I've got an '03 Blackbird,and rode the bike until the gas gauge started flashing. I stopped at the gas station ,and I was extremely surprised to see that 4,6 gallons filled up the tank. Mileage was at 168 when the "empty"started to blink. Is this normal?

Sounds about right. There's somewhere around 5 usable gallons in the tank. Its listed as a higher capacity, but the remaining few dribble of gas can't get to the fuel pump.

So your capacity is correct, your mileage is normal, and your low fuel warning came at the right time.


EDIT-------these guys who thought about their answers before they started typing are correct......6 gallons. There's a reason I had to be self-appointed.

If it helps, when I have one solid square left on the gas gauge (not blinking) it takes about 4 gallons to fill it. And I never bother to check the mileage anymore...used to get in the low 30 MPG range when I did check it though.

I have a '99. 6.0 gallon (supposedly). Light comes on and stays on, if I get gas, I'm typically putting in 5.0 gallons. I'm guessing 1/2 gallon reserve with that last 1/2 gallon potentially inaccessible without tipping the bike over.

I find this pretty interesting since they advertised it as a 6.2 gallon as I recall.

I know for a fact if you are getting 40mpg (ie. facing the posibility of running out of gas in the middle of Nevada), you can go more than 60 miles on reserve. But i sure as fuck wouldn't recommend it.

According to the owner's manual, fuel quantity for the FI bird is 6.08 gallons. I was once in
the Sierra with my wife as pillion, a long way from gas with the low fuel indicator blinking.
I was really worried I'd run out of fuel before I could reach a service station. I was doing
things like turning off the engine and coasting when going down hill, real easy on the throttle,
etc. I reached Bear Valley without running out and the tank took 5.6 gallons. So, you can
run it down at least that far without running out.

I actually ran mine dry and coasted to the gas station. When I looked inside, I didn't see any gas, but I was pretty shaken up. I wish I had the presence of mind to look how much I put in.

And also, you get at least three warnings of fuel cut out. The bike will jerk back and fourth. After that happens for the first time, you have about 5-6 miles left and I was going uphill.

So, even if the low fuel display starts blinking/flashing, there's still another 1.6 gallons in the tank. That is basically the reserve that gives the rider between 45 and 60 more miles, depending on the mpg.
The manual calls for 6.08 gallons for a full tank! Thanks for all the replies.

6.08 gallons for an FI bike; I think the carb bikes have a bit more capacity. According
to the owner's manual, the low fuel indicator starts blinking with 3 liters left, which for
my bike, which usually manages just a bit under 40 MPG, that should be only about 30
miles. If that were the case, I would have run out, so I think mine starts blinking a bit
earlier than that.

I have run out, completely, and got some from Eric, to get the rest of the five miles, maybe half a gallon, and put six gallons in, over 200 miles on that.

I always thought FI birds has 6.34 gallon capacity.

depending on how I am playing on the bike I have gotten almost 240 miles once on a tank and put in 5.8XX gallons, and also gotten 120 miles and put in 5.5XX gallons.

was a bit nervous on the 240 one though. Was pulling in the clutch and coasting down every hill trying to find a damn gas station in the middle of BFE..

I don't know. The owner's manual for my '03 says 6.08 gallons; maybe it indicates
lower than actual so there some reserve reserve.

This just caused me to open my '03 Owners Manual, (49-state / non-California model), and it also states 6.34 US gal (24.0 L) for the Fuel tank capacity, on page 92.

Is it possible that California models have a vapor collector in the tank that the 49-state models don't?

Edited to add:
The Fiche shows five different fuel tank part numbers for the '99-'03. Three of them are "Type 1", one is "Type 3" and one is "Type 4". No "Type 2" listed, and no idea what that means, unless it has to do with the paint color.

I ran out on the hwy once. Shook the bike to slosh the gas around, continued at 55mph for another 8 miles.... and started running out again while exiting the ramp and barely rolled right into the gas station next to the open pump. Whew!!

I confirm, 6.03 real usable gallons on the 99+ FI bikes.

The most I've ever put in was 5.98 gallons.

Now, do you remember where the low gas indicator started to blink? And how many miles you had when you made it into that gas station? Impossible questions,aren't they?

Here is some more data for you:

2003 XX - California Model

42mpg in city, 50mpg hwy

With the last bar blinking - 4.945g to fill it.

Kazi

Thank you very much indeed for all the replies.

2000 here typically getting 200 to 215 to the light. I have ran it out at 40 miles, my son's 99 has gotten 36 before it has died. On a corrected speedo

My 2003 has done 40 miles from blinking several times on trips and always still had 1/2 a gallon. I was getting >40mpg.

That was using an uncorrected speedo.