The dealer said the same thing to me but it definitely didn't look filled up. I went to the gas station and topped it off before heading home for the 150 mile trip. I assumed the light was incorrect, which is why I thought I had another 50 miles but I guess my light is pretty accurate. Over a year later and it still comes on around 70 miles. Harley must have been testing a one in a million sportster when they got 60 mpg's. Or maybe I got a one in a million gas hog haha. I still love the bike, just surprised how bad the mileage is.

 

08 1200N 55+mpg highway, ~25-30mpg around town...

 

Last tank in the Iron I got 112 miles and used 2.3 gals of gas for 48 mpg all highway. My old 2000 XL1200S would get 45 in city and 60 on the highway at 70mph. I get 35 & 42 on the SG but I can go 200+ miles a tank on it.

 

am i not shifting efficiently or not filling up the tank enough? if i'm lucky i can get in the 50s before my light goes on. the last 1 was 68.9 and that's after riding an additional 5-10 miles before actually refueling. what's wrong with my iron?

i fill up around 1.15-25 gal more or less but i need to check my records. compared to everyone else, seems like i can fill the tank up another gallon and fix my problem. i do stick the nozzle all the way in so that's another thing. i'll fill it higher next time, with the nozzle half way in, and stop filling when it's really almost full.

 

You may be getting less in depending on the way you are filling it. I straddle my bike so that it is upright holding the bike up with my legs.. When the bike is on the kickstand, it is leaning over, and you are not getting as much gas as you can in the tank becuase you have a big air pocket on the one side. Also, you should top it off very carefully. Fill the tank full by pulling the nozzle out of your tank and gently squeezing the lever to fill until it comes close to the opening. DO NOT OVERFILL!!!

This is harder to explain that it actually is to do.

 

I leave mine on the stand and fill to the bottom of the opening.

 

I hit reserve today on the way back from school, had 181 on the odometer, took about 3.78 to fill up, so I am getting about 48 mpg. I also pull the nozzle out of the tank when it gets close to full so I can see how much it takes to get to the top and fill it very slowly until it is even with the bottom of the inset in the tank opening.
+

 

no, you completely make sense, i will try this but i thought i've done this before at 1 point where i dont use my kickstand also nozzle a bit out while looking on and off if im close to the top but maybe not a combination of both. i will try this again. thank you for your input, i hope nothing is wrong

 

The light on my '08 1200C comes on at 120 miles. I know I can easily make 180 on one tank. MPG is 50 on highway and about 45 in city.

 

+1 my bike has 4.5 gal tank. I just rejetted (carb) so not sure what kind of actual mileage it will get but was a gas miser. 883cc