Well it happend to day. I was about 60 miles out and the F trip started flashing. I always reset the trip odometer when I fill up, and remembered that it was reading in the 140's before the F trip came on. Normally it takes about 3.2 gal to fill up from this point so a quick calulation tells me I have about 1.9 gal left. The first part of this tank was commuting where I normally get about 45 mpg, the last 60 or so miles were highway where I normally get about 50 mpg. So, I figure I can get at least 90 more. Heck, I just posted a week ago quoting this same impeccable logic.
Well, I kept passing gas stations heading for my favorate neighborhood station. When F trip read 61.4 miles, the engine cut off. I was in the fast lane of a 45 mph surface road. First I signaled right, but the street on the left was closer. I quickly signaled left and made the left coasting turn onto a neighborhood street. When I stopped, I hit the starter and it started again, but when I put it in gear, it cut out. Hmmm, I just passed a station 2 miles ago and home is another 3 miles in the other direction..this is looking ugly. As I looked around I saw a guy and his son about 4 houses down. He is working on...you guessed it a motorcycle. I walked up and asked him if I could buy a quart of gas from him. He picked up a gas can and handed it to me..apologizing that it was not premium. I offered to pay but he said don't worry about it. He had 2 other sport bikes in his garage including an older Yamaha. I poured in about a quart, thanked him, started her up and road to a gas station.
I filled it up, but it only took 4 gallons! I know I didn't add 1 gal from the gas can. So, now I am having trouble believing that that the FZ6 can hold 5 usable gallons of gas. The most I've ever added is 4.25 gal. I've tried filling it on the center stand but that doesn't make a difference. Do you guys fill until the pump cuts off or do you fill it until gas starts pouring out of the top of the tank?
The lesson of the day: when the F trip is blinking, fill up within 20 or 30 miles