Drive or ride! MPG event in Lacey, WA 7 May 2011

[skyking]

I'm officially out of the running today. I came back from vacation and worked all week.
There was a minor detail I had to fix before using the truck.
I have no fuel filler Hard to do a test when you can't get fuel into the tank.

[beatr911]

Sorry about the time goof. The literature is correct, use the later time.

Typical North We(s)t weather. I have no mercy for the rest of you with a little rain. I committed to riding my 200cc supermoto today. The rain gear has started to leak so I'm wet to my underpants even before the event has started.

RedYaris called me yesterday. He rode his Suzuki GS500 all the way from Alberta - In the rain much of the way. Now HE is really committed. If I understood correctly he managed about 70mpg at 75-80mph or so. VERY impressive!!!

Sounds like a pretty good turnout so far.

[MPaulHolmes]

I just got back. Did I see anyone on here?! I was the one with the pile 'o crap blue beetle. haha

[skyking]

how did it go? What kind of mileage did you get Paul?

[redyaris]

Originally Posted by beatr911

Sorry about the time goof. The literature is correct, use the later time.

Typical North We(s)t weather. I have no mercy for the rest of you with a little rain. I committed to riding my 200cc supermoto today. The rain gear has started to leak so I'm wet to my underpants even before the event has started.

RedYaris called me yesterday. He rode his Suzuki GS500 all the way from Alberta - In the rain much of the way. Now HE is really committed. If I understood correctly he managed about 70mpg at 75-80mph or so. VERY impressive!!!

Sounds like a pretty good turnout so far.

For the 1594 mile trip I used 23.3 gals or 68.4 mpg mostly on interstate freeways at 70mph plus. and I was still being passed by 25% of the traffic. It rained very heavely on Sunday on interstate 5 and interstate 90 until I got over the coast mountain range, at Ellensburg, Wa. after Ellensburg i went north/east through Ephrata, Stratford, Davenport, Hunters on state hyways 283, 28, and 25 to the Canadian boarder, then on BC hyway 3, 95, 93 and the trans Canada hyway back home. crossed 4 major mountain Passes, with snow up to the edge of the raod. The traffic seemed to vanish after I left the interstates, Had one incedent when stopping on the side of the road for a rest. I put my foot down to support the bike, but the ground sloped away more than I expected and I couldn't hold the bike up and it fell over on its side!!! I couldn't pick it up eather until a couple of good semaritains stopped to help me. I got to thinking after that and thought that a 250cc V twin should be much easier to pick up and with lots of aeromods it would be a good eco-touring bike. thanks for the "seeing eye dog" guided tour of the course. will some one be posting the results for the ralley?
I think I will be stealing your plasic cargo box idea for my WR250 with some modifications for better aero. While following you I noticed that the box was well sized with respect to your back, and that the lid could be modified to emprove the air flow. $20 very well spent I think!

[beatr911]

Redyaris,
I'm glad you made it safely home with only one minor incident, and only a threat of snow on the road but no real snow to deal with. Motorcycle travels seem to always have some sort of adventure aspect to them. Just part of the fun.

Very good numbers for the speed at which you were travelling to and from the event. This was probably more useful than the event itsself! The course for the event didn't highlight the aerodynamic improvements you made due to the lower speeds unfortunately.

Roland has results and photos so I'll help get that posted when I can get some time to do so.

Like many, I have all sorts of ideas on how to improve motorcycles. It's all worthless though until someone like you, Craig Vetter and others actually try these ideas out in the flesh. Keep at it, inspiring the rest of us!

The 8 gallon Action Packer fit the bike pretty well. My only concern is that the bottom will eventually fatigue and begin cracking at the mounting points. I tried to distribute the stress by mounting it on a thin piece of plywood. You be the judge in your own mounting methods if you think you'll need additional support or not. So far the box has only about 1000 street driven miles on it. No cracking yet.

[redyaris]

Thanks for all your help on the day. I will mount my utility box on a peace of foam Plastic with fender washers and see how long it lasts on the WR250. I have already modified the boat tail so that it tapers more at the top. I will be going on an other long trip in June and hope to get even better mpg under the same conditions. Maybe even 80mpg+! I like to dream big, I do think I can get into the 70mpg+ with the next set of minor mods.

[superchow]

OK Everyone, the event is over, and the numbers are in.

Data in the following order:
Name:, From:, Vehicle:, EPA Combined mpg:, Event mpg:, % Over EPA:

Doreen Miller, Tacoma WA, 2010 Toyota Prius, 50, 70.6, 41.2
Ed Miller, Tacoma WA, 2005 smart forTwo Diesel, 56(ish)*, 101 (164.4**), 80.4
Garth Lacomb, Olympia WA, 2006 Zongshen Sierra ZS200 (motorcycle), 70*, 90.4, 29(ish)
Christopher Brand, Olympia WA, 2007 Toyota Prius, 46, 64.4, 40
Stephen Christiansen, Rochester WA, 1999 Saturn SL2 (automatic, DOHC), 26, 41.5, 59.6
Brent Undesser, Lacey WA, 2009 Mazda5 (automatic), 23, 41.4, 80
Dean Payne, Shoreline WA, 2010 Toyota Prius, 50, 69.5, 39
Ron Johnston, Exshaw AB, Canada, 2007 Suzuki GS500F, 60*, 82.5, 37.5
Rachel Kouhsen, Lacey WA, 2007 Honda Civic EX (manual), 29, 50.25 (53.5**), 73.3

Pre-run the course on previous weekend (not official):

Brent Undesser, Lacey WA, 2001 Ford Crown Victoria Police Interceptor (Yellow Cab), 17, 28, 64.7
Roland Kouhsen, Lacey WA, 1998 Subaru Forester L (manual), 21, 36, 71.4

*: Data not available. Estimated.
**: Due to filling error mileages from event have been corrected.

Event photos to follow!