New R1100S - Bad fuel economy ?

[jclark]

At 9k miles, ( depending how it's been ridden ) it may just not be broken in yet. Another reason to not get 40mpg.

[R111S]

Fuel consumption rate is dependent of several usage factors. One you haven't mentioned is what altitude is your riding area. The higher you are the lower your consumption rate and vise-versa. I suspect low altitude for you?

You'll know your in a low consumption rate altitude when you buy "premium gas" and it's ~89 Octane versus ~93 Octane in a low altitude area.

A naturally aspirated engine cannot develop maximum pressure (nor peak rated horsepower) in the cylinder at high altitude and thusly the gasoline stations sell lower octane fuel there and it won't hurt your engine at all.

Since the engine cannot develop maximum power at high altitude it consumes less fuel under high demand than it would at low altitude and high demand.

If you have a Turbocharger it's obviously not going to work that way since the engine can develop maximum cylinder pressure even at high altitudes. This is where a Knock Sensor proves it's worth. The ECU sees the signature knock frequencies and incrementally retards the spark timing till the knock frequencies go away.

For example, the last time we drove in Colorado our VW Passat 2.0T had no problem passing slower (normally aspirated) cars.

[Sugarhillctd]

Question for the OP.

What RPMs and gears are you typically using? When I first started riding my new-to-me '04 BCR, I was spinning the engine at higher RPMs and using lower gears. Not up near redline, but the Laser exhaust produces such a great sound around 5000-6000 revs that I wasn't upshifting as much. I was surprised at mileage in the low to mid 30's

Now that the new has worn off I am spending more time in 4th to 6th gears and mileage is around 40.

Just my experience- your results may vary.

[seoul101]

R111S - I think my name might be a bit of a giveaway - I'm an expat living in Seoul, South Korea. Usual rides are pretty low elevation. Even given the not so high altitude I still feel the fuel economy to be lower than other R11S riders on here.

Sugarhillctd - The last couple of tanks I've rode on I've intentionally kept the RPM's lowish in order to check the fuel economy.. probably around 3-5K RPM on average.

wiggledbits - did you straight up remove your O2 sensor? I'll do some reading on the Techlusion.

Anyway I'm going to report back once I've tweeked the valves/TB timing, hopefully with some good news. Thanks all.

[wiggledbits]

Originally Posted by seoul101

R111S - I think my name might be a bit of a giveaway - I'm an expat living in Seoul, South Korea. Usual rides are pretty low elevation. Even given the not so high altitude I still feel the fuel economy to be lower than other R11S riders on here.

wiggledbits - did you straight up remove your O2 sensor? I'll do some reading on the Techlusion.

Yes, pulled it from the pipe and disconnected it at the plug under the gas tank. The Techlusion I got and was recommended from Doebeck required the O2 unit to be removed. I do not advocate doing that as I suspect it has something to do with my cold idle "problem". I do know once I got the bike to a dyno I was running lean, way lean from idle to ~2500 Rs at the recommended settings.

Between the motor bolt-ons I have on the bike, Sprockets, Y pipe, Techlusion I have lost ~5MPG on average. Stock I got an all-time high of 51 from riding all slab but averaged ~43MPG all around. Now I am consistently 38MPG.

[Raven]

Originally Posted by jclark

At 9k miles, ( depending how it's been ridden ) it may just not be broken in yet. Another reason to not get 40mpg.

Is that you Jeff? You are still alive? Where have you been?

[u3b3rg33k]

Pretty bike. I like matching bags.

FYI, mine is an '04, about to roll 77k, and gets low to mid 40's for MPG (I can squeeze 48 out of it if I ride like an old man), depending on how much highway I do / how much right wrist I give it daily.

On very cold mornings I'll occasionally pull the "choke" lever so it doesn't stall, but most of the time a throttle blip that turns off the battery light will do the trick.

Originally Posted by RBMann

Just to be clear, the lever on the left control is not a choke and does not make the mixture richer. It is simply a fast idle aid.

That is my understanding as well, but I really don't get why it's got a cable running to the engine compartment area and it's not just a switch...

