What gas mileage do you get ?

[greg_in_london]

One of the two columns that hold the float pivot was damaged. I had drilled and wired it so it couldn't move, so that might actually might not have been the problem - I didn't try putting it back on to find out, though, it's just too much hassle getting the tank off and the carbs out.

 

I don't think there's anything much wrong with my diaphragms, but they must harden before they crack and they are quite old.

 

By the way, what's this Sea Foam that some of you have mentioned - I've googled it and just come up with funny colour schemes. Presumably a petrol additive ? Over here we have redex, but that seems pretty useless, even though they claim the world for it.

[Gene-b]

My Wife and I went for a ride Saturday with some friends, We rode 205 mi, used 4.8 gallons so thats 42.708 mpg. (2 up)

 

50% at 55 mph on back roads, 25% at 75 mph on the interstate and 25% in town.

 

This seems to be normal for my 07.

 

I think it's the color, it's a midnight!

[wkboard]

I get 38-41 mpg U.S. on my 99 RSV. I run my tires at the max pressure on the sidewall.

I rode one 900 mile trip when the bike was new to me with very low pressure in the tires (22 front 25 rear) (My fault that I didn't check them) The mileage was 23-28 mpg on the trip. I also found later that one cylinder was not firing due to a coil control wire that had fallen off. Both problems are now fixed, and yes, I did ruin my tires. It now has Avon's on it (This winter) and I am anxious to see the mileage now.

It would be NICE if someone could come up with a solution to this interesting, and discourageing difference in mileage between bikes!

[greg_in_london]

Gene-B - that's 50mpg (UK) - what shade of black does it have to be and does it matter if the moon is out ??

 

wkboard - I'm working on it, but anyone who has good mpg has no reason to check theirs out so the rest of us are working blind.

 

I took it slowly today - the carbs are ready to go back on, but I haven't done it yet. I've just ordered a 12mm Colortune kit so I can check the mixture. BTW I was told that the M6 bolts on the exhausts were for checking CO levels. Is there a sensor that goes in - lambda sensors all seem to be M18 - much bigger.

[Gene-b]

Gene-B - that's 50mpg (UK) - what shade of black does it have to be and does it matter if the moon is out ??

 

It could be all the wax, it takes a lot of it to keep that black looking shiney! It might be that the wax helps it "slide through the air"

[Gearhead]

I think there's some kind of factory test equipment that goes there.

 

Jeremy

[SteveW]

I get 28 - 30 mpg on my 2005

[greg_in_london]

Hey - good to see another sidecar - so that's be about 33-35 mpg (UK).

 

Did you ride the bike solo before you put the sidecar on ? Do you remember what you got then ? There's part of me that thinks you have to expect really bad mpg with an outfit, but another part (that actually used to get the wallet out of the pocket at the petrol station) that says there wasn't that great a difference between solo and combed up.

 

Going from 33-35mpg solo to 30mpg with a chair would makes sense, except that if it were possible to get 50mpg solo (on the same or a different bike) then low 40s mpg should be possible with the sidecar on (and driven moderately). Just looking for that magic formula.

[lorico]

I,m living +/- 40 miles north of the Vermont border & i just made my first rides of the season these past days. I ride a 1985 Venture. Up to now this season my average is 5.98 liters/100 km. which is think is not too bad. For your info there is still a lot of snow in the bushes and in the fields. All the ski slope in the area are in full operation

Richard

[friesman]

brian.

could you translate all of that info,into AMERICAN???????

i don't do celcius, at all!:confused24:

lol

just jt

 

 

Sure 2 celsius is roughly 35 0r 35 farenheit 8 celsius is about 47 farenheit 21 celsius is about 70 farenheit. In the last few days our temp has warmed up quite a lot and my mileage has gotten significantly better and my choke is only on for a block or so after I get going. Mileage is about 38 last tankful so its looking better.

I think I gotta take a ride out to Swift Current a couple of hours west of here, to get their warm weather and better mileage and cheaper gas, lol We are now 1.23 a liter for fuel (just under 5 bucks a gallon) this week.

