Does Gas Mileage REALLY Suck On A New Machine?

[jbrough7]

Got my Bandit 650 a week or so ago and have done about 800 clicks.  A magazine test said it should get about 355 clicks between fillups without stretching it too far.  I would love that!  That's double what my old savage got with a little teardrop tank that held a couple of thimble fulls!

Only problem is I'm getting about half that!  Seems I'm on to reserve at about 180 km. so I take it in and fill it up.  For you Americans, that's almost 5 gallons for about 120 miles!!

Friend tells me bikes are set really rich from the factory...also it HAS been pretty cold up here so I have been using the choke every morning, but then switching it off as quickly as I can.

Will the gas mileage pick up as she breaks in more?

[PitterB4]

Although I don't recall reading of anyone's experience with a 650, bikes are usually too LEAN from the factory to make emissions requirements.

[aussiebandit]

Got my Bandit 650 a week or so ago and have done about 800 clicks.  A magazine test said it should get about 355 clicks between fillups without stretching it too far.  I would love that!  That's double what my old savage got with a little teardrop tank that held a couple of thimble fulls!

Only problem is I'm getting about half that!  Seems I'm on to reserve at about 180 km. so I take it in and fill it up.  For you Americans, that's almost 5 gallons for about 120 miles!!

Friend tells me bikes are set really rich from the factory...also it HAS been pretty cold up here so I have been using the choke every morning, but then switching it off as quickly as I can.

Will the gas mileage pick up as she breaks in more?

In my experience, yes the milage will pick up as everything loosens up.  However, I never, ever, ever beleive what a magazine (or the companies flyers) tell me about fuel economy, how the f^&k do they know how I ride, when I ride or where I ride.  I do use them as a guide when comparing bikes, providing the same guy/s have done the testing under similar conditions.

[ray nielsen]

When my Bandit 1200 was new mileage was about 33-36 Miles/Gallon.

The culprit was the Throttle Position Sensor -- it was misadjusted.

The procedure for adjusting it is fairly simple and requires an ohmmeter and a phillips screwdriver.  

First disconnect the TPS connector and measure the resistance from outside to outside connections and record it.  It should be between 3500 to 6500 ohms (with 5000 ohms the desired value).

Next open the throttle fully and measure from the center pin to one outside pin ( I forget which) and you should measure 76% of the original value.  If necessary, loosen the two phillips screws holding the TPS and rotate to achieve this value.

For example if overall resistance is 5000 ohms, the full throttle value should be 3800 ohms.  A digital ohmmeter makes it easier to read the values, just make sure it's accurate and reading zero ohms with the leads touching together.

My mileage sent from 33-36 to 42-43 MPG after this adjustment AND running was smoother too.

[rider123]

In addition those reports on milage are usually for Highway and "best conditions" driving. If you're driving in the city it will eat fuel like crazy. When I get my bike on the highway my milage goes up alot. 180km till reserve in the city on a brand new not broken in bike is pretty normal. You're bike will be properly broken in at a minimum of at least 2000kms on the clock. So don't worry you're still in the ballpark.

[Red01]

That does sound low though. If it doesn't pick up after break-in, I'd take it in and ask what's up. The stock 600's typically get 45-50 miles per US gallon and the 1200's ~5 mpg less. I average 38-39 with my B12 and it's been rejetted with a Holeshot stage II and has a Holeshot can. I got ~42 back when it was stock.

[rider123]

I agree though, it is a little low, maybe check the TPS sensor. It seems to always be out of wack from the factory. Mine was, and almost everyone who's checked it says its always a little out of wack. I will say that my gas milage has improved alot since I've hit a couple of thousand K. THat's including making the mixture richer to compensate for my muzzy slip-on.

[Dazbandit]

RED 01  whilst you are here i want to ask you something.I guess your bike is the same as mine a 1200 K1. I saw one or two of your earlier posts reguarding jetting the carbs.The thing i want to know is are you using a dynojet stage 1 with k/n in the airbox? iam using this setup with the largest jet which is size 100 and the needle clip is seccond from bottom and the bike seems to run ok but when i check the plugs using the plug chop method they are always white it seems that the jet is still to small.Or iam wandering if i havent taken the bike on a long enough run before doing the plug chop.what do you think and what jet and needle possitions are you using.

P.s i have no air leaks and everything is fit correctly etc etc.
Thanks Daz

[Dazbandit]

ooops you have a stage 2 kit sorry i have just noticed heh heh

[Red01]

Daz, IMHO, you have two problems.

1) Dynojet jet kit - while they make a lot of great jet kits, their Bandit kits have always been between difficult and impossible to dial in.

2) The K&N replacement filter - they're an upgrade for almost everything - except 2nd Generation Bandits. Dale Walker of Holeshot recommends sticking with the stock filter if you're keeping the airbox. A few folks have managed to get them to work out with Ivan's jet kit.

[Dazbandit]

I have got mine runing well with K/N filter its better than the standard setup.But as i have said the plugs are not colouring so i phoned a main d/j dealer and they said that with modern fuels doing a plug chop is not reliable anymore because of the cleaner fuels  

[Dazbandit]

Looking at the holeshot site and Dale walkers comments- they do recomend the standard filter for the stage one kit but they do also supply a k/n filter for the stage two kit all be it that the stage two kit elimainates the air box cover.of course there is also the stage three that eliminates the box as we all know.

personally i dont believe that there is a problem with a stage one and a k/n.Dale has a good sales ploy as the stage 2 costs you lots of extra dosh.
Factory pro also have a good marketing ploy by telling you that their needles and jet and emulsion tubes are the best.

I have also phoned dynojet and they say that a k/n is fine with a stage one kit.

[Red01]

Having watched Dale develop his kits for the 2001+ B12's from his posts over at Maximum-Suzuki, I can tell you it is not a marketing ploy just to sell you the Stage II Airbox kit.

FWIW - he does recommend the K&N replacement filter for the Stage I kit on the 1G B12. He just could not get reliable results with the K&N and just fresh jets - and he tried all sorts of hole patterns. It took new needles to get it to run to his satisfaction. And with Dale's kits, new needles is a Stage II. Given his record with Bandits and bikes in general, if he has troubles, I doubt I can do better.

Add to that, his Stage II Airbox kit didn't come out until a couple of years later. It was developed because some folks wanted more power than the Stage I, but didn't want to go to pods. (His kit with the K&N pods is still called a Stage II, but is what DJ & FP call a III or 3.0)

Anyway, glad you got your DJ kit running well... I think you're maybe the 3rd person I've seen post here that's happy with it.  

[Dazbandit]

 Yo mate its good to share knowledge on here.The tinternet (lol) is a great revoulution.

knowledge is power (or i hope it is )
Thanks Daz  

[Have Blue]

I bought an 03 B12S this Saturday with 1600 miles on it and it soots plugs something awful.  Sounds like you all may have just found the problem for me.   Wow to the gas milage!  33 to 36 mpg is pretty dismal and even 42-43 though bearable, isnt going to win any awards.  LOL  I think I'm going to have to see what I can do with synching, mixture adjustment and gearing.  It shouldnt be very difficult to get the gas milage to over 50 mpg.

Blue

When my Bandit 1200 was new mileage was about 33-36 Miles/Gallon.

The culprit was the Throttle Position Sensor -- it was misadjusted.


My mileage went from 33-36 to 42-43 MPG after this adjustment AND running was smoother too.