Author Topic: Gas over $3.oo a gallon! Smaller sprocket on the rear? (Read 5415 times)

gnip · « **on:** May 18, 2007, 09:32:52 AM »

I'm currently living 7 city miles from work. The commute is stop & go but takes 20 minutes. I'll be moving further out this summer and will be taking the freeway to work; 21 miles in 25 minutes. I'd like to drop the rear sprocket a few teeth when I get the tire changed. I understand that increasing the front sprocket requires some extra work and may be noisier, so I'm focused on the rear

.
Has anyone else done this?
What kind of MPG are you getting?

Bob Holland · « **Reply #1 on:** May 18, 2007, 12:44:14 PM »

I have changed my sprockets, 16/45 and 15/43 and 15/45 and 15/48, and did not see any change in gas mileage. I live 30 miles from work, so 60 miles R/T. My opinion is that gearing the bike up, 15/43 or 16/45, is a waste of money and time

I have a lot of rear sprockets from dragracing.

pmackie · « **Reply #2 on:** May 18, 2007, 01:31:00 PM »

If your REALLY determined to get improved fuel mileage, and sacfrice performance to get it, you can rejet the pilots and needles leaner.

Otherwise, steady throttle position with slow acceleration will improve your fuel mileage, likely more than changing gearing slightly. Make sure you air filters clean, and chain is well lubed, brakes set up properly, etc.

Red01 · « **Reply #3 on:** May 18, 2007, 02:30:43 PM »

Commuting to work with a B12 to save gas? Consider other things in the cost, like tires for example, and you may be surprised it's not so cheap to use it as a commuter. If you're gonna commute on a bike to save coin, how about a smaller bike for commute duty. They're easier on gas and tires. Save the B12 for joy rides.

Quote from: "pmackie"

Otherwise, steady throttle position with slow acceleration will improve your fuel mileage, likely more than changing gearing slightly. Make sure you air filters clean, and chain is well lubed, brakes set up properly, etc.

Seems the logical thing, doesn't it?

OTOH, when I ride like that on my 49 mile (one way) commute that's mostly 50-70 mph and only 7 lights if I hit 'em all wrong, I get 39 mpg (US). When we rode together the other weekend, we sure weren't keeping steady-state throttle and I got 40-42 mpg.

Sure surprised me! Flies right in the face of conventional wisdom.

stormi · « **Reply #4 on:** May 18, 2007, 06:28:40 PM »

Maybe it'll make you feel better if you know you're not paying the highest by far? We're at $4.25/ US gal today.

Bob Holland · « **Reply #5 on:** May 18, 2007, 07:31:20 PM »

We have 10% less refining capacity than we had in 1981, with 45% more demand. And two more refineries, in the Houston area, had to shut completely down this week to repair piping and vessels, that had cracks in them. I heard that on the news, and I think they said at least two weeks.
We lost a teacher last week, with two weeks to go in this school year, she was driving 200 miles a day and was spending $30.00 a day on gas, and decided it wasn't worth it.

Frisk Fisk · « **Reply #6 on:** May 18, 2007, 07:49:45 PM »

Jeez, and I thought I was a cheapskate when I transferred the Kevlar linings from my worn out Draggin Jeans to new Levis. I feel sorry for Stormi, though; $4.25 per U. S. gallon is a real problem. To answer one of the questions, On my 1250 S, I get around 34 mpg around town, up to 42 on longer rides, but I'm still in break-in mode at 650 miles with lots of acceleration/deceleration.

stormi · « **Reply #7 on:** May 19, 2007, 01:10:52 AM »

Quote from: "Frisk Fisk"

I feel sorry for Stormi, though; $4.25 per U. S. gallon is a real problem.

make that $4.59/ US gal. It went up yesterday, the day before and apparently today too.