[jallen]

4.54 liters is one Imperial Gallon

 

$1.23/liter X 4.54 = $5.58 per Imperial Gallon

[greg_in_london]

I've been assuming that Canadian posters are talking US mpg when they quote what they get to the gallon - but that's not logical, is it ? Do you use the US 3.8l or the Imperial/UK 4.5l gallon ?

 

Can$5 or Can$5.88 / gallon still sounds pretty good - I've just filled up at the 'ultra-cheap' supermarket (ASDA - equivalent to Wal-Mart) and it was £1.04.9 per litre - £4.76 per gallon, thats US$9.40 or Can$9.57 for a UK gallon (about $8 per US gallon).

 

Anyway, back to the plot.

 

Yesterday I had the carbs back on and the floats correctly set. I went for a test run down to Rochester to visit Valhalla's shop (he has set up the UK Venture Owners' Club) and it ran very nicely. I've filled up with fuel again and will see what I'm getting to the gallon as soon as I can get out of London.

At the moment, though, it is starting very easily from cold without choke, which is a sign that it is running rich (especially as I RAISED the float level), so I have twice screwed the pilot screws in by 1/4 turn on each carb. This should improve fuel consumption and response is (even) better.

On the motorway it was certainly running well - I kept drifting up to 80mph, which considering the sidecar is fair progress. Maaybe it's because I didn't have the trailer...

I've just received a new Colortune in the post to have a look at the colour of the combustion flame to see if I can adjust any further. I'd have preferred if there were a colour chart with it, but there's not.

 

I'll keep you posted on any improvements or otherwise.

[GeorgeS]

Has anybody done any Serious Experiementing with the " Carb Float Level " Settings ?? As to how this would effect Fuel consumption ??

 

I was doing some reading concerning this, as to how Barometric Pressure affects

the flow of the fuel to the Jets. Apparently the Height of the fuel in the Bowl Chamber, changes how much fuel a given Barometric Pressure can force thru the jets.

 

I been looking for more info on this, but as yet have not found a complete explanation of how this works.

From what I have found, this is apparently basic to any Carburator.

 

Still looking for more info on this.

[spyderhead]

I get around 40-42 mpg on my 05 Tour Deluxe IF I keep speed down. At interstate speeds and loaded returning from a camping trip to Colorado, it easily dropped into the low to mid thirties. On the Natchez Trace Parkway at a steady 50 mph (the speed limit), it gets 50. Odd thing is, I have an 04 VW turbodiesel (in a Beetle) that - even with the AC on and the cruise set at 75, I still get 46 - 48 mpg. On the highway at a steady 70 without AC, the little diesel gets 56 - 58. But, it is not as much fun to be in as riding the bike. Weird. Aerodynamics are . . . interesting.

[greg_in_london]

Hi Spyderhead - yes it's pretty galling when the car does better than the bike on juice. I wish I could believe that it was all down to aerodynamics, but so often you see bike produced in one spec, that then uses more petrol when it is tuned and then even more when it is detuned for a later 'retro' model. Retailers often don't even claim to have an idea about economy as they seem to think bikes are for 'leisure' and not for transport/travelling. I don't know how to move it up their agenda, other than to keep asking when I'm in their showrooms.

 

GeorgeS - I've read about this on other threads on another forum (XJBikes.com) but when I just checked couldn't find it. Someone as I recall gave a guesstimate of how 2mm float level equated to turns of the pilot screw, but obviously that would be specific to the make/model. Setting it right is certainly the best place to start getting the mis right, though. Too low and you may not get enough fuel at high revs and too high and it will be flooding/too rich both at low revs and through the range.

 

Mine certainly seems happy now I've got it right, but as it was low before (& therefore probably lean), it may not improve mpg.

[friesman]

HI again

With all our discussions of gas mileage with litres and 2 types of gallons ive done most of my estimates (roughly) as 4.0 litres to 1 US gallon as most (but I know defintely not all) posters in here are North American and a significant portion of those are from the US. (Plus the math is much easier for those of us math challenged people)

 

Brian

[Squeeze]

My MK2 uses 10 Liters per 100km(28US mpg) when i ride alone or with Buddies and getting on it on twisty Roads. When travelling, it's between 32 and 36, depending on Circumstances. But keep in Mind, i travel around 85 and upwards. One Time in my Life i had a Tour with my Friends on Sports Touring Bikes. I managed a Consumption of 55 mpg. Once i Lifetime....

