Fuel Economy - Motorcycle-Journal Forums

**drgibson** · 04-20-2006, 11:34 AM

I am what you might call an aggressive driver/rider. I do not tailgate, flash my lights, cut people off, or weave in and out of traffic. I do tend to accelerate quickly, I will go with the fastest flow of traffic and I will goose the throttle to get past someone.
For the next couple of weeks I’m trying an experiment on the bike. I’m going to keep the rpms below 3,500 during acceleration and no higher then 3,200 while driving down the road. In fifth this will be 70mph. I’m going easy on the acceleration and power braking as well. I want to see how much this will improve my gas mileage.

In two weeks I should have my new pipes, air kit, and Techlusion TFI. I have been given settings for power and fuel economy from their tech support. This should give me a good baseline for what kind of fuel economy I can get from the new modifications.

Under my normal driving I can get 160 miles out of a tank which equals 40mpg. The tank is 4.5 gallons but I have never been able to put more than 4 gallons in it.

Anyone want to venture a guess as to how much of an improvement this new driving style will yield? Or if the modifications will improve fuel economy?

**Louis** · 04-20-2006, 11:39 AM

I calculated my fuel consumption when I got the bike. Over the summer, as I became more confident with the bike I became a little aggressive and my fuel economy took a dip. With gas price now in Ottawa at $1.13 a litre, I should be less aggressive.

I say 5 mpg difference.

D_Klein · 04-20-2006, 12:07 PM

Although your engine is quite different than mine, in my experience, I only gained about an extra 10 or 15 miles between two different riding extremes (120-135 miles out of 3.5 gallons).

**Clint** · 04-20-2006, 03:37 PM

One thing of note regarding riding/driving style: Motor Trend just published an article stating that the most efficient technique is WIDE OPEN THROTTLE and SHORT-SHIFTING. Caught me totally by surprise, and I'm still pondering it. Of course it doesn't work well with automatics, but I feel better about goosing the Mustang and shifting before 3.

D_Klein · 04-20-2006, 04:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RowdyRed94

One thing of note regarding riding/driving style: Motor Trend just published an article stating that the most efficient technique is WIDE OPEN THROTTLE and SHORT-SHIFTING...

I'd really like to read that article. I find it hard to believe.

bajaraider · 04-20-2006, 04:42 PM

should be interesting to see. I have heard (somewhere) that most mods of this kind actually hurt your fuel economy... Keep us posted.

**Clint** · 04-20-2006, 08:13 PM

Just about any mod makes the engine more efficient, but it also increases its potential for making power and burning fuel. It's all about how you use it.

cougar28 · 04-20-2006, 08:27 PM

Last saturday took a ride 172 miles with a bud of mine filled up took 3gal which comes to 57mpg.

dichotomous · 04-21-2006, 08:26 AM

I noticed that I got 30 more miles before the gas light came on when I drove nicely and around 50-60mph cruising instead of having throttly fun in the city. was the difference between 42mpg and 50mpg. I ride nice now, safer too. in the jeep if I drive it hard it gets 16mpg, if I drive it nice and easy it gets 16mpg.

**drgibson** · 04-27-2006, 07:11 AM

Well at the end of tank #1 my gas mileage had improved 1.7mpg. I will have to fill up again today at lunch so I will see if it got any better with tank #2. I know that I broke my rules twice this week. I had to accelerate hard to avoid the stupidity of the cagers.

**Louis** · 04-27-2006, 07:14 AM

That's unavoidable Don. Once in a while, you need to use the evading manoeuvers.

dichotomous · 04-27-2006, 07:17 AM

I am going to go the other way with my experiment, I want to run the bike right below its powerband instead of way below. granted our RPMS will be different cause running my bike below its power is like 3,500-5,000rpms.... but i am going to try running it 5,000-7,0000rpms and see how that goes, I know the engine is loads smoother there. I reserve the 10k blasts for passing

**inspiron** · 04-27-2006, 08:17 AM

10K?

My bike redlines around 8500, and the ECU caps the engine at 9400!

dichotomous · 04-27-2006, 08:19 AM

yeah but you're making what, 200hp near there? mine redlines at 11 and the engine seems to cap at almost 12.

**inspiron** · 04-27-2006, 08:59 AM

Um, no.

Max Power: 106 hp (78.0 kW) @ 6,800 rpm
Max Torque: 93 poundfeet (126 Nm) @ 5,000 rpm

dichotomous · 04-27-2006, 09:06 AM

isnt the gsx 1400 the busa? I thought they had a lot more power.

tlwisner · 04-27-2006, 10:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dichotomous

isnt the gsx 1400 the busa? I thought they had a lot more power.

The GSX 1300R is the Busa, the GSX 1400 is more of a standard motorcycle (with plenty of power).

**inspiron** · 04-27-2006, 11:45 AM

GSX 1400 - Suzuki's Naked Muscle Bike. (Lots of pictures and stats on my website).