I'm starting to think my move to a small town was a bit of a mistake. The commute can be expensive at this rate.

stormi · « **Reply #8 on:** May 19, 2007, 01:13:32 AM »

Quote from: "BHolland"

We have 10% less refining capacity than we had in 1981, with 45% more demand. And two more refineries, in the Houston area, had to shut completely down this week to repair piping and vessels, that had cracks in them. I heard that on the news, and I think they said at least two weeks.
We lost a teacher last week, with two weeks to go in this school year, she was driving 200 miles a day and was spending $30.00 a day on gas, and decided it wasn't worth it.

While I understand the expense, I couldn't imagine quiting and messing the students up that late in the year... sheesh! She was driving 1.5hrs each way to work? Wow!

So,.. with supply even lower with those refineries down, this is only going to get worse, eh? I thought it was just the long weekend.

gnip · « **Reply #9 on:** May 19, 2007, 01:57:24 AM »

Stormi,
Is that in American Dollars or Canadian?

As far as buying another bike that's better on gas to save $$; please explain that to my wife for me.

I hear those Sportsters get 52MPG...

Thanks for the replys

stormi · « **Reply #10 on:** May 19, 2007, 03:44:51 AM »

That's canadian dollars, but right now, the USD is trading at only 1.08 of our dollars, so it's still well over $4. AND, I earn in Cdn, and I pay in cdn.

Frisk Fisk · « **Reply #11 on:** May 19, 2007, 06:24:38 AM »

Poor Stormi! A 7% increase in three days? Sometimes I'm tempted to brag about the 46 mpg I get on my other bike (650 V Strom), but in my heart of hearts I know what Red01 knows: owning a motorcycle to save money is false economy. The tires go every 10,000, if you're lucky. The chain and sprockets go every 20,000. Owners of shaft driven bikes have to do expensive spline lubes. Adding shiny accessories to keep up with the brethren is expensive. Drop your steed and it can cost a LOT. And if you need to shop for a standing rib roast, a watermelon and a case of Moulsons, you have to hire a cab. In the face of rising gasoline prices, I'm more careful about how I use my truck, and I economize elsewhere where I can, but my bikes are for fun not transportation. If it gets really bad, I'll sell one to finance riding the other - or maybe start sticking up gas stations. ("I don't want what's in the cash register; just fill 'er up.")

stormi · « **Reply #12 on:** May 19, 2007, 05:27:41 PM »

Oh no,.. the price for several weeks was $1.029/L then it went up to $1.094/L (last thursday), then the jump to $1.124, then $1.154, then $1.214, the last 3 jumps in the last 3 - 4 days. (multiply that by 3.78 for US gal)

I get really good mileage on 919 if I keep my wrist out of it, and when we lived in the city, I got about 65mpg on the B4. I was stunned, I didn't think that was possible. Of course now that she has to go on the highway to do city riding, her mileage is way down.

In this climate, replacing tires every 3 years is not that bad, especially when you luck on to a couple of fronts in the dealer's "garage sale" (customer appreciation days) for $15 and $25 each, and I've yet to go through a chain that I installed. That said, insurance here offsets the price of gas, so it's not like I'm deluding myself that I'm saving anything.

Erm,.. the watermelon, roast and beers ( if I drank them) wouldn't phase me a bit. I almost always have a backpack, a cargo net, and sometimes a tailbag in addition to my tank bag with me. You should see the looks the other half gives me when I come home with the bike loaded up.

I get groceries on the bike all the time. You should see the looks when people see the stuff in my basket with the helmet.

Banditofdoom · « **Reply #13 on:** May 20, 2007, 05:54:06 AM »

I dunno. when all my '01 B12 had was a holeshot stage 1 jet kit and slip on pipe, i got 48mpg. was great for commuting to me....

My ZX12R only got 32 on a good day

Banditmax · « **Reply #14 on:** May 20, 2007, 06:53:32 AM »

You guys think your having it bad but my fuel costs the equivalent of $8.6 per us gallon. That is what ia call a rip off.