Best motorcycle MPG

phoebeisis · #41 02-13-2008, 08:12 AM

Wow,
You guys get better mpg than I usually did with my mainly midsized mcs.My XS850 definitely brought up the rear-a stellar 35 mpg-just like Maxx.The SV650(2001 carbed) got maybe 40mpg-the 550,600's got about the same.Now all this was mainly stoplight to stoplight city riding.In 1980/81 when it was dead stock the SR500 would get 62mpg with about 1/2 being city interstate.
The VT500-grandfather of the Shadows-gets about 40 and change, but I think it is seeping at the petcock.
Tab-35 mpg-not so great.It must have a CatCon-the FI and CatCons allow them to tune for power.Shame that FI isn't giving the FE it should.Heck,I would bet that the EFI with sensors-02,and mass air sensors,and the quick computing speed-allow a EFI car to get at least 15% better FE than a carbed vehicle.Heck,in the 70's when you would take a sea level carbed vehicle to 5000 ft(Denver)-the power and FE would drop like a stone.Now you actually get better FE at altitude.
Thanks,
Charlie

hawkgt647 · #42 02-13-2008, 04:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tab

no exp with the XT225 or 250 but if yer riding in traffic, get something bigger.... much bigger.

I would disagree - if the objective is maximum MPG's, a 185 to 250cc would be ideal for most situations.

If it's pure freeway/interstate, a 305 to 400cc will still work.

And I agree with the statement that all bikes will have some level of risk.

The Yama XT225-250 would be great with a sprocket change to drop the RPM's.

featherfoot · #43 02-13-2008, 11:17 PM

high mileage doesn't do you any good if you die achieving it. there's something that needs to be taken into consideration when riding a motorcycle in traffic. the bigger, badder, and louder your bike, the less chance there is that someone will try to kill you. riding in a pack is recommended.

people are evil. put a steering wheel in their hands and they become vicious evil. i've met lots of them and you can't tell by looking which ones will attack.

featherfoot · #44 02-13-2008, 11:19 PM

Quote:

Tab-35 mpg-not so great.It must have a CatCon-the FI and CatCons allow them to tune for power.

it was a road test of a new, stock, FI Harley Ultra. 35mpg is all it got.

jcp123 · #45 05-31-2009, 06:10 PM

Well, on my trip to DC last week I had a best tank of nearly 58mpg. I can't say that Harley's EFI is doing any good for fuel economy, but now that the engine's loosening up, it's netting some good mileage. Hopefully my commute ride will come up to the 47+range as well, it's been hanging out at around 44mpg.

alvaro84 · #46 08-26-2009, 12:49 PM

I'm curious what mpgs I got if I could shift under 2000 like car drivers here, but for some reason that 650cc single Rotax in my BMW F650CS can't stand such low revs

I'm not a revver by nature, I'd like to cruise at like 1000rpm if it would be possible

but even the idle is higher than that and in 5th she really hates revs under ~3000...
Still she doesn't see revs over ~3600rpm when I don't go faster than 90km/h (~56mph, normal non-freeway speed limit here), and when I'm hypermiling I usually don't even pulse faster than that.

Anyway, F650 riders usually get mpgs in the 50s, 60s or 70s (at f650.hu it's said that you'll work hard to get over 4l/100km on normal roads) depending on their riding style, I could reach 89.45USmpg (2.63l/100km) over one tank with frequent coasting (even some NICE-Off). I'm really curious what can I achieve with her!

Unfortunately now her clutch is broken and won't release. I'll take her to the mechanic on Friday. I hope it isn't the coasting that broke the clutch (I've been doing it frequently only for the last 2000 kms or so) - if it is, I really don't know what can I do. Coasting is so much fun and really helped to get better FE... or could that little P&G lately be a bit too much? I hope not, though it's less fun than long coasts without too much pulse...

We have another bike too, Ciliegia, a Hyosung GV250. Potentially a very good candidate to get good mpg, though I couldn't catch Teresa with her in this respect. She's not even mine to begin with, I just ride her sometimes... a few experiments with removing the windshield and probably synching the carbs can help. Changing chain sprockets to get more economical gear ratio can help too, I think it worth a try.

Right Lane Cruiser · #47 08-26-2009, 01:08 PM

If the clutch won't disengage it sounds like the linkage is broken but the clutch is fine.

I don't know if it was caused by the coasting but I doubt it.

jcp123 · #48 08-26-2009, 11:08 PM

Yeah, even low-revving Harleys still lug at relatively higher RPM's than cars - mine lugs at ~1800-2000rpm.

alvaro84 · #49 08-29-2009, 11:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Right Lane Cruiser

If the clutch won't disengage it sounds like the linkage is broken but the clutch is fine.

I don't know if it was caused by the coasting but I doubt it.

The strangest thing is that she changed her mind after I started her to carefully ride to the mechanic... And even the mechanic couldn't say better without taking her apart, what he didn't even suggest. I'll keep her under surveillance till the 40k maint (2300km, so it's due in late September or early October), I think.

alvaro84 · #50 09-04-2009, 12:55 AM

I reached new heights with Teresa: the tank I finished yesterday ended with 2.53l/100km (93 US mpg)

Riding slow (~75km/h = fourty-few mph) works very well, as well as NICE-On coasting and even FAS (in my daily commute there are 4 slopes in 120kms that are worth FASing if the traffic is mild enough - I inevitably slow down too much on the 2 freeway ones if I do so... but that super-silent, almost zero consumption (lights are on and I use the starter at the end...) 2.4km ride downward feels soo nice...).
I have to work more on handling heavy city traffic though. I ride mostly off-town, I'm not used to the agressive, crowded Budapest traffic enough to handle it well enouh (=feel pleased about the efficiency). Next tank has a segment of Budapest from yesterday, with some stop&crawl, I don't know how much impact it'll have on it.

At the weekend my commuter will be Ciliegia (the Hyosung GV250), I'll try to ride her the same way I do with Teresa. I must improve her average, the best is 3.23l/100km so far...
(The 250cc V-twin spins faster than the 650cc single but their idle is similar so it has to respond NICE-On coastig even better, I think)

update: I did a refill on Ciliegia. At long last, the 3l/100km barrier is broken. New personal best is 2.86l/100km (82 US mpg). I'll totally hand the bike to shiNIN soon. It's hers, after all... but I'll do one more fill before, now totally *miling, 1-up, weekend (I'm working in night shift this Friday to Sunday). I'm so curious!