My 100(+)mpg feet-forward motorcycle project

[theycallmeebryan]

Sherm, you are definitely embarking on an awesome adventure here. I can't wait to see what you come up with!

[BigSherm]

Thanks, Bryan!

Your results with your ninja are part of what led me to choose the little beast!

Sherm

[redpoint5]

I'd risk my butt (literally) on a project this cool.

It's too bad they don't make those 250s FI though. That would help with your efficiency and power on those altitude changes. Curious now, what is the smallest FI motorcycle engine out there?

[alvaro84]

Originally Posted by redpoint5

I'd risk my butt (literally) on a project this cool.

It's too bad they don't make those 250s FI though. That would help with your efficiency and power on those altitude changes. Curious now, what is the smallest FI motorcycle engine out there?

You can definitely buy FI'd 125s here. Honda even sells its 49cc Zoomer with FI in Europe.
The 250 Kawa Ninja, all of the 250cc Hyosungs, Yamaha YBR 125, and so on, they all have FI.

[theycallmeebryan]

Originally Posted by redpoint5

I'd risk my butt (literally) on a project this cool.

It's too bad they don't make those 250s FI though. That would help with your efficiency and power on those altitude changes. Curious now, what is the smallest FI motorcycle engine out there?

The Europe version of the new Ninja 250 is fuel injected. One member of ninja250.org actually converted his older gen Ninja 250 to fuel injection by purchased the TBI setup from European bike on ebay.uk, a suzuki dual sport dirtbike's fuel pump, and a megasquirt ecu. Pretty cool project, but too expensive of a conversion to be worth it for me. Tinkering with carbs isn't all that painful.

Europe gets all the fun stuff.

[redpoint5]

Originally Posted by theycallmeebryan

The Europe version of the new Ninja 250 is fuel injected. One member of ninja250.org actually converted his older gen Ninja 250 to fuel injection by purchased the TBI setup from European bike on ebay.uk, a suzuki dual sport dirtbike's fuel pump, and a megasquirt ecu. Pretty cool project, but too expensive of a conversion to be worth it for me. Tinkering with carbs isn't all that painful.

Europe gets all the fun stuff.

How does Europe get all the good stuff? Why wouldn't the companies standardize the engine and fuel systems for simplicity sake? Does FI really cost more than carberation?

Anyhow, it's neat to know FI is the direction they are headed on bikes, if only 3 decades late. Might as well skip the FI technology altogether though and get a head start on electric. Motorcycles already get a paltry 150mi range before refueling, so it shouldn't be too difficult to get similar range from a battery.

Now this has me thinking, is there any advantage to an all-wheel drive motorcycle?

[euromodder]

Originally Posted by redpoint5

Why wouldn't the companies standardize the engine and fuel systems for simplicity sake?

Regulations are different in different parts of the world.

Motorcycles already get a paltry 150mi range before refueling, so it shouldn't be too difficult to get similar range from a battery.

If you can get it recharged in the same time it takes to fill up

Now this has me thinking, is there any advantage to an all-wheel drive motorcycle?

Yamaha had (has ?) one.
Works for off-road work, but it adds weight and drag.

[alvaro84]

Originally Posted by redpoint5

Motorcycles already get a paltry 150mi range before refueling, so it shouldn't be too difficult to get similar range from a battery.

Sorry, I can pretty easily exceed 300 miles out of one (15l~4USgal) tank with Teresa in the summer (see log, there's even a 349mi one), I wouldn't be entirely satisfied with that 150-mile range
Though I could live with it if
1.) refill would be just as fast as with gasoline
2.) batteries would not deteriorate with age

[redpoint5]

Originally Posted by alvaro84

Sorry, I can pretty easily can exceed 300 miles out of one (15l~4USgal) tank with Teresa in the summer (see log, there's even a 349mi one), I wouldn't be entirely satisfied with that 150-mile range
Though I could live with it if
1.) refill would be just as fast as with gasoline
2.) batteries would not deteriorate with age

My comment about 150mpg was a generalization and not meant to diminish alvaro's MPG accomplishments. My best tank was my last, and I got 56mpg and 220 miles. Not too shabby for spirited driving in the mountains.

I would like an electric that only goes 150mi since I plan to have multiple motorcycles. Heck, I'd settle for 100.

[Lokalazeros]

awesome project you started there !

I wanted to add that reducing the wire speed doesn't increase penetration. Increasing wire speed, or lowering amperage ( ''heat'' ) does.
Check the Miller's website, they've got a nice calculator that tells you what setting you should use. From the pic, it look like it's 1/8 steel you are welding ? I'd try 165 Amps, and about 330 inch of wire per minute (for .035'', solidcore wire) if I were you ( http://www.millerwelds.com/resources/calculators/mig_solid_amperage_calculator.php)
Oh, and, if you ever intend to ride that bike, have your welds X-ray'ed (or at least checked by a certified welder/inspector) before you go. I'd rather not see that someone was killed because the bike he was riding broke in half

Keep us updated !