Scooter Math

[DanH]

The 2018 Kymco Like 200i owner's manual states the scooter has a fuel capacity of 1.58 US Gallons (6L). The fuel gauge on the scooter has a needle that passes across seven tick marks and through six spaces between them. See the photo. So, I'm thinking each tick mark (omitting the first one) is a litre of gasoline (6 litres / 6 tick marks = 1 litre per mark). So, when the needle points to the middle tick mark, I have 3 litres of gasoline left. In gallons, I'm going to assume I have .79 US gallons left when the needle points to the middle mark. 

My goal is to track my mileage (MPG) using an iPhone app (named Gas Miles). The app is simple and only asks for miles, gallons, full or part full, and date. I'm troubled with - what is a full tank?

When delivered, the dealer filled the tank up-to-and-touching the crossbar in the gas tank. The needle on the gas gauge read full (pegged to the left). Is it safe to assume we should only fill the gas tank until it touches the crossbar. The owner's manual only mentions no fuel in the filler neck. I suppose I could run the scooter out of gas and then fill it with 1.58 gallons of gas and look inside the filler neck to see how full is full.

Has anybody already done this? Any idea what a full tank is when looking down the filler neck of the gas tank?

Naturally, I will start looking for a gas station when "in the red" but I'm still a guy - meaning ... I don't ask for directions and I know my "scooter math."

[DryFly]

Well this will be an interesting thread to watch - do keep up on your posting on this subject. The gas gauges on many of the Kymcos are well known for their strange behavior. Mine is typical; it reads full then slowly creeps down to 7/8 full for the first 80 miles or so. When I turn my back on it, especially when I'm on a tour out in the hinterlands, it drops to under 1/4 and heads south rapidly from there. Your methodology wouldn't work on my scooter, I think.
If you're going to rely on this method, do carry some extra gas, especially when you go out in the boonies.

[Stig / Major Tom]

You can fill above that cross bar, but to do so risks fouling the evap cr_p located somewhere in all those little black hoses. So, don't.
No idea, myself, what those bars mean on the fuel gauge. But I know that my LIKE is not German made, so, for 7 years, I've treated them as decorative....somewhat like the speedo.😊
I have disappearing bars on my Piaggio's gauge. I've learned to calculate my mileage-to-walking by them, at my own peril. 😊
Many ways to discover your scoot's mileage. Walking is a good one.
Stig

[Stig / Major Tom]

PS: Not a good idea to run an EFI'd engine dry.
I forget why.
So, let us know?
Stig
PPS: the Piaggio had a little yellow gas pump that comes on when into the reserve area of the tank. Then, it being Italian, a little red sandal comes on to let you know you are now coasting..

[DanH]

Thanks for the responses so far. Maybe the question should be - what method do you use to calculate miles per gallon?

[Stig / Major Tom]

Pen and paper under the seat....used at each fill-up. Fill to bar. (miles divided by gallons) Learn my scoot's mileage.....then forget about it. I'll fill nearly every ride, because I want only Shell in my tank,  and not many around.
Stig

[CROSSBOLT]

If I remember my wife's Like 200i correctly, we could cruise 100 miles and then MUST fill or add gas to the tank. The Yager and the Like would both do about 95 miles to the gallon US with just cruising meaning 50 to 60 mph. The etrex GPS has a calculator function I use at fill-ups to get mileage. A cheapo calculator could do the same thing.

[john grinsel]

Who cares about mpg?  My 2019 XTown 300 I ABS----gets about 70 mpg with moderate speeds.   With my over 1.5 million miles of 2 wheeling----using fuel gauge can be stupid, unless you like walking.   Good rule, in strange places fuel every 100 miles, known every 150 miles.   MPG can be figured out using odometer and fuel amount

[stuo]

A big assumption: that the gas gauge is linear. I have found most gas gauges drop suddenly on the last fraction of the tank.

And, yes, Stig, it's not a good idea to run an EFI engine dry; on cars the fuel pump is usually in the tank being cooled by the fuel, plus you don't want to suck up the grit in the bottom of the tank, but I question that as a possible old wive's tale. 

[Stig / Major Tom]

A big assumption: that the gas gauge is linear. I have found most gas gauges drop suddenly on the last fraction of the tank.

And, yes, Stig, it's not a good idea to run an EFI engine dry; on cars the fuel pump is usually in the tank being cooled by the fuel, plus you don't want to suck up the grit in the bottom of the tank, but I question that as a possible old wive's tale. 

Fortunately I  think most of our scoots have filters stuck on the ends of our fuel pumps...preventing any crud getting to the injectors. Also,  must be pretty adequate filters, since opening the tank to replace the filter isn't on any service scedule I've seen!
Ztig