 

The Float Level has significant Influence on the Consumption. I guess it's from 5 to 10 Percent of the Consumption, depending on how you empty the Tank.

 

But the most significant Influence has the one and only ....

 

 

the RIDER !! !!

 

 

Two of Vmax Buddies ride a Lot together, Autobahn at full Throttle, Twisties and the Alps. We have tuned the Bike from one for Months, but he had always (0.5 Liter/100km) on more Consumption than the other. Both Bike are nearly identical. Since they empty the Tanks riding one behind the other, there was nearly no Difference. But you have to remember, every Time you open the Throttle more than the other, a little Bit more Fuel is sucked in. Even if our Carbs have no Accelerator Pump, there is some sort of Accelerator Pump build in by the CV-Carb System.

[greg_in_london]

Sorry Squeeze - you get 32-36 mpg(US) ~ 40mpg (UK) travelling at 85-90mph. Other people get 28-30mpg(US) 35mpg (UK) travelling at 65mph. That tells me (assuming everyone is even slightly accurate in their mpg estimates) that the biggest influence is not the rider's right wrist, but is somewhere else. (Although obviously we can all make consumption worse when we choose to....)

[motorbiketim]

With the wife on the back I get around 43mpg on my 83 Venture. When I ride solo, about 38 or 39. Heavy throttle hand=poor fuel economy.

 

Tim

http://www.preachout.com

[greg_in_london]

A quick update:

 

It's not been such good news. Although I checked the float level when it was back on the bike, it seems to have 'settled' at a different level. Adjusting the pilot screws had been fine out of town, but in traffic I had a bad misfire and fuel consumption was appalling. 65 miles to 15.5 litres / 3 1/2 gallon (UK) / 4 US gallon - that's 18-19 mpg (UK) - ouch. I've reset the pilot mixture screws to where they were - 2 3/4 turns out and balanced the carbs (not far out anyway).

 

What is most disappointing is that using the Colortune, no matter what I did I had the same blue flame. I know I should be happy that the flame is that colour, but I could do nothing to change it, which either means that Yamaha designed the carb so you cannot adjust it, or something is blocked.

 

It needs to be ready for a trip (Le Mans) in a couple of days, too. As I've pointed out, if your venture is not economical, it doesn't matter how slowly you ride, you won't get good mpg and at night in France petrol stops are few and far between.

[Squeeze]

Greg, this probably may help you

 

http://vmaxoutlaw.com/tech/cleaning_pilot_jets.htm

 

This targeted on Vmax, but the Procedure on your Carbs is not different.

[greg_in_london]

That looks useful - especially as I can do it without taking the carbs off again.

 

Thanks - I'll try it today.

[NewfoundlandVenture]

Been following this thread, but I haven't been able to post 'cause of the snow! Finally, took a ride today on my '89 VR with about 105,000KM (65,000M) on the odometer. 116KM trip and burned 7.63L. With the imperial gallon here in Canada, I'm figuring 42.8MPG (35.8MPG for the US gallon). That's almost all at 105-110 KPH (65-68 MPH) indicated on the speedo, with about 15 degrees Celsius, riding solo. Can't compare to previous seasons as I just bought the bike in March, but it sounds like I am doing alright after reading the posts online here.

 

For contrast, my 450 nighthawk will do about 50MPG on the highway, at about 1/2 the weight, with 1/2 the cylinders and 1/3 the displacement, and not nearly as comfortable!

[cliffno350]

I have been following this thread to see what you come up with because my 88VR has been getting around 28 or 30 mpg US solo 70 mph freeway, the 83 Venture standard I had got 40 to 45 (riding style changes, changed mileage) had considered getting a colortune but with your experience I will wait, I did however check my air jets yesterday and found an emulsion tube was loose, completely loose so off they came fixed that and checked sync which was way off, guess that tube had been loose for a while, if wind ain't up today will check mileage again. with your gas prices you need my sons nighthawk 250 which get 77 to 80 mpg (with him on it, 100 pounds) lol. will let you know what I find.

[MikeM8560]

im getting 44 mpg us my last fill up took 3.5 gal after 154 miles

Im not a nut 55 - 65 and solo rider.