101.5 MPG on my 2003 Ninja 250!!!

[theycallmeebryan]

Well, I've been getting a lot of heat from my loved ones about commuting on a motorcycle. I may have to lay low in the 2-wheeled scene for a while.

In the mean time, I've been squeezing 47-52mpg out of my Saturn SL1. Maybe I'll do some mods to that.

[Grant-53]

The Saturn is a clean design. With a full aero package you could break 65 mpg. Take a look at the old show cars such as the Citation V, the Probe IV, and the Mercedes Benz 111 Mk III diesel.
Besides winter is coming in only 3 months.

[theycallmeebryan]

Well, they are taking the bike away tomorrow. Here are some pics I snapped today before its gone.

[renault_megane_dci]

It is always sad to see the System (insurance / OEM and so on) making us getting rid of an apparently properly functionning motorbike.

It is such a waste !

30% of the CO2 emissions of the lifetime of a vehicle is issued when it is built ...

[theycallmeebryan]

Originally Posted by renault_megane_dci

It is always sad to see the System (insurance / OEM and so on) making us getting rid of an apparently properly functionning motorbike.

It is such a waste !

30% of the CO2 emissions of the lifetime of a vehicle is issued when it is built ...

I hear you there! I was trying to fight with them to just fix the thing without salvage titling it, but they would not do it. So I had to accept the total loss settlement. Getting a salvage bike back on the road is not fun in NJ. I would have to spend a couple hundred to make it road legal again, plus the bike would still have a salvage title. Such a waste. The bike was in great mechanical shape,too.

[low&slow]

Bryan, I'm very sorry to hear about the loss of your Ninja. Too bad you weren't able to keep it and get it back on the road. Your efforts in breaking the 100mpg barrier with your Ninja helped inspire me on my own motorcycle hypermiling efforts and to choose a Ninja 250 as my platform. Best wishes to you with your Saturn. L&S

[alvaro84]

Originally Posted by renault_megane_dci

30% of the CO2 emissions of the lifetime of a vehicle is issued when it is built ...

I'd like to know what mileage (both fuel and longevity) are they counting on in the case of a motorcycle. Building it is energy- and material intensive nevertheless. It's just the '30%' part I'd like to check. Must be very different for a toy used on some sunny weekends and, say, a long range tourer with over 100k miles in the odo.

I agree anyway: such a waste

[thomason2wheels]

Originally Posted by theycallmeebryan

I was never really fond of bar end mirrors simply because of functionality. I am 6'1'' and the bar end mirrors would make me look almost straight down to check my rear view.

I have no problem with the look of the mirrors; I think they look fine. Functionally, they work great. They are right out infront of me within my view so i dont have to really move my head to check the mirrors. They do a much better job of showing the view directly behind me than the mirrors on my ducati 900 do. A lot of other sport bikes are the same way where the mirrors only show the rear side views.

To each his own i guess

I guess you must be of slender build because at least half of my ninjas field of vision iin the stock mirrors is obliterated by my arms or torso....timefor a diet!

[PAFirefighter11]

That is crazy and awesome! I'm hoping to get my VFR800 somewhere up there!

[Dirtydeeds]

To anyone else considering a ninja 250, my girlfriend regularly gets 100mpg on hers. She's not even trying to hypermile. It's been a great bike. She maintains it herself too.

I really like it as well - at 196cm though its a bit cramped for me.