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sendler · 08-08-2012, 12:08 AM

There was a significant portion of super highway, maybe 1/4 of the total mileage, which was run at a mild for Vetter conditions 70 mph. I was carrying 60 pounds of camping gear in 100 liters so had more extra weight added to the bike than the empty streamliners. I also believe 100 liters will come close to carrying all the groceries if they were repacked into a greater number of "normal", smaller bags. I have found that adding mass to my bike serves to increase the effectiveness of Pulse and Glide and only becomes a detriment when you touch the brakes. There were a lot of stop signs but on an 80 mile ride they still represent a small portion of the energy that is needed and wasted by the extra weight. The reason the stock bodywork Honda CBR250R was able to nearly match the FE of a streamlined Ninja is due to the fact that it has a single cylinder engine ( smallest combustion chamber surface area vs displacement for less waste heat absorption) with cams (less overlap and duration) and intake runner (long, the Ninja has only a short vel stack?) that are tuned for much lower rpm. Keep in mind also that the CBR has a huge (by motorcycle standards) cat and a closed loop O2 sensor so it has no doubt the cleanest exhaust in the group and a very quiet muffler. It does have a less than ideal, standard bike seat height and pegs though so the door is open for some other bike to be a better starting point for a feet forward streamliner.
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I am very comfortable cross country touring in my "touring tuck" which is done by laying my solar plex on a stuffed tank bag to get my shoulders under the windscreen and allowing the remaining wind blast to balance the weight of the helmet. I get great numbers (95 mpgUS on the 440 mile way down from Syracuse to Ohio) this way but most people can't/ won't try it and it goes against the theme of the event where Craig wants to promote a vehicle that everyone will feel comfortable to chose as "first choice in the garage". Another exception being Keith who turned a really great 85mpg on his stock bodied/ long geared Ninja by using a tight tuck. There was a tucked rider on a 600 super sport also but I don't know if he filled up with a slip to turn in as many of the competitors that started, lost their resolve for the tight grouping and fast pace on wet roads after the electric bike wrecked.

08-08-2012, 12:08 AM	#85 (permalink)
sendler Master EcoModder Join Date: May 2011 Location: Syracuse, NY USA Posts: 2,935 Honda CBR250R FI Single - '11 Honda CBR250R 90 day: 105.14 mpg (US) 2001 Honda Insight stick - '01 Honda Insight manual 90 day: 60.68 mpg (US) 2009 Honda Fit auto - '09 Honda Fit Auto 90 day: 38.51 mpg (US) PCX153 - '13 Honda PCX150 90 day: 104.48 mpg (US) 2015 Yamaha R3 - '15 Yamaha R3 90 day: 80.94 mpg (US) Ninja650 - '19 Kawasaki Ninja 650 90 day: 72.57 mpg (US) Thanks: 326 Thanked 1,315 Times in 968 Posts	There was a significant portion of super highway, maybe 1/4 of the total mileage, which was run at a mild for Vetter conditions 70 mph. I was carrying 60 pounds of camping gear in 100 liters so had more extra weight added to the bike than the empty streamliners. I also believe 100 liters will come close to carrying all the groceries if they were repacked into a greater number of "normal", smaller bags. I have found that adding mass to my bike serves to increase the effectiveness of Pulse and Glide and only becomes a detriment when you touch the brakes. There were a lot of stop signs but on an 80 mile ride they still represent a small portion of the energy that is needed and wasted by the extra weight. The reason the stock bodywork Honda CBR250R was able to nearly match the FE of a streamlined Ninja is due to the fact that it has a single cylinder engine ( smallest combustion chamber surface area vs displacement for less waste heat absorption) with cams (less overlap and duration) and intake runner (long, the Ninja has only a short vel stack?) that are tuned for much lower rpm. Keep in mind also that the CBR has a huge (by motorcycle standards) cat and a closed loop O2 sensor so it has no doubt the cleanest exhaust in the group and a very quiet muffler. It does have a less than ideal, standard bike seat height and pegs though so the door is open for some other bike to be a better starting point for a feet forward streamliner. . I am very comfortable cross country touring in my "touring tuck" which is done by laying my solar plex on a stuffed tank bag to get my shoulders under the windscreen and allowing the remaining wind blast to balance the weight of the helmet. I get great numbers (95 mpgUS on the 440 mile way down from Syracuse to Ohio) this way but most people can't/ won't try it and it goes against the theme of the event where Craig wants to promote a vehicle that everyone will feel comfortable to chose as "first choice in the garage". Another exception being Keith who turned a really great 85mpg on his stock bodied/ long geared Ninja by using a tight tuck. There was a tucked rider on a 600 super sport also but I don't know if he filled up with a slip to turn in as many of the competitors that started, lost their resolve for the tight grouping and fast pace on wet roads after the electric bike wrecked.