is 40-45 mpg on gs450 right?

[tkent02]

The small engine of the 450 would get it's best mileage at a slower speed than the bigger bike. Running it that fast is not really what it's intended for. It will do it, but it will be farther away from it's optimimum speed, so it's mileage will suffer. As the speed goes up the main resistance is wind resistance, which is almost the same on a 450 as an 1100... The little engine is working very hard to do 75 mph compared to the big engine loafing along.
Still I would think a properly running 450 would be at least in the high 50s if it was held at more or less a steady high speed, not blasting on and off the throttle constantly like on a race track.

Never owned or even ridden a GS450, just thinking about it and comparing it to what a 550, 750, or 1100 does.

I know my DR 441 gets better gas mileage than that, but I don't ride it at high speed all that much, it kind of sucks on the highway.

[pete]

The small engine of the 450 would get it's best mileage at a slower speed than the bigger bike. Running it that fast is not really what it's intended for. It will do it, but it will be farther away from it's optimimum speed, so it's mileage will suffer. As the speed goes up the main resistance is wind resistance, which is almost the same on a 450 as an 1100... The little engine is working very hard to do 75 mph compared to the big engine loafing along.
Still I would think a properly running 450 would be at least in the high 50s if it was held at more or less a steady high speed, not blasting on and off the throttle constantly like on a race track.

Never owned or even ridden a GS450, just thinking about it and comparing it to what a 550, 750, or 1100 does.

I know my DR 441 gets better gas mileage than that, but I don't ride it at high speed all that much, it kind of sucks on the highway.

What you say rings true Tom, and I think 100 - 110kph is probably the highest mine would go without sucking juice too badly, and that's with my little fly screen addition. The rev's are definitely creeping toward the 6K mark at that speed and you can definitely feel that wind resistance.

My guess is it's optimal around the 90 - 100kph mark.

I'm happy to burn a little extra juice for the fun factor though

[JMHJ]

450s are 6-speeds. I don't remember, but I thought they turned less rpms than the 4cyls on the highway.

I feel like my 850 really needs another gear when I'm doing 65 or more (5k at 65mph).

My stock 450 did 50-60mpg if I remember right, but i didn't ride it at 75-85mph. Probably more like 55-70.

[joejeweler]

450s are 6-speeds. I don't remember, but I thought they turned less rpms than the 4cyls on the highway.

I feel like my 850 really needs another gear when I'm doing 65 or more (5k at 65mph).

My stock 450 did 50-60mpg if I remember right, but i didn't ride it at 75-85mph. Probably more like 55-70.

LOL,....i feel the same way. My '82 GS850GL gets 50 mpg if i do my part, and don't spend too much time stuck in traffic. Mixed city/highway gets me 42-44 mpg.

.....but when crusing at 55-65 mph a 6th "overdrive" gear would be very nice indeed. Seems to have plenty of power to pull it, and milage of 65 to 70 mpg would be SWEET!

.....not sure why Suzuki never made a 6 speed 850cc or bigger model with an overdrive gearing. These shaft drive bikes aren't as simple to chage gearing as the sprocket bikes.

[tkent02]

.....but when crusing at 55-65 mph a 6th "overdrive" gear would be very nice indeed. Seems to have plenty of power to pull it, and milage of 65 to 70 mpg would be SWEET!

The lower ratios are not likely to get you any better mileage, it usually doesn't on the chain drive bikes. The engine needs to spin to be efficient, it's just designed that way.

[joejeweler]

The lower ratios are not likely to get you any better mileage, it usually doesn't on the chain drive bikes. The engine needs to spin to be efficient, it's just designed that way.

The engine can spin just fine at 5,000 rpm.....

......just have the speedometer be reading 80 mph!

[tkent02]

Go for it.
Let me know how that works out for you.
5,000 is lugging.

[Phil]

A rough calculation of my mileage with a the 82 GS450TX gave me around 50 mpg. That's with a big 275 lb 6'2" very wind resistanty rider.

[tkent02]

I don't see how a 450 street bike can be so much worse than a high performance thumper on knobbies with an upright seating position and dirt gearing, or worse than a liter bike.

Something isn't right.

[JMHJ]

LOL,....i feel the same way. My '82 GS850GL gets 50 mpg if i do my part, and don't spend too much time stuck in traffic. Mixed city/highway gets me 42-44 mpg.

Man I wish I could get near that kind of mileage out of my 850; The only time I ever saw over 40 was on the way home with it 6+ years ago. Now it averages about 35, and over 65mph riding hurts that.

Are you guys actually figuring your mileage, or guessing ?

On the gearing thing, I can use top gear at 35mph (though I don't do it much), and occasionally when I'm piddling along and not paying attention (to what gear I'm in), I accidentally shift to 5th at 30mph - and the old 850 will do that without really complaining. So yeah, a 6th speed/overdrive or what have you would be nice (but I have NO intention of changing anything).

Nice looking 850 there.

[tkent02]

Just topped it up after 124 miles, 2.7 gallons of 85 octane. This on an 1100G, mixed freeways at 70 - 90, a few blasts to 100 or so, mountain highways at various high speeds, some slow dirt roads, some twisty canyons. A little bit of down to Home Depot or wherever. Yes, the odometer is dead nuts accurate.

You can't get good mileage by lugging these things.

[nejeff]

Man I wish I could get near that kind of mileage out of my 850; The only time I ever saw over 40 was on the way home with it 6+ years ago. Now it averages about 35, and over 65mph riding hurts that.

Are you guys actually figuring your mileage, or guessing ?

On the gearing thing, I can use top gear at 35mph (though I don't do it much), and occasionally when I'm piddling along and not paying attention (to what gear I'm in), I accidentally shift to 5th at 30mph - and the old 850 will do that without really complaining. So yeah, a 6th speed/overdrive or what have you would be nice (but I have NO intention of changing anything).

Nice looking 850 there.

5th gear at 35mph??? I'm a very conservative rider but often times at 55mph I'm still in 4th (on my 850).

[tkent02]

Chug chug chug chug chug there goes a gallon.

[Gonzo]

I'm not expert, but seeing as how the powerband doesn't really kick in until at least 5k, I would assume that's where it starts being most efficient. That doesn't mean I'm thinking that it is efficient all the way up to redline since it pulls like a whipped ox all the way up, but I say let her stretch her legs some and see how your economy goes.

[hitman46mod]

I'm still running stock jetting and running pods. But I'm getting 52 MPG riding a mix of surface and highway 40 to and from work.