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Old 01-08-2008, 03:38 PM   #1 (permalink)
MetroMPG
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Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: 1000 Islands, Ontario, Canada
Posts: 22,513

Blackfly - '98 Geo Metro
Team Metro
Last 3: 70.09 mpg (US)

MPGiata - '90 Mazda Miata
90 day: 52.71 mpg (US)

Even Fancier Metro - '14 Mitsubishi Mirage top spec
90 day: 70.75 mpg (US)

Appliance car - '14 Mitsubishi Mirage ES (base)
90 day: 60.16 mpg (US)
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Motorcycle fuel economy champ's advice for efficient cross-country touring...

I've been going through Craig Vetter's site again. For those who aren't familiar, this guy pretty much revolutionized motorcycle touring with his frame-mounted aerodynamic fairings which he put in commercial production and are a common sight on the roads today.

His interest in motorcycle fuel efficiency lead him to hold annual competitions in the early 80's, the goal being results in "real", on-road driving. Each year the machines got more and more extreme.

One multiple winner, Japanese participant Matsu Matsuzawa, achieved 470 mpg in the last year of the competition, hunched over on a small, almost fully faired 185cc Honda called "SPUD".



Years after the '85 competition, Vetter asked the champ:


"Today, if you wanted to build a usable, high mileage machine for real, solo, cross country riding (coast to coast) please describe what kind of machine you would start with and what you would do to it"

Matsuzawa answered:

"Buy Honda Insight, drive easy with air conditioner."

Ba-dum, dum!

(source)

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Project MPGiata! Mods for getting 50+ MPG from a 1990 Miata
Honda mods: Ecomodding my $800 Honda Fit 5-speed beater
Mitsu mods: 70 MPG in my ecomodded, dirt cheap, 3-cylinder Mirage.
Ecodriving test: Manual vs. automatic transmission MPG showdown



EcoModder
has launched a forum for the efficient new Mitsubishi Mirage
www.MetroMPG.com - fuel efficiency info for Geo Metro owners
www.ForkenSwift.com - electric car conversion on a beer budget
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