Decent mileage figures

[RsvlFeej]

Anyone notice that the feejer gets better mileage at elevation?

Yup. Altitude helps a lot. I've gotten well over 50 mpg on shite Cali gas when playing in the mountains.

I'm baffled by Tslapper's mileage, though. I'm usually very near sea level and get a solid 40 mpg if I keep the bike below 88 mph. I weigh roughly 250# in full gear. I do keep an extremely close eye on my tire pressure (42R, 41F).

Tslapper:

What PSI are your tires?

How many miles on the bike? IIRC, before about 25K miles, the bike did have a tendency to get thirsty when operated above 5.5K RPM, but that's improved.

Were you aware the transmission has a 5th gear?

Aah, never mind - just absorbed the FJR nominal speed bit - pushing air out of the way at >triple-digits will suck fuel - Period. You should get better mileage on your trip through Cali. Depending on the attitude of the LEO who catches you, he can jail you/impound your bike for >100 mph.

 

[Tslapper]

Anyone notice that the feejer gets better mileage at elevation?

Yup. Altitude helps a lot. I've gotten well over 50 mpg on shite Cali gas when playing in the mountains.

I'm baffled by Tslapper's mileage, though. I'm usually very near sea level and get a solid 40 mpg if I keep the bike below 88 mph. I weigh roughly 250# in full gear. I do keep an extremely close eye on my tire pressure (42R, 41F).

Tslapper:

What PSI are your tires?

How many miles on the bike? IIRC, before about 25K miles, the bike did have a tendency to get thirsty when operated above 5.5K RPM, but that's improved.

Were you aware the transmission has a 5th gear?

Aah, never mind - just absorbed the FJR nominal speed bit - pushing air out of the way at >triple-digits will suck fuel - Period. You should get better mileage on your trip through Cali. Depending on the attitude of the LEO who catches you, he can jail you/impound your bike for >100 mph.

38/42 just like always.

5th gear? yeah... yeah... it's in use.

I can see 40mpg at 10 over the speed limit (75) here. Those speeds won't even get you a second look. My run the other night was for a little over one hour and I never saw another vehicle on the road. No, I won't be ripping around Cali like that. You got to know how to pick your times and places.

I think the exercise was more about what kind of mileage the bike can get, configured as it is, and while in the hinterlands making time. Now I know. Was wondering what similar piped bikes are getting for mileage. Mine has 35k or so on the clock.

 

[SkooterG]

Anyone notice that the feejer gets better mileage at elevation?

All vehicles get better fuel mileage at higher altitudes. Simple physics.

Higher altitude = thinner air = less air resistance = less HP needed to overcome that air resistance = less gas to make that HP.

I once got 57 mpg on a trip from Flagstaff, AZ, to Steamboat Springs, CO. :yahoo: But that was in my VW Golf TDi.

 

[angus]

I ride 108 miles round trip to work mostly interstate 60-70 mph I get around 47 mpg.

 

[jordylad]

My commute to work, 30 miles each way, 90% freeway at 80 - 90mph, 42mpg actual (based on fill up), trip guage say 44mpg.

 

[headude]

I run 39 and 41 psi and have gotten about 8500 miles on the stock Metzlers. Gonna have to change soon, maybe 1000 miles and was thinking of the Roadmasters. Has anyone noticed if a K&N filter helps with fuel mileage? Also, since I just moved down to Carmel, CA from Sandpoint, ID found out that CA has a law now that it is a FELONY to drive over 90 mph (if you're caught). That's got to be the most outrageous thing I ever heard. Sorry about the stream of consciousness thing on this thread...

 

[jordylad]

I run 39 and 41 psi and have gotten about 8500 miles on the stock Metzlers. Gonna have to change soon, maybe 1000 miles and was thinking of the Roadmasters. Has anyone noticed if a K&N filter helps with fuel mileage? Also, since I just moved down to Carmel, CA from Sandpoint, ID found out that CA has a law now that it is a FELONY to drive over 90 mph (if you're caught). That's got to be the most outrageous thing I ever heard. Sorry about the stream of consciousness thing on this thread...

Not true on the felony. My buddy just got a ticket for 93mph. he just went to court and was fined. not a felony.

 

[headude]

So very glad to hear; I'll check my sources more carefully. Thx :clapping:

 

[Ignacio]

Sorry about the stream of consciousness thing on this thread...

Yeah, well, let's stop the off-topic stuff here. You want to talk about felonies, K&N, or other things that are not about what the thread starter made....please make another thread.

 

[Wetdog]

45 mpg, low 30ish if I,m hitting the throttle hard. I've hit 50+, but that using wind, slow up hills, coasting down, etc.

I think 42-45 would be my average under normal riding.

 

[El Toro]

Anyone notice that the feejer gets better mileage at elevation?

All vehicles get better fuel mileage at higher altitudes. Simple physics.

Higher altitude = thinner air = less air resistance = less HP needed to overcome that air resistance = less gas to make that HP.

I once got 57 mpg on a trip from Flagstaff, AZ, to Steamboat Springs, CO. :yahoo: But that was in my VW Golf TDi.

Higher altitude means thinner air, and thinner air means that the engine control module is using ambient pressure sensing to realize that the air is in fact thinner. Thinner air is really just less dense air. There aren't as many pounds of air in a cubic foot. Air to Fuel ratio is generally controlled by gravimetric measure. Stoichiometric is about 14.7 pounds of air to burn a pound of gasoline. It takes a bit less air to burn a pound of gasohol because gasohol includes 10% ethanol and ethanol includes its own oxygen as part of its chemistry, so all the oxygen for the oxidation doesn't have to come from the air.

In any event, if there are fewer pounds of air in the stream, the engine control module is smart enough to cut back on the injector on-time to try to maintain a stoichiometric AFR.

In the old days with carburetors you had to rejet when you were planning a run up at 6000+ feet. You rejet with a leaner (smaller diameter) jet. If you didn't, you would find that you could actually get an AFR that could approach or fall below the rich burn limit for the charge. It would seriously limit top speed, foul plugs, and generally make life miserable. It could even end your trip. I love EFI. It makes life so much easier when its done right.

 

[El Toro]

I forgot to add that I am getting about 45 mpg on the FJR. Best was 46.5. Worst was 43.8. Gas mileage is very strongly affected by your right hand habits. I usually run on the interstate at 80 mph indicated, and around town with snappy starts but generally not more than 10 over the speed limit (safe to avoid enforcement most of the time around here).