How to improve gas mileage from 32mpg

[TheCafeKid]

The spark plug was oil as it was wet and wiping it with a rag it cleaned up quite a bit, yes so the vacuum is off but oil probably bigger issue.

Ok, let me be a little bit more clear. If its oil, USUALLY wiping it with a rag wont clean the plug off very well. If you pull it, and its wet and black, let it dry out. If it dries and its still shiny, its oil. If it dries and its black and fluffy its gas. Either way, the bottom line is you have something that needs attended to, but you'll need to figure out which it is. I would hate for you to go chasing a valve seal leak or something of the like when the bike was simply rich on the one cylinder.

[lucabond]

I used to get an honest 65 mpg from my Kz750 twin. On my 1100 I get a little over 40 on the highway but it drops into the 30's on the back roads in lower gears and higher rpm.

[TheCafeKid]

To be honest, you can tune these things thru gearing and carburetion to get really amazing mileage for bigger CC machines, but at the expense of enjoyment IMO. I honestly dont care how many MPG i get unless its the bike ive set up for commuting. Its STILL getting better than any car ive owned. Whats more important to ME is, as cheesy as it sounds, SMILES Per Gallon And my GSs have always gone above and beyond expectations there.

[heathen]

My 77 750 gets about 32 or so. Although I've never really checked it that good. I ride for the smiles and could care less about MPG. Of course my car gets 32 so i just drive it to work. Rush hour traffic on a 4 lane interstate is not my idea of having fun on a bike.

[Mark whiz]

I was able to get 63mpg once out of a '82 650 Nighthawk, and 60 all the time. I've never been able to get too close to that with the GS700ES - high 50's a couple times, but mostly low to mid 50s depending on gearing.

That's all highway with a VERY judicious right hand - I can squeeze some mileage out of vehicles.

[67fire]

When my '79 750 was stock and I drove like a nun, I got up to 56 mpg.
As I do NOT drive like a nun, most of the time, it got 38-48 mpg.

Eric

[noobie]

I get 65-70 mpg on my 250 Nighthawk, which is essentially the same engine as the Rebel. My 650 Nighthawk gets about 50, and my 750 GS gets about 40. I doubt a 750 can get 80+ mpg without being trailered.

Oh, and my 1.9L Jetta TDI gets a consistent 43.

My '78 Suzi GS1000E gets 29 MPG (the bike isn't run-in yet and carbs aren't synched yet... the mechanic comes on Wednesday - supposedly - hopefully when they're synched it will be better).

Then my '79 Honda Goldwing GL1000K3 gets 43 mpg, '80 Honda CB250N gets 63 mpg and my '83 Honda Nighthawk 650 gets very nice 61 mpg (nearly had an orgasm when I filled it up then and saw how little I had to pay )

[Piston720]

83 gs1100g

Just finished a 2000mile trip through Pennsylvania, New Hampshire and Vermont.
We averaged probably 55+ MPH which was a surprisingly pleasant pace, usually we are travelling at 65-70mph.
I was checking my mileage as this was my first long trip since purchasing the bike last fall in Ohio.
I got 52 mpg US. The bike has a full windjammer and krauser luggage.
Near stock with a 4 into 1 kerker with stock filter box.

[Dave8338]

38 mpg best, but as mentioned by another...I don't ride a bike for the fuel economy.

If all GS's pull like my little 650, a final drive reduction could be done (at significant cost) and my guess is 50's + would be no problem...

[flyingace]

I'm guessing the man you spoke to was using Kilometers per gallon. In which case, he would be getting a reasonable 55 mpg. Do-able for a single cam 750.

[D-VO]

Good thread on MPG here. I was getting around 20, then went through and readjusted my timing and my idle, and now I'm back up to around 30. I'm curious as to how high I can go with a valve adjustment and a carb sync now. Thanks for all the info.