Fuel economy 1st gen Mk11

[Peder_y2k]

Today was a beautifull day in the Cascade mountains of WA state, and my sweetie and I rode our '88VR from home here in the Tacoma WA area, over Chinook Pass (Hwy 410) and down the eastern slopes stopping at Whistlin Jacks Lodge for a huge fish and chips lunch, then on a little farther on to see the newly realigned highway replacing the one that was buried in Americas biggest landslide on record, then turning around and came back home the same route. 264 miles round trip and achieved 49.63 mpg by keeping to the posted speed limits, and running mostly on cruise control. Amazing..... for me that is. I think my bike is running well........ and I just might squeeze a 245 mile range out of a tankfull of 89 grade fuel. Just sayin......

-Pete, in Tacoma WA USA

'83,88 Venture

[jimmyenglish]

Hey Peder, awesome mileage! We should hook up one of these days as we're neighbors!

 

I'm a pretty conservative rider and have never cracked 44 or so. Usually around 40. Sounds like your VR is dialed in if you're hitting almost 50!

[bongobobny]

Yes, that is exceptional mileage! I wonder if the P.O. rejetted the carbs...

[twigg]

I now have 13500 miles of gas records for my '86.

 

Best mileage achieved was 43 mpg. There are some low spots when I was doing maintenance, but the average is running at 34 mpg.

 

I still have a little carb work to complete which should yield a little more. I'd settle for a reliable 35 mpg and an average of 36.

 

I have a six page road test done when the bike was new. They averaged 40 mpg over 1000 miles of mixed riding.

 

Given the 10% ethanol, and crappier gas we now use, 36 mpg I would be happy with. I ride it pretty hard because I am often "on the clock". My average speeds aren't particularly high, but I tend to get there as quick as I can. On Interstates I trend towards speed limit ... speed limit plus five if I am in a hurry.

 

In speed restricted areas I stay on or just under the limit, sometimes slower but when the restriction is over it's back to what I can get away with.

 

I say all that so you get an idea of a riding style to compare ... mine is quick wherever I can, but cautious in twisties.

 

I carry quite a bit of weight ... no, not me I am six foot and 175 pounds ... but I run with the right case full of fairly heavy stuff, and the top case full most of the time.

 

I carry between nine and ten gallons of gas all the time. Five point three in the main tank, and I have a rear mounted five gallon fuel cell. That delivers about four and a half gallons into my main tank giving me a range of around 300 miles ... often it's more, but I planned it to guarantee a range of 250 miles regardless of riding speed or style.

 

I run the main tank dry. When the motor stumbles I hit the switch for the aux. gas and watch my fuel gauge rise. After about five minutes the engine will stumble again as the aux. pump quits pumping gas and tries to deliver air. That upsets the main fuel pump and it's instantly fixed by switching off the auxiliary.

 

It sounds weird but works really well in practise.

 

I rarely use my full range, but having it means a number of things ....

 

I never have to worry about gas. With just the regular tank I was never going beyond 150 miles, and even then I was wondering how much was left. Now I can run the main tank dry, which is usually between 170 and 180 miles, knowing I have another five in reserve .... so I usually fill up before I run out on the main.

 

Prior to the aux. tank, every stop was a gas station. When you are out with your wife, gas stations get old very quickly. Now they can be just gas stops ... or pee breaks. We stop a lot, wherever we want.

 

On Rallies the extra fuel is almost mandatory. I can do a gas stop in three and a half minutes ramp to ramp (I've timed it). Now I don't have to because I need less than half the number of stops

 

Here is a picture of the back of the bike:

 

http://twigg.smugmug.com/Motorcyling/Rallies/Autumn-Equinox-2012/i-SCBkMR4/0/L/DSCN0895-L.jpg

[KIC]

When I first got my 89 in December 2011, I was getting low 40's ( 42-44). Now I am at 34 -36 and still battling to regain my low 40's. 49mpg is a fantasy for me

[twigg]

When I first got my 89 in December 2011, I was getting low 40's ( 42-44). Now I am at 34 -36 and still battling to regain my low 40's. 49mpg is a fantasy for me

 

49 mpg is probably doable.

 

Steady sixty on the highway, lightly loaded with the wind cooperating and the cruise control on ....

 

The danger is in believing that it is "normally" manageable. That's why I was so detailed about riding style, and the fact that mine is not in perfect tune.

 

It's worth noting that modern BMWs with fuel injection and full engine management meaning near perfect mixture, only manage mid to high forties when ridden normally.

 

Our bikes really shouldn't get anywhere near those numbers.

 

The one time I did get 43 mpg was a steady hike across the Oklahoma panhandle at modest speeds in great weather. I used the cruise and ran well over two hundred miles before I filled up. Speed was about 60 to 65 and the cruise was on most of the way.

[Michel]

Vhen I drive kool ( under 4000 trs) 7,5 l / 100 km , if the convertion is right that s make 31 mpg. (with side car) . If I go above 5000 trs and V boost open....... this is .

 

Michel

[Michel]

French have " solution " for have a big " gas tank "

 

http://imageshack.us/a/img4/7373/29557910i.jpg

Uploaded with ImageShack.us

 

Michel

[Venturous Randy]

My last three fill ups have been 45/46 mpg. That has been mixed riding, mostly 2 up running 45 to 55 with some interstate at 70+. On the last day of the Asheville Rally, Sylwoody on a 2nd gen and me on my 83 both filled up and on a trip from Asheville to Cherokee, both 2 up, with half on The Blue Ridge Parkway and the rest through Maggie Valley back to Asheville, I got 50 according to my odometer and 51 mpg according to Woody's. I wanted to compare to Woody, but he did not want to fill up as he was going to load his up in a trailer and tow back to AL. The biggest thing I did was purposely not use anymore throttle than I had to to maintain speed and used lower gears with the RPM up so I did not lug at all.

I do believe the needle adjustment has helped my bike the most and I tried several settings to get any hesitation out when I got it too lean.

RandyA

[Venturous Randy]

I also took off the YICS and with the needle adjustment, it did not hurt power.

RandyA

Edited October 1, 2012 by Venturous Randy

[jimmyenglish]

IMO, this is one of this bike's biggest setbacks. Even without pulling the trailer, (4-5 mpg hit) at 100 miles I'd better be thinking about gas. I've run it out several times and never gotten more than 170 or so. Last time, we ran out of gas at 165 and luckily we only had to push the bike and trailer about 1/2 mile. Pretty long way for a 1400lb rig. An 8 gallon tank on this bike would be awesome!

 

I have yet to do the carb mod, however.

[twigg]

I did the mod to mine for about $150, by carefully choosing parts and using eBay.

 

Fuel capacity is now around 9.5 gallons. I can guarantee 250 miles without worry, in just about any normal conditions, and can probably run well over 300 miles.