FUEL LEVEL SENSORS FOR MOTORCYCLES

Motorcycle riders have a few common problems or issues that we can solve with today’s technology. One of the most common – no matter the size of the bike… standard, sport, or cruiser – issues you’ll hear riders talk about is fuel level. “How much gas do I have left in the tank?” “I know I filled up recently, but did I reset the trip meter?”

(Gas tank without a fuel gauge)

For many bikes today, there is no fuel gauge like you would find in your car. Some of the bigger bikes with bigger gas tanks do have a fuel gauge but we estimate somewhere between 80-85% of bikes on the road today have no fuel gauge.

That puts all the responsibility on the rider to estimate or calculate when they are likely to run out of gas. If you fill up the tank – and let’s say you have a tank that holds 2.4 gallons (roughly 9 liters) – and you know your miles per gallon (or per liter), you can do the calculation in your head. If your motorcycle on average gets 60 miles per gallon, then you can travel a little over 140 miles before running out of gas.

If you are manually tracking ride distance and you know the mileage reading when you filled up, then you have a rough idea of when to stop for fuel. Over time as you ride more you’ll develop the habit of tracking how many miles you’ve ridden since your last fill up. Some riders write down mileage when they fill up, and how much fuel they put in the tank. Others use a trip meter that comes with the odometer on their bikes, resetting the meter every time they fill up.

However, these manual calculations aren’t all that precise. Your miles per gallon can vary depending on how much traffic there is on the road, how fast you drive, and other factors. Many riders err on the side of caution and stop for fuel more often they have to, but by doing so they minimize the risk of running out of gas.

When (or if) you do run out of gas, you then face bigger problems. How do you locate the nearest gas station? Your bike weighs somewhere between 400 and 800 pounds (or more for some of the larger cruiser bikes) and you have to somehow push it or get it to the gas station.

Our fuel sensor or gas sensor solves this common issue. We designed a sensor that attaches to the underside of any metal gas tank. This sensor then measures the level of fuel in your tank with ultrasound or sonar technology. That fuel level then gets communicated to a gauge you can easily read, similar to what you’re used to in your car. The communication happens through Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE). And since the sensor and gauge are always close together there’s no interruption in the signal. You’ll always know how much gas you have left in the tank.

Basically, the design works this way:

These two sensors would then communicate with a dual-sided gauge. You can monitor fuel level in each side and ultimately decide when you want to stop for gas.

Motorcycle riders are a creative bunch. Over the years there have a been a number of DIY attempts to solve the fuel level issue. For example, if you know how to work with metal and know how to weld, you can cut holes in your gas tank, weld or install bungs in those holes, then attach a clear hose. You can see how much gas you have by looking at the fuel in the clear hose.

Or, some have installed a “sight glass” at the back of the tank. By looking at this window you can see if you still have gas or not.

These adaptations can be dangerous, for a couple of reasons. Messing with your gas tank or cutting holes in the metal creates the potential for leaks which can be hazardous. And, to check gas levels you have to look, which if you’re riding down the road can take your eyes of the road and you lose focus on traffic.

We designed our fuel level sensors to be hands-off. All you need to do is look at your gauge, same as you do when you drive your car. And, we recommend installing gauges on or close to your speedometer where you tend to look anyway.

Fuel level sensors can help you minimize stress over running out of gas, and provide one more way to minimize distractions when you ride. Stay safer, use our gas sensors and you’ll know how much gas you have in the tank… anytime, anywhere.

We’re launching our Tankefy brand of sensors in late March 2023.

Sign up now to get notified when the first ones come off the manufacturing floor, ready for you to use.