What's your best motorcycle MPG?

[flying kurmaster]

I have two Vespa 2005s GT200 21 hp stock, I have gotten consistently 32kl/l without trying to drive econmically which I think translates to around 80 mpg imp. one in NOrth America has 23,000kms the other one here in NZ has 20,00kms still giving the same mileage as new. I have ridden the one here all around NZ and the one in North america I rode it from Vancouver to Alaska to Tennessee then back up to Ontario where I use it when I am docked there. great transportation |I cruise between 90 and 100kph and get that kind of mileage.

[thomason2wheels]

Originally Posted by WTFM8

Ecomodding techniques have driven the mileage on my V-strom to 60 MPG! Would never have guessed a 650 could get that high with so little effort.

What have you done to get mileage that good?

[alvaro84]

Originally Posted by offalot

Best Mileage on my KLR650 is just about 74mpg (US). I have an opened up exhaust and jetted carb but mostly this was achieved by driving methods. Not too bad for a big upright bike on knobby tires.

Knobbies must hurt FE quite a bit, I guess. How much, I wonder?

[offalot]

Originally Posted by alvaro84

Knobbies must hurt FE quite a bit, I guess. How much, I wonder?

I'm sure they do hurt it. How much? I would have no clue, but for the places and things this style/setup of bike has taken me to see, I wouldn't change it for even a 20 mpg difference. Fun and enjoyment come first, mpg come after.

[ron]

68mpg from a 1972 125 suzuki .I still have it. I'm rebuilding it to be my run-a-round when i tow my trailer. retirement in sight now.

[thomason2wheels]

Originally Posted by beatr911

Big Red now has just over 203,000 miles and runs like a top. I've been averaging just over 54 mpg with my commute which is about 10 miles at 40-50mph and the remaining 20 miles at 60mph, one way. This year I'm experimenting (again) with going as fast as I can without standing out enough to get a ticket which is about 70-75mph to see what the difference in mileage is. I think last time mileage dropped 4 or 5 mpg. The chassis and engine really feel in thier element at about 4500 rpm which is about 80mph. Top end is an indicated 125 mph which is limited by aerodynamics, or the 108horsepower.

Mods to improve economy are: advanced spark timing by 4 degrees, cut down stock windshield so helmet is just out of windshield disturbed air, warm air induction to airbox, dropped carb float level by 10mm, increased plug gap from .025" to .035", advanced exhaust cam by 7 degrees for more mid-range, used a 3/4" hole saw and drilled out the interior baffle in the exhaust (much better sound without loundness), synthetic oil in shaft drive unit, smaller EX500 mirrors, use approximately 132:1 of filtered used engine oil in the tank (because otherwise it's BTUs just thrown away).

Biggest improvement by far was ajusting the float level down. I gained about 7 mpg just from this. These bikes are known to run very rich and this confirms it for me. There is a guy in florida that makes a jet kit for it for about 50 bucks and all he does is lean out the rich spots to even out the mixture. I might do that in the future.

Gearing is bad on these bikes as well but not as bad as some. About 3600 rpm at 60mph isn't too bad but this is a 1000cc engine. The same guy as above makes a gearing change kit for these but to drop 600rpm costs about $450.00 and improves mileage by just under 5 mpg - really long payback on that one.

Live long and prosper!

Forgive what probably seems like a dumb question, but what does adding used engine oil to the gas do?

[dirtha]

I've been averaging just over 51 mpg commuting on my 2009 Versys. The best tank was 55.8, but I haven't been using any hypermiling techniques other than (generally) short-shifting and using as high a gear as practical.
I ride mostly secondary roads (some stop and go traffic) plus about 6 miles of parkway.
I have no FE mods, but plan to change to a smaller rear sprocket when the time comes. I could use a 7th and 8th gear at highway speeds!

[Michael Moore]

Forgive what probably seems like a dumb question, but what does adding used engine oil to the gas do?

For a gas engine it probably just lowers the octane and makes the engine more prone to detonate.

I think in this case it is being done to burn the oil instead of discarding it. Donating it to someone with a diesel engine might be a better plan.

ETA: the oil will displace 1/132 of the gasoline going through the jets, making the mixture very slightly leaner than it would otherwise be.

cheers,
Michael

[3-Wheeler]

Originally Posted by Michael Moore

For a gas engine it probably just lowers the octane and makes the engine more prone to detonate.

I think in this case it is being done to burn the oil instead of discarding it. Donating it to someone with a diesel engine might be a better plan.

ETA: the oil will displace 1/132 of the gasoline going through the jets, making the mixture very slightly leaner than it would otherwise be.

cheers,
Michael

I would think that burning oil with the gas, would also just foul up the exhaust valves as well. That carbon has to go somewhere.

______________

By the way, my best motorcycle gas mileage so far, is 80 mpg with an old Honda VF500 with I think about 125,000 miles on it.

Jim.

[Formula413]

As I read it he is looking at the oil as additional fuel to be burned, used in small enough quantities as not to affect the running of the engine. As others pointed out this does overlook the oil's effect of reducing the octane number and the possibility of fouling engine components. These effects may not be significant but likely neither would the increased MPG from having a little bit of free energy.