Buying a bike for MPG/Vetter Challenge, what would be your favorite?

[Frank Lee]

I'm expecting Charlie to have a Gator-style streamliner this year.

[redyaris]

Low&slow
Alan Smith is running at 6500rpm at 70mph. I thing that with his Aero ninja 250 configuration, both of you could drop the rpm down to 4500rpm at 70mph without getting into any drivability problems. You can always shift down a gear In the face of head winds and hills and if the lower gear is still below 6500rpm then you have a gear for every condition you face. With a tail wind you mite have to stop and drain fuel from the tank just to prove you had the motor on,

[low&slow]

Hi Redyaris, Alan is currently running a 15t/39T sprocket combo on his Ninja 250 and he is looking to bump it up some more. My stock Ninja currently turns about 8500 RPM at 75 mph so its definitely an area for improvement. Its nice having a 6 speed tranny and chain drive for a change !

all the best L&S

[Frank Lee]

Three Wheel Race Car

I wonder how this would do at a Vetter Challenge?

[low&slow]

Frank , A 3- wheeler won the 2010 Carmel Vetter Challenge but it only got ~89 mpg . It had some type of fuel venting problem during the run and was dumping fuel after the top-off at the start. Fred Hayes had a higher mpg but was placed second because the price of diesel made for a higher cost/mile that determines the winner. Its the same red 3-wheeler that's on the Ecomodder home page and had been sold to a guy in San Luis Obispo. It definitely has potential .

[sendler]

I have both an 09 Ninja 250 and a 2011 Honda CBR250R. As stock bikes, the Honda kills the Ninja on fuel economy. Check Fuelly. I can average 87mpgUS at 65mph on the CBR250R and the best I can get with the Ninja is 66mpgUS. Some of the small 125cc air cooled Hondas from India can get 130mpg but only have a top speed of 65mph whereas the CBR250R is a dream to ride all day long in the rain at 90mph. It is a real bike, is available with ABS and only costs $4000 brand new with great factory financing.
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Gas Mileage CBR250r - Honda CBR250R Forum : Honda CBR 250 Forums
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Honda CBR250R MPG Reports | Fuelly

[alvaro84]

Good to see that your CBR250 log grew longer, experience is accumulating

What kind of temps are there in this stage of year where you live?
Teresa's FE suffered the frost quite a bit, now I can only dream of 80+ mpg...

edit. I see - so the CBR can do 80mpg at freeze point. Very nice!

[sendler]

My average has dropped from 87 mpgUS to 81 with the addition of the the grip muffs to keep my fingers warm from cold temps that are just above freezing. I don't ride if it has been below freezing so I am mostly done until March.

[TedV]

Are you sure the grip muffs are to blame and not the colder temps with the winter blend of fuel, thicker grease and oil, etc.? A friend and I have nearly identical F650 GS dakars. She has easy access to 100% gas, I throw in whatever fuel is available = up to 10% ethanol. When she has pure gas and I have ethonol blend we see an 8-10% difference in FE. Obviously the 100% gas getting the beter mpg.

For a Vetter challenge bike, I have liked the Ninja 250 for years because it is available, cheap. I started with a CB250 while my girl friend rode a rebel 250 as the control, but I found, like Alan Smith, the air cooled motor and 5 speed would be going down the wrong path. Suzuki TU250 fuel injected might be good, but if I see a CBR250R, dropped but not bent for cheap, I would have to scoop one up.

[sendler]

The Ninja250 is a great pocket canyon racer for the money but I actually see it as a poor bike to start with for hypermiling. The only reason they are so popular on ecomodders is the cheap price and availability. And it is one of the few bikes sold in the US with less than 600cc's so there aren't many choices. It is a super sport bike with peaky cams. If someone made fuel mileage cams for it and you installed the dual channel, programmable, wide band fuel injection kit from the group buy at Ninjette.org it would be much better. 70mpg stock versus 85 for the CBR250R is already making my point. The Ninja is far from the best choice from a hypermiling competition stand point. The best hypermiling motorcycle that can be ridden on real hiways as a daily driver is the CBR125R. A +1 on the front sprocket is all that is needed to have a 90mpg commuter that can top out at 75mph. Still a real bike for a solo rider with gorgeous, functional bodywork. Sadly, not sold in the US. I am going to import one eventually. But, air cooled will beat water cooled. Not for longevity but it will be more fuel efficient. Water pumps waste power. Any of the air cooled 125cc cheapos from India get way over 120mpg right out of the box but can't reach beyond 60mph. Until you change gearing and add a full streamliner fairing. Used bikes in India would be in the $6-800 range. Not anything to go touring on, like either of the 250"s are, but a great start for a competition vehicle.
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CB Shine winner's choice
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