New 2014 Hyperstrada & Question on Low Fuel Light

Have been on this forum for quite some time now as an interested party but not an owner. I changed that on Saturday, June 6th, when I picked up my new 2014 Hyperstrada from Winchester Ducati in Winchester, VA (also known as Duc Pond Motorsports).

I haven't had a chance to put that many miles on it yet (close to 300) but I'm enjoying getting familiar with the bike. Installed a Puig windscreen last Saturday and have an X Creen Windshield extension from Twisted Throttle arriving this week to see if I can further improve wind management. Also have an SC Project low mount oval exhaust (this is not the short racing SC exhaust, but a longer low mount in carbon fiber with a carbon fiber end cap) that I'll have installed when I return to Duc Pond for the 600 mile service.

Only have one concern so far. The Low Fuel light is coming on after only about 65 miles from the last fill up. It seems like it should be more like 120 - 150 miles before that light comes on, especially with most of the riding being at 55 - 70 mph. The manual says the tank is 4.0 gallons with the last gallon being in reserve. So I'm thinking I should be using 3 gallons before the low fuel light illuminates. I suppose their could be a problem with the fuel sensor. Anyone else have that experience, and if so, what was the cause?

Thanks!

I've noticed my low fuel light comes on near the 200 km mark since last fill @ 120 km/hr (120 mile @ 75 mph) steady speed highway riding, however if I stop for fuel immediately after seeing the light I'm only able to fit about 9 litres (~2.4 U.S. Gal) of fuel into the tank..

So the way I look at it, mine seems to like to come on somewhere just past 1/2 tank left. lol.

If I know I'm travelling longer distances between fuel stations I keep track of fuel quantity by resetting my trip computer, if all goes well I should see the low fuel light at 200, however I've learnt that I don't really start looking for fuel till the 250-275 mark. Note, my bike never leaves Sport mode with DTC & ABS set to 1.

To be honest, I am useless with trip meters and just fill up all the time..... I really have no clue what mileage I get. Typically, I will top off before the light even comes on.. a fuel gauge would be really nice!

Mine is a 13' that I bought new from Duc Pond in '14. I'm in Charlottesville. Last week we looked at a house in Earlysville, which is a village just next door, so we could be moving to E'ville "... ;-)

you definitely need to have the sensor checked. 125 miles is about when mine comes on, and then I can only put less than 3 gallons in. I suspect either the sensor comes on waaaay too soon or the tank doesn't really hold 4.2 gallons as advertised.. it is my only real frustration with the bike.

I'd like to hear other people's experience and solutions to not having a fuel gage on their hyper.

My experience, After you see the fuel light, you'll probably have at least another 30-50 miles of fuel although you will not know for sure.

Example, From St. Louis to Minneapolis I ran out of gas four times.

first: 175 miles (coasted off the highway, through the grass, into the gas station)
second: 166 miles (pushed up off ramp in downtown Minni and there was a gas station)
third: 155 miles (pushed a mile or so, someone stopped and gave me some gas)
fourth: 125 miles (coasted off the highway, through the grass, into the gas station)

I've ran out and filled up 3.8 gallons. 4.1-3.8 = .3 gallons below fuel pump?

I bought a MSR 30 oz fuel bottle with plastic tube holder. I keep it under the bungee net on the tail rack on top of the luggage dry sack.

Filling it without spilling it is a challenge. probably watch the fuel pump and trust the gage on it and stop at .23 gallons.

Lots of fuel threads on here and I recommend reading them. The Avg MPG display has a 6-8% bias ("20.0" ~ 19 mpg); it's gets way too optimistic at hwy settings.

1. If you're long hauling at highway speed with relatively constant throttle setting, you can easily get 175-200 miles/tank. I wouldn't chance above 130 miles if you ride like a total hooligan in congested areas.

2. When fueling and you reach the filler neck level, gently rock the big between your legs and burp the air out of the tank. Keep doing over and over. It takes a while but probably fit another .5 gal in by doing this.

gatdammit said:

Lots of fuel threads on here and I recommend reading them. The Avg MPG display has a 6-8% bias ("20.0" ~ 19 mpg); it's gets way too optimistic at hwy settings.

1. If you're long hauling at highway speed with relatively constant throttle setting, you can easily get 175-200 miles/tank. I wouldn't chance above 130 miles if you ride like a total hooligan in congested areas.

2. When fueling and you reach the filler neck level, gently rock the big between your legs and burp the air out of the tank. Keep doing over and over. It takes a while but probably fit another .5 gal in by doing this.

Click to expand...

I have gotten to 130 before the light comes on but that's it....of course that was with the saddlebags and running highway with some stoplights, not freeway.

number 2 though - i was told that the 'burping' was actually just fuel going into the evap cannister....has anyone confirmed or busted this myth?

My bike if I fuel it holding it level, then filling to the neck will pour fuel on the ground out the Evap/vent hose.

