Fuel mileage?

[bradleymaynar]

Stop and go riding always drags the mileage down. My 1100, with nearly a five gallon tank usually takes 3 gallons of fuel at around 120 miles of city driving. That's about 40 mpg with riding at a sedate pace. When I'm cruising two-lane roads at 70+ (usually + ), I can comfortably make 150 miles on the same amount. That's roughly 50 mpg. The only mod would be the 4:1 exhaust.

I'm in the dark as to your mileage issues.:?

Brad bt

[tconroy]

I would sync the carbs and make sure you do a valve clearance check.Also do a plug chop and see what you come up with.

[dpep]

Are you sure you are getting your choke all the way off in the cold weather?

With you bike in neutral make sure you can roll it freely for a few feet. The drop coming so suddenly, I would suspect brake drag.

[Steve]

I don't maintain a log on the 850 around town, but I do record our trips. Last year, on the trip to Nashville, I saw consumption range from 46 to 54 mpg. On the trip to Nebraska, there was one tank that went to 57.
'82 850L, stock airbox and exhaust, ridden modestly (by my wife), speeds usually no more than the limit +5, up to 70 or so. It also has windshield, saddlebags and a trunk, so it might get even better mileage if they weren't there.


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[cberkeley]

GS650GL gets me around 52-MPG I run Premium Unleaded here ....not sure what our octane rating on it is.

[GS1100GLMLA]

My 1982 GS1100GL with a 4 into 1 exhaust and the K&N drop in filter gets between 40 & 45 miles per gallon. It has 21,000 miles and has a small windshield with a backrest and luggage rack. I ride it on backroads and into town (about 30,000 people) and run it through the gears full throttle at least 2 times on every ride. My valve clearences are all within spec., my plugs are good, I have run seafoam in the tank the past 5 fillups, the K&N air cleaner is new, my front tire pressure is 32 psi and my rear is 30psi. I'm running 10w-40 Suzuki oil, my carburator is adjusted properly and I weigh about 170 pounds. My head gasket is leaking though. (bummer) Hope that helps.

[Serious Tim]

It's a bone stock '82 GS850GL. I do have to run it with the choke 3/4 open for about the first quarter mile once the weather gets sub 40 degrees so that it won't bog, but otherwise the choke's open.

I'm thinking I have to have screwed up my calculation of what "full" is, or set the trip odometer at the wrong time. But maybe not. I'm going to top it off today and watch it over the next week.

[khardrunner14]

For some reason I have to switch the petcock to reserve at around 70 miles....I put gas in a 90ish miles and that's about 3 gallons. It seems like pretty crappy milage for an 81 gs550l.

I wonder if my front brake is dragging ever so slightly. I can hear a little screech when I roll it in neutral, but it seems to roll pretty freely. Any thoughts?

[Billyboy]

Here's a quick little mileage log from last summer.

DATE ODO TRIP KMS TRIP MLS LITRES GAL MPG
06.07.19 55820 126 78.75 9.3 2.045754509 38.49435484
06.07.25 56019 198 123.75 14.8 3.255609327 38.01131757
06.07.27 56192 173 108.125 12.3 2.705675319 39.96229675
06.07.30 56346 152 95 11.2 2.463704355 38.55982143
06.08.02 56546 200 125 15.1 3.321601408 37.63245033


I have noticed higher milage on more sedate trips.

[themess]

I don't maintain a log on the 850 around town, but I do record our trips. Last year, on the trip to Nashville, I saw consumption range from 46 to 54 mpg. On the trip to Nebraska, there was one tank that went to 57.
'82 850L, stock airbox and exhaust, ridden modestly (by my wife), speeds usually no more than the limit +5, up to 70 or so. It also has windshield, saddlebags and a trunk, so it might get even better mileage if they weren't there.

You might do worse without a fairing and saddlebags. Air resistance is greatest when the bike and rider slam into it, and least when they cut smoothly through it.

[Steve]

Yeah, I have heard that, just never bothered to take the stuff off and compare.

Besides, it's Mamma's bike. I take the stuff off, she won't ride it. 8-[

[earlfor]

MY 1150 gets about 43 mpg. In town or on the highway doesnt seem to make any difference.

E.