Gas Mileage???

[Anonymous]

Just want to make sure I am not going crazy, but I was riding 2 up this weekend. Total weight between the two passengers was 460lbs. I was getting 40mpg. Is this normal? I thought i would get alot less with a passenger.

Brian
81 GS650G

[earlfor]

Re: Gas Mileage???

Thats probably about right. You'll loose a little gas milage in pulling the extra weight up to speed. but once there, with the passenger behind you, there is very little increase in drag. In fact, in wind tunnel tests on wheel design, it was found that two wheels in tandem (if spaced correctly relative to tire width and diameter) can have a lower drag profile than a single wheel. Its possible two people could have a lower drag number than just a rider. :-)

Earl

Just want to make sure I am not going crazy, but I was riding 2 up this weekend. Total weight between the two passengers was 460lbs. I was getting 40mpg. Is this normal? I thought i would get alot less with a passenger.

Brian
81 GS650G

[frosty5011]

Earl says:

........but once there, with the passenger behind you, there is very little increase in drag.

Now Earl, don't go around making such unsubstantiated remarks. You haven't seen my wife yet

[Anonymous]

Much of my mileage on the '83 GS750 is "two-up".......get about 48 mpg.

....and maybe your throttle hand is less fierce with a passenger aboard.

[earlfor]

And you should really really hope your wife doesnt read this forum. :-) :-)

Earl

Earl says:

........but once there, with the passenger behind you, there is very little increase in drag.

Now Earl, don't go around making such unsubstantiated remarks. You haven't seen my wife yet

[frosty5011]

And you should really really hope your wife doesnt read this forum.

Ain't that the truth. LOL. I'd be dead meat if she ever started reading any of the posts on this site. My pre-ride safety checks would probably end up taking 20-30 minutes, instead of just the usual, quick 30 second cursory lookover. The lady has seen quite a few movies ...... (many of them on that LIFETIME channel, where wives often get revenge on their husbands), and knows the importance of such items like brake lines, good tires, putting only gasoline inside a fuel tank, etc.

She's one gal you don't wanna make mad. I'd rather be seen riding pillion with Hap on a Kreidler scooter wearing nothing but thongs in the midst of a Harley convention, or undergo any of that other torture that you all are currently thinking up for Hap right now, as opposed to facing the wrath of my little germanic Brunhilde, LOL