Can't break 40 MPG, should I be concerned?

[squall_line]

I no longer trust the word of dealership employees when I hear their estimates of gas mileage, because I know that they're usually rattling off marketing figures, not reality. But, I figured that even an ~100 HP version of the venerable oilhead was capable of 40+ MPG on a regular basis.

I rarely go above 80 MPH on my commute, and spend most of my time around 4200 RPM on 35 and 55 MPH country roads, ~55 miles round trip daily. Long trips to/from Chicago on backroads also made it to about 39 MPG, but no higher.

What mileage should I be getting? Is 40 MPG a pipedream?

Granted, I can't seem to get decent mileage in ANY vehicle I've ever owned, so maybe it's a driving style issue, but I wanted to pick the brains of the forum before I resigned mysef to anything.

[pborgia]

i regularly get 45mpg, and that is being heavy handed and riding aggressively.I rarely go over 85mph(all backroads).

[johnnydanger]

I actually find that I get better economy when I'm gunning it. Bombing in the twisties at 60-90mph and working it I'll get upwards of 45mpg. The best ever was downhill into Roswell NM with a tail wind... 52mpg. Though usually around town in stop and go traffic and rarely peaking above 35mph I only get... 30mpg if not a touch less. Big spread.

[bradzdotcom]

i imagine you'll receive a lot of techno-talk on this post, but my first impression is:

if you're not planning to compete in some super high mileage, fuel-efficiency event.....who cares?

i quit looking at mpg and the price per gallon a long time ago.
i fuel the bike right around the 120-ish mile mark, knowing i can squeak out 160-ish miles if i know in advance.

i think the last time i checked i was doing about 45 mpg.
even at 40...or 38...or 35...can you find a suitable 4-wheel vehicle that gets those numbers....and is as much fun?

hypothesize me this:
if motorcycles only got 10 or 12 miles to the gallon...




....would that stop you from riding?


ps: if you absolutely can't sleep until someone gives you an answer, then here ya go:
"yep, it's you. it's your driving style. you suck. not your fault. the OPEC consortium has snuck into your home late at night and planted a "low mpg" micro-chip in your brain. it controls both your right foot and your right wrist. happens all the time. to cure the problem: go to the grocery store. you know that little do=hickey they use to take those black security caps off the hard/expensive liquor? Ask them to put it over your right ear and click it. that'll do the trick."

...lemme know how it turns out.
....because we're here for you...dude.

[R111S]

42-45 MPG for me.

I've usually noticed a small increase in fuel mileage after cleaning my K&N Air Filter. I also make sure I've got my tires aired up. I usually have to add air to mine ~800 mile intervals. I set my front at 38.5 PSI and the rear in 41 PSI. I use Spectro 80w90 Gear Oil in the Trans and Diff. Autolite 3923 Spark Plugs.

On the trip to Paonia, CO with Swartzy, he regularly got better mileage than me. I have a Z-Technik Pipe w/Cat Eliminator. Swartzy has, I think, a Staintune and a Chip. His packing setup cut a smaller profile than mine and he's not as tall in the saddle...so I think less drag was a factor as well.

[Highlander179]

use a higher gear.... keep your average cruising revs below 4000 and you'll see better mileage. this is a twin, it has the torque to pull from below 2k, its ok to use it that way. Dont ride it like an inline 4 600cc where you're keeping the rves up because you dont need to.

[bradzdotcom]

yea, just like highlander said:
"bbbrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrraappp, bbbrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrraapappp, bbbrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrraaapppp.

imagine three story house. imagine powerband laid over three story house.

for best mpg and "Fun with Torque! You can too!", stay in basement most of the time, go to the main floor for just a few seconds (steal stuff from the fridge), and hit the top floor on rare occasions.

[tim22]

I get the idea that John (squall_line) isn't necessarily concerned with economy, I think he just wants to make sure his bike is performing well. I was going to post a similar question about my '03 BCR--I seem to be able to get only about 120 miles or so on a full tank until the low fuel light comes on. It's not a problem because I own the bike purely for recreational purposes, but just wonder if that's normal.

I'll check in on this post later to see what others say.

[markjenn]

I seldom get over 40. Depending on roads, speeds, and throttle, mine will do from the low-30's to the mid-40's, with an overall average of perhaps 38 or 39. If steady cruise at moderate speeds nets less than 40, then maybe something is wrong, but off-hand, sounds fairly normal to me.

- Mark

[pmc847]

My 03 BCR use to average in the low 40s and some times dip into the upper 30s. My 04 BCR has always been in the mid 40s and when out west 48 to 52 was not uncommon. Even after the mods it remained in the mid 40s. While out west this past Sept, driving the Passat, we averaged 15% better mpg and that is in states that have 5 and 10 mph higher speed limits. On our way home we got into Nebraska and got a tank of 10 % ethanol and our mileage dropped back to what we are use to here in WI. The next tank was ethanol free and mpg when back up. We have found some stations here in WI that sell ethanol free gas and our mpg have stayed consistently 15% better.

