dilemma. A local man driving by saw us and pulled in. He knew the problem right away and offered to use his card and we could pay him cash. Deal!! I am told that these Coops across the plains now generally take regular credit cards; Visa, Mastercard, etc. but they did not back then. I was very happy to find that there really are kind people in small town rural America.

PGlaves said:

I am told that these Coops across the plains now generally take regular credit cards; Visa, Mastercard, etc. .

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That's correct.
In some cases the COOP members will have a card that gives them a discount.

Lee said:

That's correct.
In some cases the COOP members will have a card that gives them a discount.

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And in my travels in WY and the Dakotas I am finding more and more COOP (Farmers Union) stations offering non-alcohol fuel in 88 or 91 octane, especially along the interstates. Gillette, WY has a large COOP carrying 91, for example. Maybe that’s a Sturgis Rally outgrowth...

Best,
DeVern

GTRider said:

And in my travels in WY and the Dakotas I am finding more and more COOP (Farmers Union) stations offering non-alcohol fuel in 88 or 91 octane, especially along the interstates. Gillette, WY has a large COOP carrying 91, for example. Maybe that’s a Sturgis Rally outgrowth...

Best,
DeVern

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One of the COOPs in my pictures has 91 AKI non ethanol.
In our area 88 AKI is E15. E15 is 15% ethanol.

I pulled into a COOP and it was member only pay at the pump. I was running on fumes so I sat there for 15-20 minutes until someone pulled in to buy I gas. Then I spent 5 minutes trying to explain to him that he could fill my tank on his card and I would pay him cash, he just didn't get it! Finally the brain cells started to function and I got gas and paid him and included a few extra dollars for the trouble.

Late to the party here but I have owned an F750 GS for two years and done a couple of longer trips on it. The answer on how it is to tour on a 4 gal tank is..it depends. If you are doing mostly interstate 75-80mph expect to fill up every 140-150 miles. If you are on mostly two lane state roads @ 60-65mph expect it to be more like 170-180. If you are really taking your time on county roads @50-55 expect to get 200-210.

My experience, contrary to the Manuel, is that the fuel warning light will come on with a gallon left in the tank. How much of that 50-60 miles you want use getting to the next stop is your own risk tolerance.