Fooking low fuel light

Hi guys,

Something strange append to me yesterday...

I took my bike to go to work as it was very sunny (first time for a lonnnggggg time) and as my work at home (re design my garage entrance) now allow me to get the bike out...

So anyway the bike had not run for maybe 2 month top... it starts well and here we go !!!

I come back to lunch at midday and when I want to go back to work the bike die on sidestand (and little way down) while I am closing my door... No low fuel light and "only" 180 kms so I start it back and go to work...

On the way in a gentle brake again on a way down the bike die again... At this time I told myself that I need to give some gas to the engine ^^

So after work I go immediatly to refuel... and in the last turn before station the bike nearly die (again) while I am leaning... but still no fooking low fuel light on !!!

So I fuel it up with 18.7 liters (as I saw the tank is only 18.5 liters so should have be very dry at the moment) and go home with no problem

So I have questions... why did that light not turn on (fuse, sensor disconection)... and is it possible that fuel evaporate itself during storage or something like that because 19L for 200 kms I think it's a lot

Anyway I think a came close to push for a while... Anyone here got that kind of problem ?

Does the fuel light come on when you turn the ignition on?

You're not empty until you put 19.75 litres in!

I had that problem a year or so ago. Riding home on the toll road and just before the toll booth the low fuel light goes on. No problem, I have another 20 miles or so of fuel and I am 10 miles from home. Then a mile or so later the bike starts cutting out and then dies completely. Stop a second (on a toll road where everyone is going 80 mph) and try to start the bike and it starts. Go another mile or so and it dies again. Do this a few more times and it will not start at all. End up pushing the bike 1/2 mile down a ramp, across 4 lanes of traffic and then on the sidewalk to the nearest gas station. Yep, it really was completely empty. So fill it up and ride some more times back and forth to work. A few days later it just plain dies with no low fuel light at all, at basically the same spot on the toll road. Figure it out this time and get off the toll road immediately (only crossing 6 lanes of traffic after the toll booths) and sneak out the maintenance entrance and do the stop and restart thing a few blocks to a gas station. Yep, empty again. So I ride a few more weeks filling up every other trip to work so I never get low. And order a new fuel level sensor. Eventually I get time to replace it but the biggest issue is that the sensor no longer seals when I use the new o-ring sent with the new sensor. Tighten it all up, pivot the tank back down and as soon as the fuel level gets to the sensor, out comes the gas from around the sensor. Take it off and on a few times, using oil for a seal, etc. and no change. Of course, this also involves draining and refilling the tank each time. So try the old o-ring and it works like a charm first try, no leaks. Compare the o-rings and the old one is slightly thicker than the new one, which makes sense as it seals and the new one did not. Curse KTM for sending the wrong size o-ring with the new sensor but get past it as it is now sealed. Fill up the tank and monitor again. Everything is working and has been since then.

So the fuel level sensor does fail, though why a floating ball should fail is a mystery to me.

With my fooking bad karma... I am the type of guy who can get a floating ball to stop to work ^^

Do you have the part number for the sensor and more importantly maybe the price so I don't have a heart attack when I place the order ^^ (not sure I will , will wait for the fuel to be empty again and check if that damn like accept to warn me ^^)

Small update...

The light is still ok when I turn the key... but I am at 200 kms and my bike just stop on side stand so I think I really got a problem somewhere with the sensor...

OK, figured it out...

Bike nearly died again just before I can fuel it up... Made it to the pump thought...

18.6L

I checked the connector from sensor and 1 pin (of 2) was jamned from my previous mounting of tank when I removed SLS...

Anyway problem solved and tank is definitively under 19L

I don't trust the light on this bike.
I watch my mileage, and usually just get gas a lot.

I know if I do run it low enough for the light to come on it takes a while for it to go off after filling up.