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What kind of techniques are yall using? I would love to pull my commute up from ~44ish mpg to 50ish.

See here (http://www.cleanmpg.com/forums/showthread.php?t=4095) for a similar question.

I've been sticking pretty much with the basics: keeping speed down (I generally stay off the expressways -- it's a cruiser, after all), gentle acceleration, anticipatory driving, and DWB. At extended red lights and other long stops I'll kill the ICE. I keep a close eye on tire pressure. Results are good, generally in the 60-70 MPG range when I'm riding around the countryside, ~50 MPG around town. Here's (http://www.cleanmpg.com/index.php?page=garage&displayunits=MPG(US)&viewcar=384) my mileage log, though I'm past due updating it with several tanks from last year. Nothing to report for this year because it's been in the shop for a month. :mad:

Hmm I missed that one. Unfortunately it reinforces what I had already thought/feared - there's not much else to be done!

Technique helps, but it seems that many bikes are tuned so poorly from the factory that significant improvements can be made through mods.

On my Concours I gain 4 mpg by slowing from 70mph to 60mph and accellerating at the speed of normal traffic - always. Gain 2 mpg by advancing the ignition 4 degrees. Gain 4 mpg by lowering the fuel level in the float bowls by about 10mm and opening the plug gap by .010". Gain 2 mpg by removing side air scoops and cutting windshield down about 4". Gain 2 mpg by screwing in the idle mixture screws as far as possible and balanced exhaust temperature across all cylinders at idle with cold driveability issues only when near freezing temps. Next on the list is a gearing change for the shaft drive that is reported to get a 2-5 mpg improvement, but I'm debating as it is expensive.

I've never found the 35 mpg that the magazines claim for the bike in my 64,000 miles on this bike but maybe break-in has something to do with it. I've been getting about 54 average, mostly highway.

Well, I've got pipes on it now, along with a V+H Fuelpak, Screamin' Eagle Stage 1 air cleaner, and I switched to synthetic oil and trans lube. I think the motor's pretty well broken in now with 6k miles on it, and between those mods and the heat here I'm seeing about a 2-3mpg gain.

I think I'm pretty close to as good as I can get, because with that unfortunate EFI I don't have all the little carb mods I'd love to try, I don't have a windshield, and I don't think I can play with the ignition either (also, unfortunately, a computerized deal).

You could take load off the electrical system by switching to LED brake and sig lights... Regear sprocket... Reduce drag by wearing full helmet, leather and tucking in... Get a streamliner fairing like in The World's Fastest Indian (great movie, Burt Monroe won all kinds of comps on that bike including FE comps)...

Hi All:

___Just hypermile them with the Why's and How and they will pay you back with far few visits to the pump and a lot less chance of getting clipped!

___Good Luck

___Wayne

Of all of the ideas that Maxx listed, the LED's appeal to me the most. I've been looking off and on for something that would enhance my visibility yet look suited to the bare-knuckle-brawler attitude of the bike, and I think some LED's would do some good. They'd go with the LED license plate light and reduce my generating load.

Apparently either the mods, the 3k miles I put on it going to Washingdon, DC, or the hotass weather we've been having is paying dividends already though, my mileage on the last tank is well above what the average 1200 Sportster rider is getting.

Harleys can get pretty good gas mileage. Mid 50's is not at all out of reach.

You don't say how long or the nature of your commute, so I'll give some general rules.

Keeping the speed down is critical. The other critical thing is limiting the rate at which you accelerate.

If your commute includes interstate, learn to stay in the right lane if it's feasible. If it's not, search for some frontage roads that parallel the interstate for at least part of the route.

If it's mostly city, learn to time the lights so you spend as little time sitting still as you can.

For a simple first step, just reduce your speed by 5 mph for a couple of tanks and see what happens.

It's 13 miles each way to school, 10 each way to work. The first 7 miles (from home) are on country roads, speed limit 50 with one stop sign and one signal. The last part is on what might almost be considered an expressway, three lanes each way with a median and speed limit 50 but with a decent amount of traffic and some stoplights (which, though I had them timed seem to have had a timing change...grr). We have light rolling hills in this part of the country.

I'm a little worried that dropping the speed may not help. 45mph is JUST out of lugging territory for my tall 5th gear. I noticed on my trip to Washington DC a month and change back that all my best tanks came at 70+mph (?!?) - my best tank ever was nearly 58mpg which I got by knocking back the superslab at a steady 73mph. I have been mixing going 45 and 50mph the last few tanks since I got back, but haven't actually experimented with the speeds to see exactly what kind of return I get, though.