How do I get better mileage with a good running bike?

[Anonymous]

Hi guys,
I just did some math and it looks like I'm getting 42 MPG out of my 400. This is with riding at 100-130 km/h (60-80 MPH) and not using the choke or stopping anywhere. Is this reasonable? I don't think I used 6th gear at all during the ride so revs were around 7-8000 most of the time.

I really don't know where to start but I'd like to get 60 MPG if possible. My carbs are spotless, sync'd, with new o-rings including the manifold. Plugs, boots and wires are all within spec and fairly new. The air filter is clean and moist with oil as it should be. The valves are also set properly.

There haven't been any reports of smoke or anything coming from my bike either.

What do you guys think I should do?

Thanks, Steve

 

[frosty5011]

.........I don't think I used 6th gear at all during the ride so revs were around 7-8000 most of the time...........
What do you guys think I should do?

Maybe try using your 6th gear?

 

[Anonymous]

.........I don't think I used 6th gear at all during the ride so revs were around 7-8000 most of the time...........
What do you guys think I should do?

Maybe try using your 6th gear?

yes. Why dont you use 6th gear Steve???

 

[Billy Ricks]

One tooth larger on the front sprocket.

 

[Planecrazy]

My bike gets great mileage when I "trailer" it :lol: :wink:

But, seriously, what's considered good mileage for a bike of that size? My 550L has achieved mid 50's (I think -- it's been several years since I actually tracked it) but everyone I talked to thought that this was extraordinary for a bike its size...

Steve 8)

 

[Anonymous]

6th gear isn't safe, you're stuck in traffic without any power. I'm going on a 1000 km trip this week so I'll see if things change but I was hoping to do some tweaking before I hit the road.

Steve

 

[wrench]

6th gear isn't safe, you're stuck in traffic without any power. I'm going on a 1000 km trip this week so I'll see if things change but I was hoping to do some tweaking before I hit the road.

Steve

Why would you be in sixth gear if your stuck in traffic???

 

[Billy Ricks]

A couple of downshifts and off you go.

 

[Anonymous]

John, high speed bumper to bumper traffic

 

[Anonymous]

try getting off the 401 and moving to b.c. lotsa room

 

[wrench]

John, high speed bumper to bumper traffic

well thats what gear boxes are for, shifting up and down as needed, it pretty basic, use your gear box steve thats what its there for :wink:

 

[KEITH KRAUSE]

I don't know what is normal mileage for your model, but if your bike seems to be running well and the plugs are the right color, then I doubt you can increase the mileage from 42 to 60. When you hit 80 mph however, your mileage will decrease some. About 60-65 is probably where your bike gets its best mileage, even though you probably don't want to go at that speed all the time.
All you can do is keep each component in good shape/adjusted correctly. As each component wears, it takes a little gas mileage with it, be it the motor or wheel bearings, etc.
Changing the gearing will lower your rpm's but on a 400 you may not want to sacrifice the power. Cam timing can change the mileage but your timing could already be where you like it. Playing with the jetting is too risky. You don't want to lean it out and overheat.
Probably the simplist things you can do is keep your tires up around 36 psi. If you normally keep lower pressure, this will help a bit. Proper chain slack is important. Leaning down if you like will decrease wind resistance and help a little more. Higher octane fuel costs more but burns better, so that should help mileage a bit? How about losing some weight (if you need to)? :lol:

 

[Anonymous]

Re: How do I get better mileage with a good running bike?

Hi guys,
I just did some math and it looks like I'm getting 42 MPG out of my 400. This is with riding at 100-130 km/h (60-80 MPH) and not using the choke or stopping anywhere. Is this reasonable? I don't think I used 6th gear at all during the ride so revs were around 7-8000 most of the time.

What do you guys think I should do?

Thanks, Steve

Hey Steve,
I don't have any experience with your 400 model. But I would say from the description (60-80 mph) 7-8 K , as unpopular as this sounds. Slowing down and not running as hard may be the only way to go from 42mpg to 60 mpg.

The next factor as pointed out in the fine tire article that you just posted about. Is tire inflation, size and condition. Correct me if I am wrong, but I believe the article pointed out is that as the tread wears down, there is
less rolling resistance than a new tire and a improvement in MPG.

Of course one should Always replace your tires before they are worn out.
And . Especially if you ride in the rain. (as I do). You get really good milage when you ride 50 mph on wet roads.


I run Bridgestone Spitfire tires with the harder compound in the center and softer on the shoulders. I suppose my moderate riding style keeps me on the harder compound much of the time. Contributing to less rolling resistance.

As in life everthing is a trade off.

Larger tires>worse MPG. More inflation>better MPG. Of course you should run the air pressure that is recomended for your tires and bike.

On my bone stock 850L. I get 50 mpg pretty consistently. But I pretty much always ride the speed limit and rarely see 5K. I am just plain slow and easy on my bikes.

That way the bikes and I both last longer. I don't do it for the milage, the real reason is I just enjoy that pace.

just my 2 cents.

Charlie

 

[Anonymous]

fuel consumption

fuel consumption

Find out at what revs your bike produces most torque (NOT power). Use your gearbox to keep the engine at those revs all the time. This is where the engine is most efficient. Avoid hard acceleration. You will find you use the gearbox less BECAUSE it is producing max torque as opposed to trying to keep it on max power where the torque is considerably less, generally speaking. I tried this once, after reading it somewhere, and got over 70 mpg on a Z 750 LTD. This will work for any engine.

