MPG and cold

[r12guy]

I left My House early AM yesterday, with a little over a half tank of fuel, took the gal a few to run right and a bit to get her started, but she cleared up in a few minutes and went on. Now like i said I was going on a ride , and my ride was taking me to Urbanna Virginia, for a PGR mission. well that half a tank of gas didnt last no time at all, all in all about 47 miles. and since it was dark out and the sun coming up, i was holding back on the right hand , and not seeing just how cold i could make myself feel. The choke was off , and even after stopping her for a half hour rest stop i didnt need the choke to start her. no black smoke out the back.... so can i figure on her using lots of go juice on cold days, or should i have her looked at.

[rod]

I would run a can of Sea Foam through it. I have not noticed any change in the MPG when it is cold. My bike seems to run stronger with the colder, denser air charge and after sitting for an hour I sometimes have to use the choke. Rod

[Orrin]

Your thermostat might not be closing causing your engine to run below normal operating temp. Also check to see that your carb heaters are also working, but that might just cause icing and should not affect fuel milage. I am going to bet thermostat stuck open.

[r12guy]

could be the Thermostat, she doesnt get that hot after a long ride. and with this being her second winter on the road, and only 12k on her, along with that wonderful 5 year warranty, looks like Yamaha can fix it. Thats if the Monkeys at the dealer can figure it out.

[V7Goose]

Unless you were tracking your total mileage on the tank and know it was way too low when you had to fill up, there is probably nothing wrong at all. The fuel gauge will read much higher after first picking it up off the side stand when the tank is close to reserve, and it takes a while for the gauge to adjust to the actual level. This is because the gauge must react slowly or it would be jumping all over the place from gas sloshing and bumps, leans, etc.

 

All of this is not just theory - I have noticed the same relatively quick drop in the fuel gauge on both my 05 and 07 bikes when they have been sitting for a while with about 120+ miles on the tank. Since I write down my mileage on each tank with every fill up, I know for a fact that even when this happens, I am still getting normal fuel mileage on the tank. For some reason that I can't explain, it does seem to happen more often when the temps are low, but that might just be my imagination, fueled by the suggestion from your post.

Goose

[CrazyHorse]

You tend to get worse mileage when its cold cars or bikes.

[muffinman]

From what you posted it sounds like you need a First Gen:rotf::rotf:

It is possible that when you first started the bike that you flooded one or more of the plugs.That would explain the taking so long for the bike to start running properly.

Definatly seafoam the bike and keep an accurate record of the total milage per tank on the bike.That way you will know if the bike is developing a problem over time.

I get better fuel milage in the cold weather than I do in the warm weather until they start with the wintertime fuel mix's then the milage goes way down.

Jeff

[wizard]

What Jeff said. I always get better gas milage in the winter. I really don't remember if it goes back down as winter goes by, but I'm always surprized by the improvement when the weather cools down. I'm in a location where I can and do ride all year.

Leonard

[SaltyDawg]

I am with Jeff on this one. I get 4 to 5 mpg better in the cold.

[flb_78]

Denser, colder air equals more power AND better fuel economy.

 

I'll echo the goose and ask, How many miles were on the tank of gas?

[86er]

What Jeff said. I always get better gas milage in the winter. I really don't remember if it goes back down as winter goes by, but I'm always surprized by the improvement when the weather cools down. I'm in a location where I can and do ride all year.

Leonard

 

I would run a can of Sea Foam through it. I have not noticed any change in the MPG when it is cold. My bike seems to run stronger with the colder, denser air charge and after sitting for an hour I sometimes have to use the choke. Rod

 

OK, just to bust your chops a bit: What do y'all in SoCal. know from cold?!?!?! Are you talking,.....what? 60 degrees?! I came home from Bike Night last Thursday and I saw 28 degrees on my mc thermometer!

 

[BigShell]

I agree with what Goose said. On the side stand, the fuel gauge will read quite a bit higher. If you checked the fuel while it was warming up and it was on the side stand, you didn't have half a tank. My perception is that the last half a tank goes much faster than the the first half. I always reset one of my trip odometers and keep track that way. Gauges can fool ya.

 

I'm not saying there isn't something else in play here... just that these would be my first thoughts.

[Condor]

I came home from Bike Night last Thursday and I saw 28 degrees on my mc thermometer!

 

So Todd..... You braggin' or complainin'....:rotf:

[Guest KitCarson]

All motors......especially boat motors run better and get better mpg in cooler weather than in hot weather. Has something to do with humidity....and temp, mixed with air flow. My bike is stronger on a cold morning......and a cool day, than on a 98 degree scorcher........I do not run well though.....if it gets below 50 degrees......my motor stays parked in the garage!!

