I think its all about the old "romantic" phrase of "Man and Machine"(....figuritively, not forgetting the women riders)
It's all about getting to know the sounds, smells, and the feel of the motorcycle. We've gotten so used to modern conveniences like in a modern auto, where there are devices of all kinds to feed us "vital" information, that we panic when the information flow stops. We've become the "Machine and Man" instead.
Who really rides for 2 hours straight without stopping? If nothing else that can lead to fatigue anyway. At 55-60 miles per gallon at a moderate speed that is a tank of gas. So you pull into a station and stop at the pump. You fill up, stretch your legs and take a break.
If you are just a "weekend warrior" and only ride occassionally, then fill up first thing on the way out. It's a no brainer. All our modern conveniences have made us lazy, too. We want to just go, go, go and we don't want to have to think about it. It's like doing "long math", who can do it without a calculator anymore?
Motorcycling is about the wind in your hair, the scenery going by, and your machine. It's about feeling the lean going around a curve. Its about listening to the engine as it pulls a hill...I often think about that piston going up and down, or what area of my tires is in contact with the pavement, while I'm riding. Motorcycling is very much a thinking activity.
Leave the cell phone, bells and whistles, and gadgets behind. We don't need little things with numbers, grease pencils, or other devices to tell us what to do. They just slow down your mind. Learn your motorcycle, and you'll know how much gas is in the tank.
Just my opinion...