Gen 2 Gas Mileage

[malenurse13]

It looks like it's been at least 7 years since the last good discussion about Gas Mileage.

I've got a 2000 Venture with BUB Exhaust. I just bought it so I'm not sure what kind of air filters or if any re-jetting was done when exhaust was installed. But I'm only getting around 30 mpg! Now, I noticed from several old posts that 30 mpg is actually normal for some of these bikes. But I also noticed some claimed to have over 40 mpg on theirs. What kinds of things can I look for or change to possibly improve gas mileage. I have to turn the pet-cock to reserve after about 140 miles. I really thought I'd get better gas mileage than that...

[Air Ready Auto]

My first gen gets 43mpg when doing 45 to 55 mph. 38mpg 60 to 70mph. 34mpg when in the city (back and fourth to work is 12 miles one way at speeds 30 or 25 mph). If yours is anything like mine, your mpg will be largely based on your mph.

[mraf]

My first gen gets 43mpg when doing 45 to 55 mph. 38mpg 60 to 70mph. 34mpg when in the city (back and fourth to work is 12 miles one way at speeds 30 or 25 mph). If yours is anything like mine, your mpg will be largely based on your mph.

 

That being said. Optimum MPG is also achieved by keeping everything tip-top right down to the air pressure in the tires. A free running motor is a thing of beauty. Although I haven't done the carb shimming because I am happy with my MPG it sounds as if it seems to help the most by what is wrote on here through the years.

[malenurse13]

I commute about 40 miles to work and another 40 back. 1/2 my commute is interstate and I run anywhere between 75 and 85mph. So 40 miles a day, I'm running around 80mph. Maybe that's why I can't get any better than 30mpg. I guess that's the reason for the humongous engine sizes we see on cruisers and touring bikes today. I'm still happy with the bike. At least I know when I need to fill up.

[slowrollwv]

I commute about 40 miles to work and another 40 back. 1/2 my commute is interstate and I run anywhere between 75 and 85mph. So 40 miles a day, I'm running around 80mph. Maybe that's why I can't get any better than 30mpg. I guess that's the reason for the humongous engine sizes we see on cruisers and touring bikes today. I'm still happy with the bike. At least I know when I need to fill up.

 

I have an 03 RSV that I got in 05 with 4200 miles on it. The PO that I got it from used 92 gas from the day he got it. When I ask him why he said that is what he ran in all his previous bikes. When I got it home I looked in the owners manual and found that the bike was set up for 84 gas. So I went to 84 and my MPG dropped like a rock to 125 to reserve. I thought there was something wrong with the bike. I then tried 87 and the MPG went up to 175 to reserve. I have been using 87 since then and I run about the same MPH as you on the slab. I do keep my carbs tuned and air filters clean. I check tire pressure at least once a week or if it sets for a while. OH and I have not done anything to the carbs and run the 4-2-4 Nasty Boy pipes. I now have 108,000 on the clock.

[RandyR]

When I had a 2000 RSV I would get 42mpg at 65mph but mpg would drop off into the mid 30's if I was running 80

[Yammer Dan]

The "Boss" and I figured up Brown Sugars once when I got over 50. I refigured it several times but she was running as Sweet as her name then and it came out between 50 & 55.

[Yammer Dan]

The "Boss" and I figured up Brown Sugars once when I got over 50. I refigured it several times but she was running as Sweet as her name then and it came out between 50 & 55. Now when I started Eating Hardleys & 2nd Gens it did drop a little!!

[djh3]

Keeping the carbs sync'd up helped mine a ton. Best I got was 42-45ish on a long slab run mostly at or under 70. Most times I was in the 32-36 mpg. So easy math was 180 miles gas light was usually on. My 13 Victory is usually in the 35 range on the short trip back and forth to work and 40 highway. My RSV I had put the HD mufflers on and mileage dropped a little. I suspect that had to do with the twisting of the handle more than anything.

[Yammer Dan]

And yes Brown Sugar is a 1st Gen.

[Sylvester]

Like djh3 I have consistently been in the 40-45 mpg since I bought the bike in 2002. I keep it serviced and sync'd.

 

[Condor]

Something everyone might take into consideration is the ethanol in the fuel. Ever since they decided that 15% was better than 10% my gas mileage went to hell in a hand basket on the truck. It will probably effect the RSV's as well.... Haven't had the '07 out in a long while but I bet it ain't gonna get 47 mpg any longer...

[bongobobny]

OK, my 2 cents.

 

You should be getting around 40 mpg which is pretty normal, give or take 1 or 2 mpg. Here are a few things that can screw up your mileage.

 

First, do not drive it like a Harley!!! These V4 engines like their RPM's!!! If you lug the engine your mileage will go down! First gear should be up to 20 to 25, 2nd gear up to maybe 35 to 40, 3rd gear maybe around 50, and forget about going into 5th at any speed under 60! To give you an example of just how high these engines are designed to rev up to, the maximum speed for 3rd gear is around 90 MPH!! The power band does not kick in until around 3500 RPM to 6000RPM or more.

 

Second, make sure you are actually running on all 4 cylinders!! It is a known fact these bikes can and will run surprisingly well on just 3 cylinders!! Starting with a cold engine, use a temperature probe on all 4 exhaust ports and see if they all heat up at the same rate together! If not, you could have a dead cylinder. Also, invest in a spark gap measuring device available at most auto parts place and check each cylinder for a minimum of 0.100" spark. A weak spark will kill your MPG! There could be an issue with your caps as there is a spring, a disc, and a resistive element inside the caps. There is a resistance reading to check.

