How can I maximize my mpg?

[DimitriT]

I see alot of discussion on maxing out performance but I want to know what I can do to max out efficiency. Especially highway cruising.

Would a bigger front sprocket help or hurt?

Would leaning the mixture on the pilots help?

Any difference with respect to tire selection?

[mr_r_lake]

Re: How can I maximize my mpg?

I see alot of discussion on maxing out performance but I want to know what I can do to max out efficiency. Especially highway cruising.

Would a bigger front sprocket help or hurt?

Would leaning the mixture on the pilots help?

Any difference with respect to tire selection?

I got my '83 GS450L and was getting about 55Mpg...

Here is what I did...set the tire pressure to 1 or 2 lbs under max for the tires instead of the bikes suggested rating. This may tend to wear the center of the tire more that the edges through....Take it easy leaving stop signs and lights...

MPG went to 58!...

Reduce the idle from 1500 to 1000

62Mpg!! ( must spend a lot of time at stop signs?? )

Lube the chain!!!

MPG went to 68+!!! ( dry chains don't perform well )

Slow DOWN!!! ( started going 60-65 instead of 70-75..The cold weather helped me out on this one )

72Mpg!!!!! ( beat that :P )

Of corse, I have a twin, I seriously doubt a 4 can get that...you might get it to 50...maybe 60 but that may be pushing it. I could be wrong though.

M.

[JHawkins]

The best way to help the MPG is all in the right wrist. Easy acceleration, and keeping the speed down will help tremendously. Short shift and keep the revs down.

Personally I think that would take all the fun out of it, but if you want efficiency that is the way to go!

at 90-100 mph I get about 31 mpg
at 40-50 mph I get about 50 mpg

Gearing might help some, but where you have a small engine might not help that much and would drastically affect performance.

[kkesler]

I get mid 50s with my GS450S. That is running a 42 rear sprocket (3 down from stock) on a mostly Interstate commute at ~75mph.

My '82 GS850L gets crap mileage for a bike, mid 30s maybe. Always has since it was new.

Funny thing? I get almost 50 with the busa running 80+ (Atlanta traffic, what can I say). Must be aerodynamics.

[semerm]

1981 gs 850gl

My bike is very new to me but without a tuneup @55 mph, it got about 35mpg? I have only put 250 miles on it so far as I got it before the snow flew. I was easy on the throttle. I will be tuning it and adding rebuilt carbs. The old ones need cleaning pretty bad to where I could only get about 5000 rpm. How much better MPG's do you folks think that I may get?

[kkesler]

What model?

[semerm]

my model

sorry- a 1981 gs 850 gl.

[kkesler]

Last time I went through my carbs on the 850, I lost 3 or 4 mpg. One of them was gummed up good, so it was pretty much a triple for a bit.

I would not expect more than 40, as I don't believe I have ever seen 40 with mine. IMHO, YMMV, etc. etc..

[semerm]

1981 gs 850gl

It was bogging down in 5th gear and It seemed like it was wasting gas b/c of it. It had sat with varnish in the tank with the previous owner. I am thinking some of the jets are partially plugged. 40mpg would be great as far as I am concerned. Time will tell. Thanks!

[HiSPL]

consider switching to Metzeler 880's (interstate touring tire) and running max pressure. You will lose cornering ability when you do that but if your concerned about mileage you probably aren't tearing up the twisties anyway. The 880's are a good tire and will last a long time (like 12,000 miles or more for a rear). Don't let the cost deter you, these will outlast 3 sets of chengshins anyday.....

The best thing is the fact that the 880 is still a pretty good handling tire if you run your normal tire pressures.

As always YMMV!

[Planecrazy]

Keep a boat anchor handy and hook the back bumper of a semi on your next long trip ... that should do the trick!!

What's a good tech forum without the occasional wise-n-heimer??

Steve 8)

[kkesler]

I run the 880 on the rear of my ST1100 (with a Z6 front) and it has 12-13k so far, with several k left. Good tire, handles suprisingly well and wears like iron. Have 491 Dunlops on my 850 and 1 set on extra rims for my 450. Not many miles on the 850, but ~10k on the 450 and the front still looks like new and the rear still has probably another 10k left, and they stick well enough to overload the chassis on the 450.

I vote for the 880 if the size is available, if not then Dunpop will have a 491 in the size you need.

[BriTXbike]

Regular point check on lubed parts, including oil change, plugs, gas tank, tires, and wrist action. This has got me about 35 MPG. Maybe 33MPG when I get on it all the time.

Better then my Dakota @ 13MPG LOL

[Doctor Shifty]

My GS1000G improved fuel use by heaps when I put on a touring screen. It's a National Cycle F-15. Fuel efficiency rose probably 20% when it went on.

I now get over 300 kms before hitting reserve, and over 400 kms per tank. You'll have to do your own conversion to gallons / miles here, but the tank is 22 litres, about 5 gallons(?). 160 kms is 100 miles. This is at "pushing it along through the twisties" kind of use, more throttle than highway touring will use.

My guesstimate is almost 300 miles for 5 gallons, what's that work out at? 60 mpg or so? It will be more than that sitting at highway speeds.

And the biggest single improvement was that screen.

Kim

[outofcontrol]

Take off your rear view mirrors, front turn signals, and your generator/stator/alternator.
Make sure you wear no loose clothing, preferably leathers, a full face helmet, and no passengers.
Get a full fairing or modify one to fit.
Pump up your tires as high as they'll safely go.
Oil and grease every moving part on the bike.
Put a pad on the tank for your stomach and ride with your feet on the rear turn signals. You might consider some clip-ons for comfort.
Do some wind tunnel testing and find your optimium speed by analyizing your drag coefficient. It will probably drop off at about 60mph.
Dyno your bike and find the sweet spot where your bike makes the most torque at the lowest RPM.
Gear your bike so that the torque curve and the drag coefficient cross at the same speed.
Make sure your air filter is clean and your bike is jetted properly. Too rich and you're wasting gas, too lean and you'll burn up the motor.
When you ride never use more than 1/8th throttle. You want to be in top gear as quickly as possible without bogging the motor.

Let me know how it works!
I have actually wondered about the same things. Sometimes its important to know on those long trips when you hit reserve and the next gas station is still 40 miles away.

-Kevin