Running out of gas

[Jeff K]

I never noticed it before, but recently I've run out of gas a couple of times. My Granddaughter thinks it is funny as hell. "Grandpa, some motorcycle guys check their gas before they go".

I thought I had missed the low fuel light the first time It happened. But this time I saw the light come on. I was about 2.5 miles from home. I didn't make it.
What good is the light? Surely something is wrong.

 

[KosRider]

Hey Jeff K,
funny, I'm a Jeff K too ! But I live in Michigan, not sunny Fla.
Sounds like your "reserve switch" is in the "on" position. Needs to be in the "res" position until the low fuel light comes on. Then, move it to the "on" position and get gas quick !! Remember to then move the switch back to the normal running position of "res" . This happened to me too... before I fully read the owners manuel. :rofl_200:

Welcome to the forum too !!

 

[alorio1]

On is normal position and the res is the reserve position.........

http://www.vmaxforum.net/showthread.php?t=15732&highlight=reserve+switch

 

[KosRider]

Thanks for the correction alorio1 ! Mine must have been bumped into the wrong spot when I went out to check it. Qwners manuel verified what you said. My bad.... sorry Jeff K . Brainfreeze on my part !!

 

[alorio1]

I rode my bike 2 decades in the wrong position, I should get a "DUH" award.

 

[Jeff K]

How stupid am I? I forgot there was a reserve? Yep.
For some reason I thought the light was the reserve.
Duh.
I haven't been on the max for a while. A long while actually. I have a few other bikes and the max has been lonely.

 

[sdt354]

Yes, welcome to the forum. +1 on the Res. position Joe. I've got maybe .8 of a gal. left in the tank when the light first comes on, and I've gone about 110-120 miles if I'm riding very conservative. A throttle heavey hand gets me 95-105 miles then the light is on. One more gal. would have been great. I watch the odometer and reset it on fillups, like everybody else I'm sure.
Steve

 

[DakRatFink]

Yes, welcome to the forum. +1 on the Res. position Joe. I've got maybe .8 left in the tank when the light first comes on, and I've gone about 110-120 miles if I'm riding very conservative. A throttle heavey hand gets me 95-105 miles then the light is on. One more gal. would have been great. I watch the odometer and reset it on fillups, like everybody else I'm sure.
Steve

Yes exactly what he said.

 

[RaWarrior]

Mmhmm....you get a mile or two from when the light comes on....essentially until the fuel in the carb bowls runs out. One time I drained all four carb bowls into a 20oz soda bottle it filled it not quite half way....maybe 2oz per carb?

You can drive all the time with the switch on "res"....which just disables the fuel pump cutoff circuit. You'll still get the light but if you don't notice it, which is pretty easy during the daytime, when it goes dead, you're done. Cutting off the fuel pump was aimed to "simulate" the need to actually flip a valve to reserve and ensure that you know you're low on gas.

Resetting the trip meter is the best way and honestly is probably more accurate than most bike gas gauges out there. The gas gauge on my buddy's M109 shows full for easily half the range, then drops like a stone until the idiot light comes on (and starts flashing faster and faster the longer you ignore it). Honestly not that useful.

 

[deekjx]

Hey Jeff K, I live in Jax too. Need to go for a ride sometime. The reserve on the VMAX is unlike any reserve I've seen before. It basically has a thermistor that sits in the fuel tank. When the fuel dropped below that point, it heats up and allows current to flow through it. This inturn shuts off your fuel pump and turns on your light. If you are driving and it starts to cut out on you, just flip the switch and that will reactivate the fuel pump.

FYI this system has an interesting side effect. If a person didn't know about the reserve switch. If they flip the bike off for a few moments and that thermistor cools off, when they turn on the bike, the fuel pump will refill the bowls and let you travel for a bit more.

 

[KosRider]

FYI this system has an interesting side effect. If they flip the bike off for a few moments and that thermistor cools off, when they turn on the bike, the fuel pump will refill the bowls and let you travel for a bit more.

Thanks for this tip Deekjx. Wish I knew this the first yr I had my Max... would have saved me a 1/4 mile push to the gas station !!! :bang head:

 

[Jeff K]

Hey Jeff K, I live in Jax too. Need to go for a ride sometime. The reserve on the VMAX is unlike any reserve I've seen before. It basically has a thermistor that sits in the fuel tank. When the fuel dropped below that point, it heats up and allows current to flow through it. This inturn shuts off your fuel pump and turns on your light. If you are driving and it starts to cut out on you, just flip the switch and that will reactivate the fuel pump.

FYI this system has an interesting side effect. If a person didn't know about the reserve switch. If they flip the bike off for a few moments and that thermistor cools off, when they turn on the bike, the fuel pump will refill the bowls and let you travel for a bit more.

I need to update my profile. I'm in the Lakeland Fl area now.