[RBMann]

Originally Posted by u3b3rg33k

Pretty bike. I like matching bags.

On very cold mornings I'll occasionally pull the "choke" lever so it doesn't stall, but most of the time a throttle blip that turns off the battery light will do the trick.


That is my understanding as well, but I really don't get why it's got a cable running to the engine compartment area and it's not just a switch...

That cable runs to the Bowden Box and attaches to the same pulley as the throttle cables which then pulls on the two cables going to the throttle bodies.

[u3b3rg33k]

Thanks.

[Mitch1100]

Is the a GPS mount on bars? Been trying to work out how to mount one on my R1100s

[Guest24]

Originally Posted by Mitch1100

Is the a GPS mount on bars? Been trying to work out how to mount one on my R1100s

See the screw in the top of the right slider. I used that hole the affix the mount to that position.

[jkf011]

Originally Posted by nathanmargolis

I have an '04 R1100S, too.

Gas mileage is always in the 40s even when I run it hard.

I do hit the choke or enrichener to cold start, then turn off after the bike fires, feather the throttle for 10-15 seconds, and ready to go. Not a big believer in warming things up to engine temp before departing. I just run at low RPMs for a few mintues.

I have an '02 BMW R1150RT and it is a little touchier on start ups. Bikes are different.

Something is not right on that if you are getting up 20s or low 30s MPG for sure.

Does the S bike run fine?

If so, I think I would check the mileage a few more times with different brands of gas before being concerned. Remember one time one of the BMWs dipped down into the mid 30s and then the next tank of gas back in the 40s. Clearly a gasoline issue

Gas quality seems to make a difference.

S bikes are wonderful rides.

Nathan

Interesting. I have same problem. I get 110-150 miles out of a tank dpending on how much highway driving I do. It seems to run fine but does idela little rough. I have the valves adjusted and throttle bodies synched a couple months ago to no avail. I am running a Remus race exhaust system. any other thoughts?

[jkf011]

[QUOTE=Nitro;6773412]First you might want to do the zero=zero TBS procedure, synch the throttle bodies, and set the idle to about 1500 RMP.

1500?!!! Haynes manual says1050-1150rpm. Mine varies betwerrn 1000 and 1100.

[Groceryrun]

Can the owners of stock 2004 R1100S, that get over 40 MPG, tell me what CCP they have.
My 2004 R1100S gets only 33 MPG and I have a white CCP (30-86-87).
Thanks.

[u3b3rg33k]

What's a CCP? mines an '04 with all the trimmings and I got 42 mpg on my last tank.

[bikerfish1100]

CCP = Cat Code Plug. Involved in regulating fuel delivery.

[o5hexhead]

For poor fuel economy also make sure that brake calipers are working properly. Dragging brakes will effect your mileage.

[bikerfish1100]

Originally Posted by seoul101

Just to check with any air filter experts, here's a (bad) photo of the air filter. I took the filter out and it didn't seem too dark inside, but now I'm doubting whether it's actually ok... should I just change it?

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/23456793/Photo%2024-05-2012%2016%2033%2050.jpg

Thanks in advance

change it if you like, but that filter looks just fine.

those of you running twinspark bikes ('04 and newer) with mpg in the 30s- that is not right, you should be in the low to mid-40s, no question, even at sea level. better at altitude (my buddy gets upper 40s on his, and that's with a Laser system, which dropped him a few points.)
my fuel mileage was crap when i first brought my bike home (light coming on at 115 into a full tank. a careful TBS and i was up into the mid 40s, sea level operation. surprised how much of a difference that made. i have to flog the snot out of it to drop it into the 30s, and running a full Laser system with chip.

[phoenixtexoma]

My O3 BCP gets about 42 mpg with Lennie's sprockets, K-bike regulator, Brisk plugs, SJBMW super intake and 100 octane gas. No vibration whatsoever up to 6k rpm and very little after that.

[u3b3rg33k]

Originally Posted by bikerfish1100

CCP = Cat Code Plug. Involved in regulating fuel delivery.

Not sure I'd even know where to look for that.