My FLRT "6 Gallon" Tank Takes 5 Gallons of Gas?

My 2005 Softail has a gas gauge, and it's always relatively accurate. Also, when I installed a digital gauge on my (previous) 2009 XL1200 Lehman Raider, my digital fuel gauge was accurate. So, I expected my 2015 FLRT to be [I]relatively[/I] close-to-accurate too.

Keep in mind that I'm getting used to my new Freewheeler. When I started my errands yesterday morning, I only have 310 mile on my odometer.

My 2015 Trike Owner's Manual says 6 gallons. Harley-Davidson.com says my FLRT takes 6 gallons

As I was riding around doing errands all morning, at some point, my yellow gas icon illuminated, and the 'information window' told me I was 45 miles away from empty. At the end of the day, I pulled in to a gas station and filled 'er up. The tank gauge was on 'E' and the 'information window' said I was 7 miles away from empty.

But it only took 4.977 gallons of gas!

My question is: [I]Do [B]you[/B] have a 1-gallon "stealth" gallon of gas in your tank too?[/I] :confused:

I learnt early on when I bought my 2009 TG that filling the entire 6 gallons on the trikes can be a bit hard. If I can find a pump that will flow slow enough I can. Most pumps are to "hard" and shut themselves off.

[QUOTE] ...filling the entire 6 gallons on the trikes can be a bit hard.[/QUOTE]

[U][I]I [B]DON'T[/B] want to insult anyone here[/I][/U], but I'm looking for other owners who fill up their FLRT tanks.

I owned a XL1200 Lehman Raider with the 4.5 gallon tank, and I was pretty good at filling that up to the brim.

My *guess* is, in the end, it'll be a warranty item on my 1,K check-up. Unless everyone else has the same experience . . .

I too have noticed that when I fill my Freewheeler when it is on empty, it isn't 6 gallons. It's more like 5 gallons.

Good way to verify is to have a gallon of gas in a can handy then go run it out of fuel. Try to be near a gas station. Put the gallon in then go to the gas station and finish filling. If you didn't have to ride to far that should give you the usable fuel capacity. The gallon plus what the fill was. Now you know for sure.

When the gauge reads ''E'', That doesn't mean its bone dry... Carry a gal of gas, and keep on riding on ''E'' till you run out, It think you'll find out you traveled about 35 miles from ''E''..
About a gal's worth.. Now that's only if you filled the tank right to the top to start with....
[Did that with my T/G]

[FONT=Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif][COLOR=#444444][B]I'll stick a gallon of gas in the trunk and run it bone dry. I'm curious how many miles I can get out of it when it reads "zero miles until empty".

It might be awhile until you guys have an update though. It's freakin' cold in MO![/B][/COLOR][/FONT]

[QUOTE=0pini0nated;267103][U][I]I [B]DON'T[/B] want to insult anyone here[/I][/U], but I'm looking for other owners who fill up their FLRT tanks.

I owned a XL1200 Lehman Raider with the 4.5 gallon tank, and I was pretty good at filling that up to the brim.

My *guess* is, in the end, it'll be a warranty item on my 1,K check-up. Unless everyone else has the same experience . . .[/QUOTE]

It's NOT a warranty issue. The frame, and tank, is the same as the Tri Glide. Any difference is purely cosmetic. I gave you info based on over 60,000 miles an a factory built Harley trike, not a Sportster conversion which has a significantly different tank.

I love my Honda VTX reserve valve.:pepper::pepper::pepper:

Freakin' unbelievable.....you're worried about one gallon of gas?? Boy, hope your winter is a short one!! :AGGHH:

[QUOTE=BinIdaho;267143]Freakin' unbelievable.....you're worried about one gallon of gas?? Boy, hope your winter is a short one!! :AGGHH:[/QUOTE]

It's not about a gallon of gas ~ it's about that [B][I]final[/I][/B] gallon of gas :D

I'm trying to determine parameters here. If everyone else's FLRT is on empty and it takes 6 gallons to fill it up, then I'll ask the dealer to hook it up to the Digital Technician and adjust it. In the HD CAN-BUS, there are many adjustments that aren't available to the average owner.

And yes, the next time I'm low, I'll going to put a gallon in the trunk and keep riding. I'm interested to see what happens.

