I Want More MPG

[andrewsw]

Until you ride with someone, there's in no real way to know what they mean by "heavy on the throttle". For example, I'm pretty heavy on the throttle on my B4. But that means I run up to speed really hard, but rarely ride more than a few mph over the limit. Some friends are pretty sedate about the acceleration, but just keep on going up to double the limit...

[mademiriam]

i used to only get 200 to reserve as well..now with the timing advancer its up to 220 ish... but I'm heavy on the throttle, and somewhat unreasonable. I run close to redline, but of course always maintain the posted speed limit  also i seldomly ride in town and my commute is always out of heavy traffic times.

[jeffw]

i used to only get 200 to reserve as well..now with the timing advancer its up to 220 ish... but I'm heavy on the throttle, and somewhat unreasonable. I run close to redline, but of course always maintain the posted speed limit  also i seldomly ride in town and my commute is always out of heavy traffic times.

I'm thinking you get 220 Kilometers to reserve, some of us are using Miles.  Apples to oranges guys.

[Ray Mooney]

I ride conservatively on the highway and I routinely hit 200 MILES before I get the last blinking bar.

[mademiriam]

I know jeffw, I had thought though that the aussie guys would also talk in km, and not miles. My 220 turns in to 136miles, which although terrible is in tune and slightly below most of the people I ride with.

[stormi]

Man, my mileage sucks. I get about 34mpg in the 400. But it's re-jetted, K&N filter and got the full Yosh exhaust. I suppose I gotta do something about that, but still, it's fun!  I think a big part of that is a combination of a natural tendency to go about 80 mph and being naked. I guess a little bubble fairing is worth a couple of MPGs.

ANyone else got mileage stats for a 400? I seem to recall my 91 got similar mileage as well. oh well.

Well if my 919 with the Givi screen is any indication, the mileage dumps straight into the toilet with the windscreen on.

For instance I have 255kms on the tank right now (gotta go fill it up before work) and haven't hit the "fuel light".   I should get about 60kms out of that, but I don't want to be wrong and fall short on my 55km commute. 

That should make for about a 40mpg consumption.   When I had the givi screen on, I was getting about 170 to the tank.

HALF.  The same mileage as the Mustang, and I don't get wet in the Mustang if Mother nature throws a surprise at me.

Same commute, pretty close to the same conditions.  Possibly -slightly- windier, but lower speed as a result.

[andrewsw]

It's really depressing to be disappointed in middle-30's (mpg) gas mileage. 

[stormi]

It's really depressing to be disappointed in middle-30's (mpg) gas mileage. 

If you're doing hiway at all on the little B4, there's where your mileage goes.  While they're a barrel of laughs in the city, and in the twisties, they work pretty hard at hiway speeds. 

With Dita, I used to get something insane like 65 or 70mpg in the city.  Now that we're on the hiway more, Ryan finds that he -has- to fill up at less than 200kms I think he said?  I'll check with him when he gets home.

Did the math on the 919s mileage for the last tank.  40.95 US mpg.

[andrewsw]

With Dita, I used to get something insane like 65 or 70mpg in the city.  Now that we're on the hiway more, Ryan finds that he -has- to fill up at less than 200kms I think he said?  I'll check with him when he gets home.

is that really 65-70 MPG? that is insane. I do do a fair bit of highway speed riding. My main commute style ride these days is about 40 miles round trip on a country highway. I typically do a steady 65mph on that run with a tiny bit of city at each end. So that may be part of it. I never got better than mid-high 30's (US mpg) on my old bandit either. It was also jetted and piped, though it didn't have the K&N filter.

I'm pretty much resigned to the way things are, though I"m sure my emulsion tube/needle jet is worn and that will kill the mileage some.

[stormi]

With Dita, I used to get something insane like 65 or 70mpg in the city.  Now that we're on the hiway more, Ryan finds that he -has- to fill up at less than 200kms I think he said?  I'll check with him when he gets home.

is that really 65-70 MPG? that is insane. I do do a fair bit of highway speed riding. My main commute style ride these days is about 40 miles round trip on a country highway. I typically do a steady 65mph on that run with a tiny bit of city at each end. So that may be part of it. I never got better than mid-high 30's (US mpg) on my old bandit either. It was also jetted and piped, though it didn't have the K&N filter.

I'm pretty much resigned to the way things are, though I"m sure my emulsion tube/needle jet is worn and that will kill the mileage some.

http://forums.banditalley.net/index.php?topic=4913.msg42757#msg42757
http://forums.banditalley.net/index.php?topic=1587.msg10153#msg10153

I suspect that it's the hiway that's killing the mileage.  I used a product called "Lucas Upper Cylinder treatment" that seemed to help a little too.  The details are in that second thread.

[pmackie]

I used a product called "Lucas Upper Cylinder treatment" that seemed to help a little too.

Don't want to poo-poo someone else's fix or product recommendation, but I wouldn't want to use these types of products unless I knew what it was actually doing. Many products that might be benificial for increased cylinder wall lubrication and/or valve train wear can result in significant piston ring deposits, leading to stuck rings and additional valve and exhaust deposit formation.

Just be carefull...

[stormi]

Agreed.  The only reason I would have even thought to use or mention is it that the performance and transmission shop that r_outsider used to work at swore by it, and I respected a couple of the people there.

Say, Paul.. which day are you leaving for Washington?  We might be coming through the interior before then...

[andrewsw]

I suspect that it's the hiway that's killing the mileage.

probably so. A good portion of my commute is running at 60-70mph. very little town driving... short hops. I did find another bit, dropping the needles to the second position helped with my stumble and probably will push up the mileage as well.

I'm not all that concerned about it as it's still the best mileage vehicle I have by 50% or so...

A

[stormi]

I suspect that it's the hiway that's killing the mileage.

probably so. A good portion of my commute is running at 60-70mph. very little town driving... short hops. I did find another bit, dropping the needles to the second position helped with my stumble and probably will push up the mileage as well.

I'm not all that concerned about it as it's still the best mileage vehicle I have by 50% or so...

A

And it's damn fun to save the gas too. 

[pmackie]

Say, Paul.. which day are you leaving for Washington?  We might be coming through the interior before then...

Plan is for 7:00 AM approx, Friday, Aug 15th, to meet up with Red and bobcat (and maybe Cargo7).

If your coming through Cranbrook on the 12-14th, give me a call. We can at least have coffee at the Tim Horton's. PM me with your schedule and I'll give you my cell number.