[motocyco]

Before I found the ecomodder site I had never heard the term hypermiler, but after reading about it I found that I have employed most of the techniques for about 20 years (since I was in college and broke).

My primary ride is my Harley Davidson Sportster XL883. I have always had a fascination with motorcycles, way back to when I still pronounced it "motodytoo." (maybe age 2 or 3). My Sporty is my #1 choice for 99% of my travels; but add the wife, hunting, and certain chores into the mix and I wind up driving the truck more often than I would like.

One of the lesser attractions of the motorcycle is the reduce fuel consumption. I can sport around town and blast down twisty roads and still get further on a gallon of gasoline than all but a handful of cars. And then, cruise down the highway on less fuel than any factory car I know at 60+ mpg for a tank average (and I've been in the habit of checking every tankful for years). Oh, by lesser attraction I mean less than things like being in the elements instead of watching from inside a cage, the natural movement of leaning into a turn instead of away from it, the sportyness of a motorcycle, and of course the lower overall cost (part of which is the lower fuel cost).

I will admit that I've been lurking for a couple of months, but I decided to join becuase I believe that my next projects will be in the arena of ecomodding. First, I have to complete the strip-plank canoe I've been working on. Next, I am looking to see if I can easily eek a few extra mpgs out of the truck since my wife prefers it to the bike for trips. Then, inspired by Craig Vetter's challenge, I'd like to see if I could beat 100 mpg at 70 mph while being able to haul stuff (four grocery bags? Maybe, maybe only two or three). I'm still trying to define my goals for that project, but two seem to be at odds (cheap and 150+ mpg). Oh well, I've got time.