YMMV

Philip

[signit98]

Originally Posted by johnnydanger

The best ever was downhill into Roswell NM with a tail wind... 52mpg.

You didn't vanish??? Wow... there is a hole in the alien abduction theory!

[foobeemer]

I can't get above 35 mpg no matter what I do.

[Flatbutt1]

On a superslab drone I'll get as much as 52mpg but then again superslab sux. I've historically gotten mid 30's mpg on the commute until recently. For whatever reason once the odo ticked over 35K I've been getting closer to 40mpg on my daily commute(40 miles round trip).

[hawkeyejohn14]

I was getting 38 mpg and it jumped to 40 mpg after 12K tune-up. I used to get 48 mpg on my 97 RT. Differently tuned engines and a full fairing on the RT must of helped.

How many miles are on the bike? My bike has appx 13,500, so I hope it will contunue to get a little better, but if not, 40 mpg is pretty good.

[squall_line]

The bike has just over 25k miles, had 21k on it when I bought it.

If the bike got only 10-12 MPG, then no, I probably wouldn't ride it nearly as much, because it's my commuter vehicle right now, and yes, my V8 Taurus (or even a VW TDI) would then be just as much fun to drive for the purpose. The cost of gas is somewhat of a concern to me, as I'm filling up twice a week due to my commute, and since my commute is to school and not a job, money can be a problem, but it's not my primary concern.

I'm more concerned with whether or not there might be anything "wrong" with the bike. But now that I hear that I shouldn't worry about lugging the engine, I'll start lugging it again and see how that goes.

[hawkeyejohn14]

Originally Posted by squall_line

The bike has just over 25k miles, had 21k on it when I bought it.

If the bike got only 10-12 MPG, then no, I probably wouldn't ride it nearly as much, because it's my commuter vehicle right now, and yes, my V8 Taurus (or even a VW TDI) would then be just as much fun to drive for the purpose. The cost of gas is somewhat of a concern to me, as I'm filling up twice a week due to my commute, and since my commute is to school and not a job, money can be a problem, but it's not my primary concern.

I'm more concerned with whether or not there might be anything "wrong" with the bike. But now that I hear that I shouldn't worry about lugging the engine, I'll start lugging it again and see how that goes.

I didn't read that.... don't lug the engine, my dealer got on me once when he misunderstood what sais and thought I was lugging it. Don't lug the engine, that's not how it's made to run....

[Bigred455]

On the throttle and in town usually get 33-35mpg. open highway cruising high gear at 4200 rpm nets 38-40mpg. Mine has a Remus exh and chip, no cat and 40K. Yours sounds normal to me.

[throttlemeister]

John, for the R11S there is a HUGE difference between city riding and country riding when it comes to fuel mileage. City traffic has the light come on at 100 miles on my bike whereas if there is no city traffic to deal with, it comes on at ~150 miles without even trying. Dunno what that is in miles per gallon, and since I am at work I can't be bothered to calculate it.

[Eisernkreuz]

I also rarely get over 40mpg. Even on the freeway, if I'm loaded up with bags and sitting in my usual upright posture on the freeway, I'll get 38-40mpg. In town, with a lot of stop-and-go, it's more like 28-30mpg. My tire pressure is fine (36F/41R for the ContiRoads) and the bike's got all new consumables, so I don't think there's anything else I could do. Except maybe not ride 80mph and try to hide my giant torso behind the windscreen

[bikerfish1100]

Had an interesting discussion with Paul Glaves at the National Rally this summer. his contention was that these bikes are designed to produce best performance in the 4000+ rpm range, and that includes for fuel mileage as well. coming home we were able to run a steady 5K in 6th on the interstate- never ever dipped below 40 mpg, usually up into the mid to upper 40s (47ish). that ethanol impregnated stuff sux, btw- worse fuel economy, weaker performance. have consistently noticed that back east (lower elevations) i'll get improved power, at the cost of mpg.
currently getting 40-42 on my daily commutte- usually little to no traffic, generaly 70-80+ for speeds. that mpg is a decline from what i had before I swapped out my TB (dealer said it was worn out, i think it was just bad cables)- I was prevously getting 43-47, with touring mode netting over 50 in the high altitudes. but the bike seems to have more oomph as well- has to be a difference in the TB itself.
Laser Street sytem with chip, San Jose air filter & snorkel, 37f/41r, 62K miles.
my final analysis- individual bikes vary quite a bit, based on a few things we can't control. ethanol sux. dual plugs get better mileage by about 10-20%. high speed doesn't hurt the mpg (got 42mpg on a tank that saw some top top-end speeds across the high plains east of Steamboat, and some very fast mntn passes in Wyo). lugging in the 2000 range does not help, so why subject your engine to it?