As I understand it, the sending unit has a rheostat bar that evidently gets fuel varnishes on it and stops working. In discussions on the Internet, some claim that this piece can be cleaned with a Scotch-Brite pad, which will make it functional again -- for a while. You also have to buy a special tool to disassemble the fuel pump from the fuel tank to try this temporary fix.
This is a great bike with a new price tag of $26,500. I like all the accessories, including the gas gauge, when it's working properly. The gauge is particularly important, since the thimble-size fuel tank has no fuel reserve. So I have to use the trip odometer to estimate when I need to stop for fuel.
I may need to purchase the larger aftermarket fuel tank and design a reliable fuel level sending unit to fix their commercially sold premium motorcycle product. In the meantime, I'll carry a small fuel can strapped on the rack on the back for my reserve.
This entry was submitted by David T. Humphrey and edited by Rob Spiegel
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Now you've gotten to the root of the problem. You're right, it doesn't look cool with a one-gallon tank of gas strapped on the back. LOL.
It may not be safe, but the real issue is the cool factor. Ya spend all that money on a Harley to look cool . . . and bam you're either a sap pedestrian or carrying a nerdy gas can. :-)
Trust me it looks just as unmanly to be carrying a gas can across the field to a tractor without gas. I think it might be a little joke all the rednecks say about the cityboys, "You might be a city boy if: you've ever walked 1/4 mile back to the house to get a can of gas for your tractor.
David, you might be true in certain cases. In certain cases, spare parts cost more and compatibility is a major issue. The absence for reserving gas is a design flaw and in such case there should be some mechanism to point out the fuel level.
Yes, without a reserve, the motorcycle has "a mechanism to point out the fuel level" designed in. Unfortunately, it just doesn't work reliably as designed.
I do wonder why on small engines like this they do not have a reserve engine as a standard feature. Kind of one of those requirements to be in the marketplace. Unfortunate. But true.
Harleys still have gravity feed and fuel reserve petcocks with carburated models. I believe that is true of all carburated Harley models.
For the fuel injected models, they do not have a petcock with a fuel reserve. I guess they would need to develop a new "selector valve" to have a reserve, but not have a shut-off in the inlet to the fuel pump. I am presuming that shutting off the inlet to the fuel pump creates problems with both the fuel pump and collapsing or splitting the inlet tube/hose. The V-rod does not have a tap-off fitting in the bottom of the fuel cell, so it would require some creative approach . . . perhaps switching between two different level inlet locations with a rod and knob at the top of the fuel pump assembly.
I would NEVER let somebody else work on my bike! That reduces labor costs, plus doing it oneself assures that I will take adequate care to get the fix right. Here is an idea, how about a clear fuel line sight tube running up the tank? No moving parts and therefore nothing to fail, plus being cheap. The down side is needing to stop on a level spot to read it. One other option is to build a system that records injector open time. Since the injection pressure is constant, I think, then the fuel consumed is directly related to the time the injectors are open. So just simply record the injector open time and scale that to gallons used. The only down side is needing to remember to reset it every time that you fill up the tank.
You can buy a Brammo that comes with the same range anxiety, but no sound for about half the price. I guess baseball cards on the electric bikes spokes wouldn't make up for the extra $13,000 in purchase price.
Seriously, if the bike really isn't that old you might be able to return it as a lemon and get your money back.
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