[r12guy]

well guys, it was a balmy 23* out, and from the slow turn over it just didnt seem to be firing on all 4. I would have to say, it may have been the gauge thing, cause my last fill up was in Reading PA, and I didnt really look to see how many miles i had put on it, but i would say at least 170, cause the zumo is set for that and lets me know with the low fuel warning. and she did take about 4.7 gals. so maybe the cold had my mind confused. Yepper, that California and Florida weather, is like year round for me, hell its year round for me now as long as there is no snow or ice out. And I do run Lucas in my tank, and have tried the Seafoam on the old wing.

[86er]

So Todd..... You braggin' or complainin'....:rotf:

 

Like Walter Brennan use to say, Jack, "No brag......Just fact".

 

I Breath, Therefore I Ride.

 

[V7Goose]

I would have to say, it may have been the gauge thing, cause my last fill up was in Reading PA, and I didnt really look to see how many miles i had put on it, but i would say at least 170, cause the zumo is set for that and lets me know with the low fuel warning. and she did take about 4.7 gals. so maybe the cold had my mind confused.

Well, if your perception is right, this sounds quite normal to me. 170 miles and anything under 5 gal fill-up is right in the ball park for an RSV.

Goose

[Condor]

well guys, it was a balmy 23* out, and from the slow turn over it just didnt seem to be firing on all 4. I would have to say, it may have been the gauge thing, cause my last fill up was in Reading PA, and I didnt really look to see how many miles i had put on it, but i would say at least 170, cause the zumo is set for that and lets me know with the low fuel warning. and she did take about 4.7 gals. so maybe the cold had my mind confused. Yepper, that California and Florida weather, is like year round for me, hell its year round for me now as long as there is no snow or ice out. And I do run Lucas in my tank, and have tried the Seafoam on the old wing.

 

I think one of the reasons milage improves during the winter is that you can pack more fuel into the tank. Gas will expand and contract with the temperature. I know it's stored in underground tanks, but once it hits the outside temp things start to happen. And then again maybe I'm halucinating again.....

[CrazyHorse]

I'm not sure where you guys get your info but gas mileage goes down in winter. I'm talking real winter Negative whatever to 40 degrees not the 60 degree winter.

 

http://www.helium.com/tm/241291/there-factors-cause-achieve

 

http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/factors.shtml

 

http://www.swri.org/10light/mile.htm

 

http://www.moneysavingmagnets.com/mpg-in-cold-weather.html

 

http://www.isnare.com/?aid=214667&ca=Automotive

[eagleeye]

I've been watching this thread and you guys down south talking about cold weather, I don't get it. I know that you get a cold snap now and then, but?

I'm with jimbob all the way.

Here in Wisconsin where we have a real winter, months on end, the gas milage absolutely drops. Me and some of my friends were just talking about it yesterday. I'm not talking about statistics, I'm talking about the vehicles, cars, bikes, that we have been driving for the last 40 years. We just plain get worse milage in the winter.

 

Steve

[Guest KitCarson]

I think everyone is correct.....I do not remember exactly what it was.....but I used to live in Oregon....Yes we have mild winters in the south.....and those up North live in some very cold weather. Something about the gasoline....it is pumped full of air or something.....just barely remember this....they do something to the gas for storage in the winter below certain temps. This would not be a consideration under normal temps in the south. We had to jack hammer the dirt one time to fix a gas line leak at a station in Pendleton. Backhoe would not even dent the ground.....frozen solid for two feet....but they had a pump.....pumping air into the gas........for what purpose......I do not remember......but know they did that. Betcha you guys are buying air!!!

[dharnie]

Been riding my v twin down here in FL all week and most of Dec!

 

Read an old review on an RSV when the author's RSV ran out of fuel soon after the low fuel idiot light came on (remember why they are called "idiot" lights?). Since I have no RSV riding experience I made a mental note that when I get mine I will not rely on the fuel guage but instead do as I have been doing for 40 years and that is set the trip odometer to zero every time I fill the tank whether RSV, Gold Wing or BMW with fuel indicators or not!

[V7Goose]

Been riding my v twin down here in FL all week and most of Dec!

 

Read an old review on an RSV when the author's RSV ran out of fuel soon after the low fuel idiot light came on (remember why they are called "idiot" lights?). Since I have no RSV riding experience I made a mental note that when I get mine I will not rely on the fuel gauge but instead do as I have been doing for 40 years and that is set the trip odometer to zero every time I fill the tank whether RSV, Gold Wing or BMW with fuel indicators or not!

I have had ZERO problems relying on the fuel gauge on my RSV for 45,000 miles. Very consistent, including when the low fuel light comes on and when I have to switch to reserve on the tank valve. Actually, I usually just leave the tank on reserve all the time and rely completely on the gauge and fuel trip meter to plan my fuel stops.

Goose

[TEW47]

I don't you guys but in my 38 years of riding my gas milage has always went down when the tempature dropped below 45 degrees. At least 3 to 4 mpg. It didn't matter what bike I was riding. My car and truck does the same.

 

tew47