If I fuel it on its side stand, and fill to the neck, I might vent a little fuel.

Bsucardinalfan said:

number 2 though - i was told that the 'burping' was actually just fuel going into the evap cannister....has anyone confirmed or busted this myth?

Click to expand...

I don't have an Evap can...so, no.

I burp mine and fill to top of filler neck. Never drains.

thanks! i've been afraid to fill my evap cannister with gas....will get around to removing it one day.

My light usually comes on around 100-110 miles and have pushed it as far as 160mi. But I usually fill up around 130 to be safe.

Thanks to everyone who responded to my query about the low fuel light coming on at approximately 65 miles. I'll definitely tell the service department at Duc Pond about the issue when I take the bike in for the 600 mile service. In the interim, I'll refuel at around 120 miles (and maybe sooner) just to be on the safe side.

Last 5 fuel stops w/avg mpg (calculated mi / gal) and when the low fuel light came on.

45.3mpg - 135.5mi low fuel light
43.98 mpg
47.65 mpg
45.31 mpg -120mi low fuel light
46.33 mpg -128 low fuel light

pazzo said:

Last 5 fuel stops w/avg mpg (calculated mi / gal) and when the low fuel light came on.

45.3mpg - 135.5mi low fuel light
43.98 mpg
47.65 mpg
45.31 mpg -120mi low fuel light
46.33 mpg -128 low fuel light

Click to expand...

Which power mode are you in to achieve those figures pazzo?

I use Sport 90% of the time and usually get the fuel light at ~105miles

pazzo said:

Last 5 fuel stops w/avg mpg (calculated mi / gal) and when the low fuel light came on.

45.3mpg - 135.5mi low fuel light
43.98 mpg
47.65 mpg
45.31 mpg -120mi low fuel light
46.33 mpg -128 low fuel light

Click to expand...

That information tells us there was a 15 mile difference when the low fuel light appeared while you were getting the same mpg. That's partially why no fuel gage, because it wouldn't be accurate. Though I was reading about floatless fuel gages that use pressure. If the technology exists, why wouldn't they put it on the bikes?

Jokeshopbeard said:

Which power mode are you in to achieve those figures pazzo?

I use Sport 90% of the time and usually get the fuel light at ~105miles

Click to expand...

98% Sport. Tried touring and urban when I first bought it to set diff DTC parameters, but that was it.

Joecati said:

That information tells us there was a 15 mile difference when the low fuel light appeared while you were getting the same mpg. That's partially why no fuel gage, because it wouldn't be accurate. Though I was reading about floatless fuel gages that use pressure. If the technology exists, why wouldn't they put it on the bikes?

Click to expand...

Correct.

Oh, one note on the above figures. the 135 mi to low fuel light included no urban areas, so it was all back country stuff with speeds from 40-90mph.
It likely has something to do with variances in the fuel blends also. Not all stops were at the same station. It's something that I like to track just to see if I get better mpg averages over time.

pazzo said:

Correct.

Oh, one note on the above figures. the 135 mi to low fuel light included no urban areas, so it was all back country stuff with speeds from 40-90mph.
It likely has something to do with variances in the fuel blends also. Not all stops were at the same station. It's something that I like to track just to see if I get better mpg averages over time.

Click to expand...

I get that it might not be linear and that you're calculating an average and that you may have filled the tank a bit more on one of the fill ups. My question is how accurate is the low fuel indicator? If it's accurate then an accurate fuel gage wouldn't be a far leap. They basically do the same thing. If low fuel indicator is not accurate then how inaccurate is it?
It's important because if the strada is setup for touring, stopping every 100 miles for gas to error on the safe side is almost worse than running out in BFE! IMO.
So I carry extra fuel, not a big problem. I mean I've seen BMW gs bikes with extra fuel stored and those have +10 gallon tanks.
It leads me to think it not unusal to see a Ducati hyper carrying fuel as if it's going off road adventure riding with a GS! And when I'm not knee dragging passing a CBR, I might even ride standing up.

What I do is judge range by style of riding I'm doing, bouncing off what the somewhat accurate avg mpg display says. Long, calm hwy rides and the gauge usually reports low 50's (which is just not possible...nobody has gone 200 miles on this forum). This means an easy 150 miles, probably low fuel around 130-140. I once rode over 40 miles past low fuel light and finally stopped around 175 miles.

Only other style I have nets low to mid 40's on the gauge- low fuel around 100 miles and wouldn't chance over 130.

My low fuel indicator has been fairly accurate so far. I'd still rather have a fuel gauge because I don't want to have to reset the trip meter every time I fill up. I'm forced into do that with the HS, or opening the cap to look. It's a PITA either way, so I agree if you're gonna tour on it, you almost need to carry extra gas. If you want to go 200 miles between stops, your also gonna have to use the spare gas carried and stop anyway. For those reasons, I don't use it for long range touring.