Quote:
Originally Posted by renault_megane_dci
I am not sure low throttle opening is the key.
At least it is the opposite of the pull & glide concept wich tries to use the engine at its best efficiency : with throttle at 75%.
Is pull and glide at your average 40 mph in top gear doable ?
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In his situation with unpredictable stop-and-go traffic it's going to be difficult to use the engine in it's most efficient range. That's why I suggested just keeping the throttle-opening at a minimum.
Even in wide-open riding conditions, I find pulse and glide not very effective on a cycle - especially with a SV650 which has an enormous amount of engine braking when you close the throttle. I've found it best to just keep the throttle opening as small as possible while cruising. When accelerating go for strong but brief spurts of acceleration - then the highest gear you can smoothly cruise at (without bogging) when you have reached your desired speed.
There are better options than a SV for commuting in those conditions (as sendler noted), and a CBR250R would be a good choice if you didn't want to go the scooter-ish route. I still wouldn't expect amazing numbers, even from the CBR, in those conditions.
Other minor improvements that could be made to the SV to increase MPG in those conditions would be a thinner oil (30-grade synthetic instead of 40) and a hotter-range spark plug.