 

[dpep]

Re: How do I get better mileage with a good running bike?

On my bone stock 850L. I get 50 mpg pretty consistently. But I pretty much always ride the speed limit and rarely see 5K. I am just plain slow and easy on my bikes.

That way the bikes and I both last longer. I don't do it for the milage, the real reason is I just enjoy that pace.

just my 2 cents.

Charlie

Charlie, your post tends to confirm my susp!cion that the wide fluctuation of mileage figures I see for the identical bikes is due almost entirely to riding style. I have an 850 also, a G model but exactly the same engine. I run stock exhausts, well tuned carbs, dyna ignition and still get mileage in the 35-37 mpg range. 40 tops. Our styles are somewhat similiar in that I rarely see 5k either, but in my case it is because I usually move above it very quickly after the light changes.

I get similiar mileage or worse from my GK. Last summer I rode out to Las Vegas and fried my stator in the AZ desert. Fortunately the bike has a voltmeter and after charging the battery I found I could keep a small amount of charge rate running exactly 60 miles an hour which I did steadily across the flat desert blacktop between Kingman AZ and LV. I had too much else going on to measure my mileage, but I know it was better that it had ever been. I would estimate at least 45-50 mpg.

 

[Anonymous]

Re: How do I get better mileage with a good running bike?

On my bone stock 850L. I get 50 mpg pretty consistently. But I pretty much always ride the speed limit and rarely see 5K. I am just plain slow and easy on my bikes.

That way the bikes and I both last longer. I don't do it for the milage, the real reason is I just enjoy that pace.

just my 2 cents.

Charlie

Charlie, your post tends to confirm my susp!cion that the wide fluctuation of mileage figures I see for the identical bikes is due almost entirely to riding style. I have an 850 also, a G model but exactly the same engine. I run stock exhausts, well tuned carbs, dyna ignition and still get mileage in the 35-37 mpg range. 40 tops. Our styles are somewhat similiar in that I rarely see 5k either, but in my case it is because I usually move above it very quickly after the light changes.

I get similiar mileage or worse from my GK. Last summer I rode out to Las Vegas and fried my stator in the AZ desert. Fortunately the bike has a voltmeter and after charging the battery I found I could keep a small amount of charge rate running exactly 60 miles an hour which I did steadily across the flat desert blacktop between Kingman AZ and LV. I had too much else going on to measure my mileage, but I know it was better that it had ever been. I would estimate at least 45-50 mpg.

Yea Don,
I think it mostly boils down to how far you twist the loud handle. In any case bikes get great milage compared to the 4 wheel metal box.

So enjoy the ride whatever your style is.
Charlie

 

[Anonymous]

Steve,

Options are:

1) Taller gearing - engines are more efficient at lower revs and bigger throttle openings. Until it can't pull the gearing and/or is shuddering under hard acceleration, your mileage is getting better.

2) Lower speeds - power required is proportional to the CUBE of the speed, so running at 80mph takes 86% more power than at 65mph. Not much fun, though.

3) Driving style - a gentle riding style with no hard acceleration will give noticeably better mileage, upwards of 25% in my experience. Also, not much fun with a bike. After all, accelerating is what bikes do best.

4) Buy a bigger bike - I'm not joking, liter bikes seem to get better mileage than a lot of the little bikes because they are not screaming along and they promote using lower revs and torque. Both of which give better mileage. I can easily get 50+mpg (Imp gallon, that is) on my ZX-9 in mixed highway and town driving while commuting.

5) Details count - as noted, higher tire pressures, tucking in if possible, clean and well adjusted chain, minimal brake drag, etc. All of these things add up if taken care of.

I doubt you will get from 42mpg to 60mpg, that is a 43% increase. But you can optimize what you have and get it as good as is reasonable.

Mark

 

[Anonymous]

2) Lower speeds - power required is proportional to the CUBE of the speed, so running at 80mph takes 86% more power than at 65mph. Not much fun, though.

I know for a fact that my 450 without windshield gets 52.5 MPG at 60MPH and only 44 MPG at 75 MPH. That's 20% less fuel economy.

Also, something to note is that you could look at fuel economy as an energy conservation problem. I mean that you can try to eliminate occasions where you waste energy, such as braking or downshifting to slow down. Instead, don't spend the energy in the first place. When you're coming up on a red light on the highway, let off the gas a half to quarter mile out. With luck, traffic will start flowing again so you'll also avoid the need to stop and restart. Voila! You just saved the energy it takes to accellerate you and your bike back up to highway speed (which is quite a bit, actually).

I'm a geek, I know.

Michael

 

[Evil Hobbit]

John, high speed bumper to bumper traffic

I've never been in a trafic jam in Canada except on the Windsor/Detroit bridge.
But seriously I think that is good for that size bike. Get that baby into 6th gear in the country and you might make 2 or 3 more mpg.
Wish my 1100 had a 6th. I'm going up one tooth on the front.

 

[saaz]

The fuel economy is probably about right for the speeds being ridden at. Slowing down and using the available 6th gear to lower revs would improve things.

I would try the GSX1100 if you want to go at those speeds..but may be more expensive on tyres etc....