It’s better to plan ahead to ensure you don’t get caught with an empty fuel tank.
I’ve only ever once run out of gas on a motorcycle, and it happened on a 1986 BMW R80 G/S Paris-Dakar that had a big 32-litre fuel tank. It was at night and I hadn’t planned for gas stations being closed. That experience taught me to plan ahead for gas stops, especially when travelling in remote areas. Today, it’s much easier to do thanks to apps that allow you to find the nearest gas stations based on your location, like GasBuddy.
Bikes have different ways of telling you you’re low on fuel, either by warning light, fuel gauge or odometer reading. Note that because motorcycles have asymmetrical fuel tanks, fuel gauges are notoriously inaccurate, so you can’t always rely on them. The best way to keep track of your fuel level is to reset the trip meter at every fill-up.
However, you might want some extra assurance that you won’t starve the fuel lines as you ride to destinations unknown. The best solution for this is to carry some extra fuel.
If you ride a dual-sport bike, you can install a larger accessory tank. My KLR650 has a large tank at 22 litres, which is more than I need. However, if the need arises to carry an exorbitant amount of fuel, IMS Products makes a Texas-sized 38-litre tank for the KLR, as well as other sizes for other makes and models. These plastic tanks are not prone to dent in a mishap, but they are costly: the KLR tank costs $775; there are no options for street bikes.
A company called RotopaX makes specialized jerry cans that have a unique mounting system that solidly fastens the can to your bike, while a simple twist of a knob releases it effortlessly and quickly. RotopaX jerry cans have flat sides, letting you stack luggage on top of them so you don’t have to give up any storage space. The cans can be mounted vertically or horizontally, and range in volume from 3.8 to 15 litres, and in price from $80 to $175, plus an additional $50 for the mounting bracket.
If that still exceeds your budget, a simple, cheap solution is to carry a 4-litre jerry can, which is small enough to bungee onto your bike’s luggage rack, yet holds enough fuel for about 70 kilometres. However, it can be
cumbersome to carry, and bungee cords don’t guarantee it will stay on your bike, especially if you’re riding off-road.
An even simpler solution that I resort to is carrying one litre of fuel in an aluminum water bottle. Just verify beforehand if the bottle’s cap and seal are compatible with gasoline. This $10 bottle stores conveniently in a tank bag or saddlebag, and it’s tough. Of course, it only provides fuel for about 25 kilometres, but sometimes that’s all you need.
If you’re low on fuel and are uncertain you can make the next gas station, you can up your odds by “hypermiling,” a riding method that applies various techniques to lighten the load on the engine as much as possible, and thus increase fuel mileage. Some of these techniques should be used only if you’re in a jam and shouldn’t be applied to regular riding.
First, reduce your speed to about 80 km/h. You want to ride slowly enough to save fuel, but fast enough to stay in top gear. Use momentum to get you up hills as far as you can in top gear, then downshift as needed to maintain your speed; lugging the engine at low revs burns fuel. If the descent is long, pick up some speed at the top, then pull the clutch and use the kill switch to shut off the engine; don’t use the ignition switch or your lights will turn off. Any time the bike is moving without the engine running is free mileage. Don’t slow down too much as you reach the bottom of the hill: you want to fire up the engine and release the clutch slowly while still in top gear.
You can use the draft of larger vehicles to cut the fuel-sapping windblast, but keep a safe distance. If you must come to a stop for an extended period, like at a traffic light, shut the engine off. When accelerating from a stop, use light throttle, but do it briskly so you reach your cruising speed as quickly as possible, since this is when the bike is most fuel efficient.
These are just some of the ways to make sure you don’t run your fuel tank dry. But the best way to avoid running out of gas is to plan ahead, because I can assure you that if it does happen, it will happen at the most inopportune time.
Technical articles are written purely as reference only and your motorcycle may require different procedures. You should be mechanically inclined to carry out your own maintenance and we recommend you contact your mechanic prior to performing any type of work on your bike.
