MPG After Carb Mod

[SoldierBoy55B]

Finally got out on the scoot after several upgrades. the Carb mod with the needle spacer adjustment netted me 12mpg more, averaged 42mpg at regular cruising speed. I also installed the 420 Progressive shock in the back end...wow what a difference on the ride, still waiting for the front spring set to come in, can't wait till I put those in.....A huge thank you to all of you that have posted tips etc on mods and upgrades..

 

 

Soldierboy

[Squidley]

12 MPG!

That is unreal, glad that it worked out for you that way, I have never heard of that big a gain with the needle shim

[BOO]

I agree, there must have been something else going on to cause a gain like that. I don't think I got much if any gain when I did mine. Mostly what happen is the Carbs reacted a little better to the throttle row on.

Whatever it was I'm glad your gas mileage got up into the area where it should be.

BOO

[Venturous Randy]

All together, I put 641 miles on my 83 this weekend, none on the interstate and some up and down mountains. The 1st fill up averaged 49mpg. The best to this point was 47/48 mpg. I used to be happy with 40mpg as I usually got about 38 at best. This includes the needle change and new diaphragms.

I think he should be getting better than 42.

RandyA

[Squidley]

Not that I doubt anyone that claims upper 40's in MPG, I know quite a few of you personally and dont doubt your integrity for 1 second. What is baffling to me is that in all the 7 Ventures that I have owned I have NEVER got any better than 42 mpg. That was gotten with me babying it. Now I have never shimmed the needles on any of the ones that I have owned, but I think the '89 that Cliff just bought off me will get this shim kit as that bike usually gets about 35 mpg at best and I would like to see if there is any improvement with it

[Guest human4m]

I get 36mph, average speed of 62mph, to and from work. No romping, pretty much babying it the entire time.

 

Went on a ride with my Dad this weekend to Greenville H-D (he is thinking about trading in his 2000 RK on a new Road Glide or Street Glide)

 

MPG's were about the same, 35mpg.

[Condor]

Not that I doubt anyone that claims upper 40's in MPG, I know quite a few of you personally and dont doubt your integrity for 1 second. What is baffling to me is that in all the 7 Ventures that I have owned I have NEVER got any better than 42 mpg. That was gotten with me babying it. Now I have never shimmed the needles on any of the ones that I have owned, but I think the '89 that Cliff just bought off me will get this shim kit as that bike usually gets about 35 mpg at best and I would like to see if there is any improvement with it

 

 

When we were at Susanville, Delta Rat and I both got 50mpg on the ride up and back, and that included the group rides mid-meet. Most all of it was mountainous and 2nd-3rd-4th gears. While going to and from Ft Collins on the slab running 65-80mph in 5th, I averaged 38. On my last 300 mile day ride in the Sierras around L.Tahoe, north to Hwy49, and back I averaged 50mpg again. So it's no fluke, it's how you ride and where you ride that makes a lot of difference....

[Venturous Randy]

I think the biggest thing for me is where I ride. If I do a lot of 40 to 55 mph riding through the mountains and two lane "Blue Highways", even two-up and the occasional WOT run through 1st and 2nd, I am still getting in the high 40's. But, if I run a lot of interstate at 65 to 70mph, my mileage drops into the low 40's, even if I am one-up and not cranking it on. I am wondering if going to the 2nd gen RSV trans will help this.

Squidley, I know what you are saying and felt absolutely the same way and keep in mind, I have put over 106,000 miles on this bike. Even in the past when I would do a patch job on the diaphragms and the bike ran real good, I still did not get better than about 42mpg. I am now at the point of having 150 miles on the odometer and still two bars left and in the past, I hardly ever saw any bars at 150 miles. Most of the time, it had been blinking for a while.

The really great thing about this is I don't think it has hurt performance at all.

RandyA

[Condor]

I am wondering if going to the 2nd gen RSV trans will help this RandyA

 

Randy, It's possible, but with the 2Gen final being a bit higher geared, you'd end up lowing the rpm's even more in 5th.. You'd probably need to keep it in 4th to get any benefit. I would think the lower geared V-Max final would raise the rpm's in 5th gear, and reduce the load on the engine resulting in slightly better fuel milage. I wonder if anyone who has done the V-Max mod could comment on any gain in highway milage?? Before and after the mod??

[skydoc_17]

Hey Jack,

I started out with the needle shim mod (with stainless steel washers) and the stock final drive and was averaging 41 to 45 MPG. I added the FJR1300 final drive and was pretty much locked in at 42 MPG. ( I will say that since the final drive change, it's hard, really hard to "Not drop the hammer" a lot!) I have redone the needle shim mod with the nylon replacement shims, and am back up to 44 to 48 MPG plus the sliders seem to function better, they react crisper. ( I think this is due to the reduced weight at the end of the slider by removing the S.S. washers and replacing it with a thinner nylon washer.) Here's a link to the nylon needle shims:

http://www.venturerider.org/classifieds/showproduct.php/product/2711/cat/500

The link shows pics of the Main Jet Needle and all of the parts in the end of the slider.

I would like to add that the Needle Shim Mod is NO SUBSTITUTE for replacing bad Carb. Diaphragms! If you are getting in the low to mid 30's MPG wise, you need to be taking a LONG HARD look at your Carb. Diaphragms. Unless of course, your right forearm is like Pop Eye's and you can't stay out of the throttle! That's a different problem! If anyone needs pics of the Carb. Diaphragm area or has questions about the Needle Shim Mod Install please feel free to PM me.

Earl

[Karl C.]

One other thing to think about is spark plugs... What brand of spark plugs do you guys use in your venture?

 

I just got mine, 1983 model, and I am going to replace the plugs with a brand called "E3".

For most applications that I have used them they are absolutely awesome.

[Venturous Randy]

One other thing to think about is spark plugs... What brand of spark plugs do you guys use in your venture?

 

I just got mine, 1983 model, and I am going to replace the plugs with a brand called "E3".

For most applications that I have used them they are absolutely awesome.

 

For years I have used Autolites that I get from Advance Auto for a little over a buck each and they work just fine.

RandyA

[Condor]

Hey Jack,

I started out with the needle shim mod (with stainless steel washers) and the stock final drive and was averaging 41 to 45 MPG. I added the FJR1300 final drive and was pretty much locked in at 42 MPG.

Earl

 

Thanks for the input Earl, but did you ever experience higher mpg in the twisties w/hi-rpm, and lower mpg while slabbing it in 5th before the swap and then after?? I guess what I wondering is when on a long trip did you see an inprovement with the lower geared final and the higher rpm's??

PS: I can relate to the 'hammer'....

[Condor]

One other thing to think about is spark plugs... What brand of spark plugs do you guys use in your venture?

 

I just got mine, 1983 model, and I am going to replace the plugs with a brand called "E3".

For most applications that I have used them they are absolutely awesome.

 

Interesting concept. Sorta like the old 'polar gap' plugs...only different.

 

http://www.e3sparkplugs.com/

 

I've been using the NGK's with no problems...

[rhncue]

I'm very particular on what plug to put in all of my vehicles. I always get what ever is on sale and I really don't believe I've ever had any trouble with any of them.

 

Dick

[Gearhead]

Hehehehe....me too!

 

 

Jeremy