Test ride MPG

J

justinlself_imp

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Awhile back I test rode a '14 here at work and loved it. I have been mulling over the bike on lunch and sitting on it... curiously I turned on the display and saw: total, 12 miles, 30 MPG.

I'm assuming this is from my test ride, where I rode "normally" but a couple stretches got 'er up to 85MPH in 4th just to see how it goes. I'm used to 48-50 MPG on my KLR... So, I'm thinking, the 30 MPG is not accurate OVERALL because:

- it's not even broken in
- it was a pretty short trip relatively (I am certain I went less than 5 miles on the test ride).

So if I do end up purchasing in Spring, should I not worry about it? Can the ECU be remapped if I want to eek some better MPG out or is it also a gearing thing?
 
Wait until you have 2000 miles on it to worry about the mileage. Even with moderately brisk riding you should see 45-50 mpg. I normally get between 54 and 57 mpg and have seen as high as 64 mpg at times like cruising the BRP at a steady 45 mph. Steady cruising above 70 mph will drop the mileage significantly.
 
The ferret_imp said:
Wait until you have 2000 miles on it to worry about the mileage. Even with moderately brisk riding you should see 45-50 mpg. I normally get between 54 and 57 mpg and have seen as high as 64 mpg at times like cruising the BRP at a steady 45 mph. Steady cruising above 70 mph will drop the mileage significantly.
Click to expand...
First, I don't worry about it much, but RE: "Even with moderately brisk riding you should see 45-50 mpg." ...

Normal for me is 41-42 riding in town, have never really gotten over 50. I keep tire pressure correct, I don't ride agressively. But I live in an area of Oregon that does have a fair share of hilly areas and I think that must have some effect. If there were one thing mechanically to consider that might be the difference between what Ferret gets and what I get, what that might be?

I'll post this as a point of reference for the OP, but I'll do a search as well.
 
I don't think there is anything mechanical about it. I think my mileage comes from my riding style which is pretty conservative, and very smooth on off throttle (roll on, roll off), plus the fact that the area that I ride in has very few stop lights or stop signs so I don't sit idling or do a lot of shifting up and down thru the gears. I am usually on 2 lane country back roads in flat to gently rolling hills, running between 45 and 60 mph, in 5th and 6th gears, . Little to no traffic. I may be conservative, but I am a fairly fast rider as I don't let off for the curves much lol (you can ask the forum members who have ridden with me...I am not a doddering old man rider). Steady as she goes so to speak. My typical shift point is about 3,000 rpms and my bike has never seen 5,000 rpms. I don't ride like that to get good mileage, that's just how I ride, and where I ride, and good mileage is a by product of that.

I ride my ST 1300 the same and average 47-49 mpg on a 717 pound V 4.
 
The ferret_imp said:
I don't think there is anything mechanical about it. I think my mileage comes from my riding style which is pretty conservative, and very smooth on off throttle (roll on, roll off), plus the fact that the area that I ride in has very few stop lights or stop signs so I don't sit idling or do a lot of shifting up and down thru the gears. I am usually on 2 lane country back roads in flat to gently rolling hills, running between 45 and 60 mph, in 5th and 6th gears, . Little to no traffic. I may be conservative, but I am a fairly fast rider as I don't let off for the curves much lol (you can ask the forum members who have ridden with me...I am not a doddering old man rider). Steady as she goes so to speak. My typical shift point is about 3,000 rpms and my bike has never seen 5,000 rpms. I don't ride like that to get good mileage, that's just how I ride, and where I ride, and good mileage is a by product of that.

I ride my ST 1300 the same and average 47-49 mpg on a 717 pound V 4.
Click to expand...
These are the types of variables that can have an effect and so I think there's not really much to worry about because the bike runs fine. Thanks for the details.
 
I've got an average just over 44 mpg in the 32,000 plus miles for which I've got data. Most of that has been country riding. Since moving back to the city earlier this year I've noticed a considerable worsening of the mileage on the town riding.
 
I just filled up and it took just under six liters for 120 kilometers, lets say.

5l per 100km

When thats converted into the measurement system used in United States of America thats.

47 miles per US Gallon.

This is all kept inperspective by figures of "7 inches per Gallon"

I'm not willing to push it and ride to Mitta Mitta again without a refuel.

All the best for 2017

Regards
 
My road preference and riding style is similar to the Ferret's, plus we have the same bike. I'm good for low-60's mpg without much effort.
 
Thread starter
Cormanus_imp said:
I've got an average just over 44 mpg in the 32,000 plus miles for which I've got data. Most of that has been country riding. Since moving back to the city earlier this year I've noticed a considerable worsening of the mileage on the town riding.
Click to expand...
See that kinda mileage isn't enticing me as much. It's not terrible but could be better

Sent from my Z963U using Tapatalk
 
What is the end game here? What kind of gas mileage are you looking to acheive? It is an 85 hp 545 pound, 1140cc 4 cyl. 45-50 mpg is pretty darn good IMO. About the same as you are getting on your much lighter 650cc single.
 
I get low 40 ish per gallon on a 2013 standard with a 5 speed gearbox, but I ride a little aggressive. The bike has to push all 240 pounds of me up the inclines in northern Utah, with the baseline altitude starting at approx 4,400 feet.
 
As we only have 1 hour to edit a post now shall add a post script dug up from a Seat Time burst from last year, 2015. This relates to Test ride MPG post #8. I knew it was some where but unfortunatly due to events past beyond my control it can take me a little longer to get the ducks in a row these days but so it be hey.

Mitta Mitta Ride 2015 at the top of page ten in Seat Time @ 311453LDec16

"For those that like the fuel stat's I filled up to the bottom of the filler neck from a jerry can at home and set the trip meter to zero. Purchase the fuel below after 302 km journey to Mitta Mitta refueling to the same datum on the centre stand.

Bairnsdale 3.73l @ $1.34 per liter cost $5.00
Omeo 5.40l @ $1.39 per liter cost $7.50
Mitta Mitta 4.84l @ $1.55 per liter cost $7.50
Total 13.97l for a cost of $20.00

2010 CB100 4.61 l per 100 km or for my American CB1100 colleagues 51.02 miles to the US gallon.
Versus the Saturn V 7 inches to the Gallon the benchmark for ultimate fuel consumption."

regards
 
justinlself, your initial post was concern over 30mpg after 12 miles of test riding, which I think 99.8% of the riders here would say that's not what we're getting. Rather, we're reporting low to mid 40s, 50s and even 60 for different riders. It would be reasonable for you to expect to get 44 or more based on what you read with just a few examples here. I would hate to see you pass on this bike because you're concerned about MPG...you would miss out on a great bike that for its size, displacement does pretty darn good. Had I not read of others getting low 50s to even 60mpg, I never would have thought twice about my city average of 42. On a trip last summer of 5500 miles I had the bike loaded with about 40lbs of luggage, I weigh 180, I have the '14 standard (6 speed) and I was getting 46-50 on the hiway. The best I got on one tank was around 57. This is a solid bike...mpg is respectable for me, quite good for others.
 
Gee, if MPG is a critical factor, justiniself, buy a smaller displacement bike. Save money on the purchase and on the fuel cost over time.
 
Practice a similar riding style and get 58,81 mpg with the 5 gear model as a mid value.
In summer even less, in winter some more.

Wisedrum
 
Wisedrum, is that US MPG or UK MPG?
 
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