 

As stated, make sure your carbs are properly sync'ed but that usually only accounts for a few MPG difference, not generally 10 MPG though. It can happen though, I suppose. Improperly sync'ed carbs will make the bike run a little rough and run hotter than normal.

 

Lastly, some members have reported that they lost a couple of MPG by switching to K&N filters but not 10 MPG! Yes, any modifications to either the intake or exhaust end can affect economy and may require rejetting. One of the best ways to get a handle on that is by using a colortune plug or a CO sniffer, or by rejetting via the old trial and error method.

 

Make sure 1 and 2 are checked out first before going to any further extremes...

[baylensman]

I also get around 30 MPG most weeks. If i get a chance to run it on a trip (last week as a mater of fact) I can get the mileage up to around 40. But around town daily driving. 30 is tops. The comment earlier about octane affecting the MPG was interesting I've always used 87 in bikes (never seen 84 for sale) I'll try a few tanks of mid range 89-90 octane over the next month asn see

[Du-Rron]

http://www.venturerider.org/forum/showthread.php?109912-How-far-have-you-driven-on-Reserve-Fuel

[bostonlawman2003]

So I just averaged out the last 10 tanks of gas through my 05 RSV and it was 39.12 mpg. I ride in and out of Boston to work 52 mile round trip and that's where a lot of the mileage comes from, sitting in traffic on the expressway. There was also a trip to Maine in there pulling a pretty full trailer riding two up, that tank was 31.1 mpg, the worst I've ever gotten.

 

I have an app on my phone that I put all the info into and it keeps it nice and neat for me. Been using it since May of 2014. Over the almost 4 year period I've averaged 41.0 mpg. Best mpg was 50.7, worst as mentioned was 31.1. When I see it dip below 40 it's almost always because I was riding it really hard or two up with the trailer.

 

For what it's worth I run about a 1/4 can of Seafoam through the bike once a month just to keep everything clean. I also have a small oil leak around the rear valve cover that I need to find someone to fix. I don't have the confidence in my own skills to tackle that project, and I don't trust any of the local mechanics to do it. So I've just been keeping an eye on it the past year or so. I never notice the level of oil in the sight glass change, just enough to make a mess on the left side of the motor every couple of months.

 

I'm riding her completely stock, except for my Baron's Nasty Boys exhaust.

 

Also, like bongo recommends, when I'm riding around town or in the city I treat it like a 4 speed. I am never in 5th gear under 55 mph. Keep those RPM's up and your motor will love you!

[tz89]

I'm getting about 41 mpg on my new 09 rstd. Mostly highway driving with the rev's up. That's ok. When the weather gets a bit warmer I'll get my digital carb sync gizmo and my new long jis screwdriver out to sync the carbs.

[leroy]

When I first bought my RSV my mileage was all over the map. I run the speed limit after adjusting for the speedo error. Interstate in Texas means about an honest 75. My mileage went from 26 to almost 40 mpg. It was different at each stop. My problem for fluctuation was not getting the tank full each time. As most have found out the tank traps air and is slow to release it while filling. So at times I was stopping the pump too soon. I punched holes around the neck (idea from other site). Now I am more consistent at fuel stops.

 

Usually my fuel light comes on around 170 miles. However, I have noticed, by doing arithmetic, I still have close to a gallon and a half in the tank. I don't trust this observance to be consistent. Pushing is no fun. Just to be safe I figure I have one gallon after turning on my manual reserve and estimate 30 mpg. Given that I'd say I get over 35 running an honest 75. However, (there is always a however) pushing a wind at that speed and/or some climbing in elevation the mpg is more like 30 to 33.

 

When planning a trip and I want to maximise distance between fuel stops, I tend to plan more or less on getting 30 just to make numbers easy. Therefore, I know 180 miles until I start walking is a safe bet. I only count on my manual reserve to have 1 gallon in it at 30 mpg.

 

As mentioned above keep the R's up. I believe the max torque is around 3500 RPM, maybe higher. That is almost 1000 above my VTX 1300. It has taken me time to adjust.

 

Also without going into theory and details run 87 pump octane number , officially called the Anti-Knock Index, with no more than 10 percent ethanol. At higher altitudes the octane requirements can be less. The AKI number (is what is on the pump) is equal to the average of Research Octane Number (RON) plus Motor Octane Number: AKI=(RON + MON)/2. This number is on the pump here in the US and Canada. Europe uses a RON method, I don't remember any other countries, some may not even mark it on the pump. Also 10 percent ethanol is bad enough on small engines, never run the 15 percent or higher crap. Pure gasoline will increase mileage if you can find it. The American Motorcyclist Association is in a constant battle with government on this matter.

 

Furthermore, I know I'll get a lot of push back on this but the science and research is there. Using a higher octane than 87 will not increase performance if your RSV is stock as in compression, operating at its normal temperature, and in tune. If there is no ethanol in the higher octane then you might see an increase. However some places add the ethanol to increase the octane so you may get more ethanol. Running "premium" can cause more carbon build up because the "anti Knock" additive is there to delay ignition of the fuel therefore in our rides this means fuel is not burned as complete leading to carbon build up. Vehicles that adjust the timing via computer can perform better on higher octane.

 

One reason Harleys run premium is most of them on the road are air cooled thus run hotter which increases the knock or ping probablility which is pre ignition of the fuel which is bad for the engine.

 

For more info on the octane stuff go to Google. I am old school so I learned it in books.