What's your best motorcycle MPG?

[beatr911]

Using the engine oil and not, I haven't been able to solidly confirm a difference in fuel mileage. I just don't want to give the BTUs away though. The bike seems to run just a bit better, and it's really subjective at that. It just seems a little smoother. If there is any MPG gain it would be by the replacement of 5 oz of gasoline with the 5 oz of oil. Doing a little math, 132oz/gallon x 5 gallons=660 oz per average fill. 5oz of oil/660 oz of gas = 0.7%. At 50 mpg x 1.007=50.37 for a .37mpg increase. Well within the noise of the mpg variance of my riding cycle.

Anything more than 1oz per gallon seems too much for my bike as pre-detonation becomes noticeable in hot weather. Also, there is a slight amount of ash on the plugs at this mixture. No smoke is visible, ever.

Some old timers state that they used to add oil to gas on some engines as an upper cylinder lubricant. The Concours engines seem to never wear out so it's not an issue with my bike, but I suppose it couldn't hurt. With 5000 mile oil change intervals I use up all the oil from the 3 quart drain well before the next drain occurs.

Adding used engine oil to gasoline is unconventional and not rooted in science as far as I know. Adding used engine oil to diesel works pretty well and is an acceptable practice as I've read in several diesel forum discussions. I use 20:1 diesel and used engine oil acceptably but used ATF works really well up to 30%. This is in my Chinese diesel tractor.

[thomason2wheels]

Originally Posted by cvetter

Considering all the different kinds of fuel... Gasoline, Diesel, direct sun, wood, coal, natural gas, nukes, etc etc... isn't cost a good way to measure?

It only becomes difficult if the government has meddled... subsidizing... depletion allowances... applying road taxes... not applying road taxes...

They wouldn't do that, would they?

You are a very funny guy, Craig....your question just popped off a 10watt lightbulb for me as i just realized the actual truth about how different energy sources fluctuate in popularity based on the support or lack thereof from the government. Very astute observation Craig. How do we as consumers choose the 'energy du jur' for our present and future needs for heating our homes, powering our transportation, etc when the marketplace is artificially manipulated by government intervention, and the chosen flavor seems to change so often...yikes.

[Christ]

I burn used motor oil in my truck in lieu of using road diesel. Straight. Unless I have raw gas or kerosene that I don't have a use for. The only thing I do with the oil as far as adding anything to it is just to get the viscosity closer to that of normal diesel fuel.

I've blended water with small amounts to see if the truck would run on it. I think I got it up to 30% before noticing any problems or obvious power loss with a warm engine.

[ron]

oil and water does not mix, unless I missed something and water does not burn.ARE U SURE

[Christ]

Originally Posted by ron

oil and water does not mix, unless I missed something and water does not burn.ARE U SURE

You probably could have just asked for clarification.

Water DOES burn, but that's not why I do it. Less fuel into the combustion chamber per event, and all other things equal, means better fuel economy. Simple. If I'm introducing water, which then turns to steam, I don't sacrifice as much power from the loss of fuel value since steam expands to 1600 times it's water volume, but I maintain a clean engine, free of soot and coke from burning lubrican't oils. (Yes, I placed the apostrophe on purpose.)

Google "water oil emulsion". You'll instantly learn that not only are you incorrect in your assumption that water and oil will not mix, but people have been doing exactly that for years.

PS - Have you ever seen brown oil? It's got water emulsified in it.

[ron]

"brown oil" when left alone will separate or the water will evaporate. perhaps you should have said water injection .Ive used that and agree it keeps the combustion chamber clean.to say water burns you must be referring to splitting hydrogen off or HHO

[Christ]

Originally Posted by ron

"brown oil" when left alone will separate or the water will evaporate. perhaps you should have said water injection .Ive used that and agree it keeps the combustion chamber clean.to say water burns you must be referring to splitting hydrogen off or HHO

Hence the "small quantities" of emulsion. I burn it faster than it can separate. I don't have a mix tank installed on the vehicle so I have to mix only what I can use for the tests.

I don't use water injection on my diesels, though I'm considering it, since it's so easy to mount a carb and feed it water and meter it properly.

I said water burns because it's true. I didn't say I'm burning water.

[kamesama980]

'90 Suzuki VX800 (carbed water cooled V-twin)
gets 50-55 doing 70+ like I stole it or 50-65 country roads. From what I've seen on the vx800 forums that's about as much as they get unmodified. from 40mph on up you go from not quite in good VE but less drag, great VE more drag, OK VE lots of drag.

1 mile commute to work that I should be using the pedal bike still gets 30 mpg.

[wmjinman]

I had a Honda Nighhawk 450 back in the early to mid 80's and got 70 mpg on the highway until I had the clear plastic "PlexiFairing" installed on it. Then I started getting 75 on the highway! What a surprise! But the dealer told me it was probably because the air hit the smooth fairing, got pushed outta the way, and that was "cleaner" than hitting the handlbars & mirror, then hitting me, then hitting the seat back, etc.

Best tank was 76-something mpg. And I beleive it was when the "national speed limit" was still 55. I took it out a couple years later later & tried to make a trip on the freeway where the speed limit was 70 or 75. First of all, it couldn't got that fast!! Secondly, my mileage dropped into the low 40s.

[wmjinman]

I read about this supposedly super-duper "Rifle fairing" that was supposed to be so low in drag and improve fuel economy so much. So I bought one and replaced the PlexiFairing with it. Mileage went DOWN!!! - Low 70s. It didn't protect me from the wind as well, either - especially my legs. So I guess more air hit me after the fairing, causing drag to go up. (?)

I wrecked the bike & that fairing got demolished. Being the genius I am, not learning too quickly, I got got the bike repaired and ANOTHER Rifle fairing!! HAH!! But awhile later, I had another minor wreck that screwed up that new fairing, and after that, I put the old PlexiFairing back on, and presto!! Mileage went back up to 75!!