[QUOTE=BinIdaho;267143]Freakin' unbelievable.....you're worried about one gallon of gas?? Boy, hope your winter is a short one!! :AGGHH:[/QUOTE]

if Harley says the tank hold 6 gallons and it only holds 5, I wouldn't be worried, I'd be pissed off big time. :mad:

Do you have it Raked or the Tank raised :Shrug:

[QUOTE=Sully;267187]Do you have it Raked or the Tank raised :Shrug:[/QUOTE]

No ~ nothing like that yet. Nothing that would disturb or alter the fuel level opening at the top.

[QUOTE=0pini0nated;267145]It's not about a gallon of gas ~ it's about that [B][I]final[/I][/B] gallon of gas :D

I'm trying to determine parameters here. If everyone else's FLRT is on empty and it takes 6 gallons to fill it up, then I'll ask the dealer to hook it up to the Digital Technician and adjust it. In the HD CAN-BUS, there are many adjustments that aren't available to the average owner.

And yes, the next time I'm low, I'll going to put a gallon in the trunk and keep riding. I'm interested to see what happens.[/QUOTE]

You have to take the gas gauge and remaining miles with a grain of salt, I've yet to put the tanks capacity in on any of my Harley's when the gauge is on empty. I've always reset a trip odometer at every fill up and know my average MPG. The digital tech doesn't adjust the gas gauge, inside the tank is a float and potentiometer, no 2 will work identical. The 2010 Triglide I had and my dads 2009 didn't read the same amount.

I have mentioned on here previously,,, I know for a fact that my tank will hold 6.2 gallons of gas, and the motor was still running when I pulled into the gas station. The miles remaining gauge had stopped displaying. Same tank as a Freewheeler.

Filled my tank this AM..Took 5.4 gal. Miles remaining said 11.

My '04 could be easily filled all the way. With changes inside the '10 tank, the last 1/2 gallon has to be put in very, very slow. Sometimes going dink, dink, dink to fill it and wait for air to get out. Probably not any better with '15 tank. I've given up on high speed pumps that I can't control.

IF you noticed, there is a cylinder inside the filler hole. When you stick the gasoline hose in the hole it extends about an inch inside the tank. When gas reaches the end of the nozzle the fuel shuts off, leaving the fuel about an inch blow the top of the tank, thus 5 gallons instead of 6. The tank has the capacity of 6 gallons it would take a while to tinkle that last gallon in.


Ride that scoot, stop worrying about trivial crap. Harleys wiggle, jiggle, squeak and rattle. They clunk when you shift, and it takes a couple of thousand miles to find N easily. Sometimes at lights they just stall for the hell of it. Your Tri-Glide and / or Freewheeler have basically the same running gear and other stuff as a 2 wheeler. If you have ridden Harleys for any amount of time you just get used to Harley idiosyncrasies... Take it for a long ride, see the sights, smell the smells.

Enjoy the freedom. Somewhere around 100 to 150 miles find a gas station, have a coke, smoke, or a pee. Stretch your legs, thank God for the fun you are having, and get back on and ride some more.

[QUOTE=screwball;267408]IF you noticed, there is a cylinder inside the filler hole. When you stick the gasoline hose in the hole it extends about an inch inside the tank. When gas reaches the end of the nozzle the fuel shuts off, leaving the fuel about an inch blow the top of the tank, thus 5 gallons instead of 6. The tank has the capacity of 6 gallons it would take a while to tinkle that last gallon in.


Ride that scoot, stop worrying about trivial crap. Harleys wiggle, jiggle, squeak and rattle. They clunk when you shift, and it takes a couple of thousand miles to find N easily. Sometimes at lights they just stall for the hell of it. Your Tri-Glide and / or Freewheeler have basically the same running gear and other stuff as a 2 wheeler. If you have ridden Harleys for any amount of time you just get used to Harley idiosyncrasies... Take it for a long ride, see the sights, smell the smells.

Enjoy the freedom. Somewhere around 100 to 150 miles find a gas station, have a coke, smoke, or a pee. Stretch your legs, thank God for the fun you are having, and get back on and ride some more.[/QUOTE]

Thank you Screwball....you have a better way with words than I do! Definitely "trivial crap"!!!!!