How empty is empty?

[jscwerve]

Just a simple question for anyone who has run out of gas in their GS. How low on the guage is truly empty? I have yet to have the pleasure of running out of gas going down the road, and I would prefer not to I know when I fill up about an inch below the fuel cap the guage registers more than full, was just wondering how low I can take the guage before I'm actually out.

[Steve]

I have not run either of mine totally out of gas yet, but both of them are about the bottom of the red zone before they get flipped to reserve. Then there is one more gallon. When ridden conservatively, the 650 goes on reserve at 115-130 miles, the 850, with its larger tank, goes 140-160. And yes, it takes several miles (30-40?) after filling before the needle drops to FULL.


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[Jethro]

The gauge cannot be trusted! Use your odometer. At every 5 or so fill ups (some of us do it every time) calculate the mileage in your head. Sooner or later you will have to use reserve. In a manual (or maybe someone here can tell you) it should say how many gallons in regular mode and reserve. I don't know what your bike is, but people here should be able to tell you what kind of mileage you should expect on your bike in proper tune. Use these three pieces of information together to guage how far you can go till you are walking!

[jscwerve]

Thanks for the replies. The bike is an 80 750E. There is no reserve on the petcock, (the wonderful 80 "no handle" petcock) thats one of the reasons that I was wondering. I am getting pretty good mileage, when I ride conservatively I seem to be getting about 47mpg, when I am hot rodding around that drops pretty drastically:-D. I just wanted to know the point that I should worry.