GSX 1300R "Hayabusa" = Suzuki's top-of-the-line Sport Touring bike (just happened to be the most powerful production street bike), the new Kawasaki ZZR1400 (ZX-14 in the USA) has taken that title now - 199 horsepower with Ramair.

**Clint** · 04-27-2006, 01:23 PM

Running higher RPM will burn much more gas. That was the jist of the Motor Trend article, and it stands to reason. Conversely, bogging the motor is just about as bad.

**intimid8er** · 04-27-2006, 03:20 PM

Don, I tried this a couple of months ago. I don't have hard data. I just use my Trip Odo #2 as a gas gauge. The results were negligible.

I just chalked it up to the traffic conditions I have to ride in on the way to work.

04-20-2006, 11:34 AM	#1 (permalink)
drgibson Antebellum Mod Joined: Jul 2005 Bike: 2008 Kawasaki KLR 650 Location: Dallas, Texas Directly above the center of the earth. Posts: 10,683	Fuel Economy I am what you might call an aggressive driver/rider. I do not tailgate, flash my lights, cut people off, or weave in and out of traffic. I do tend to accelerate quickly, I will go with the fastest flow of traffic and I will goose the throttle to get past someone. For the next couple of weeks I’m trying an experiment on the bike. I’m going to keep the rpms below 3,500 during acceleration and no higher then 3,200 while driving down the road. In fifth this will be 70mph. I’m going easy on the acceleration and power braking as well. I want to see how much this will improve my gas mileage. In two weeks I should have my new pipes, air kit, and Techlusion TFI. I have been given settings for power and fuel economy from their tech support. This should give me a good baseline for what kind of fuel economy I can get from the new modifications. Under my normal driving I can get 160 miles out of a tank which equals 40mpg. The tank is 4.5 gallons but I have never been able to put more than 4 gallons in it. Anyone want to venture a guess as to how much of an improvement this new driving style will yield? Or if the modifications will improve fuel economy? __________________ “Please Remember to Kazoo Responsibly.”

04-20-2006, 11:39 AM	#2 (permalink)
Louis Administrator Joined: Sep 2003 Bike: SV650S '05 (Blue) Location: Gatineau, QC, Canada Posts: 10,657	I calculated my fuel consumption when I got the bike. Over the summer, as I became more confident with the bike I became a little aggressive and my fuel economy took a dip. With gas price now in Ottawa at $1.13 a litre, I should be less aggressive. I say 5 mpg difference. __________________ Louis

04-20-2006, 12:07 PM	#3 (permalink)
D_Klein 100% Title Free Joined: Feb 2006 Bike: '05 GSX-R750 (Anniversary Edition) Location: Phoenix, AZ Posts: 1,544	Although your engine is quite different than mine, in my experience, I only gained about an extra 10 or 15 miles between two different riding extremes (120-135 miles out of 3.5 gallons). __________________ "Being shot out of a cannon will always be better than being squeezed out of a tube. That is why God made fast motorcycles, Bubba...." ~Hunter S. Thompson

04-20-2006, 04:42 PM	#6 (permalink)
bajaraider U.B's LoveChild Joined: Sep 2005 Bike: 2005 M50, 1970 TC120 Location: Lubbock, Texas Posts: 1,030	should be interesting to see. I have heard (somewhere) that most mods of this kind actually hurt your fuel economy... Keep us posted. __________________ RED M50 - 2005 "only a motorcycle rider understands why a dog hangs its head out the window" My Toys

04-21-2006, 08:26 AM	#9 (permalink)
dichotomous Ditch Magnet Joined: Feb 2006 Bike: Blue SV650s K5 Location: the green mountains Posts: 174	I noticed that I got 30 more miles before the gas light came on when I drove nicely and around 50-60mph cruising instead of having throttly fun in the city. was the difference between 42mpg and 50mpg. I ride nice now, safer too. in the jeep if I drive it hard it gets 16mpg, if I drive it nice and easy it gets 16mpg. __________________ There's just something about a blue bike...... Throttle on, man, Throttle on..... (does underbar wave) Last edited by dichotomous; 04-21-2006 at 08:29 AM.

04-20-2006, 08:27 PM	#8 (permalink)
cougar28 Newbie Joined: Dec 2005 Bike: 2006 C50 Location: NorthWest Arkansas Posts: 22	Last saturday took a ride 172 miles with a bud of mine filled up took 3gal which comes to 57mpg.

04-27-2006, 07:11 AM	#10 (permalink)
drgibson Antebellum Mod Joined: Jul 2005 Bike: 2008 Kawasaki KLR 650 Location: Dallas, Texas Directly above the center of the earth. Posts: 10,683	Well at the end of tank #1 my gas mileage had improved 1.7mpg. I will have to fill up again today at lunch so I will see if it got any better with tank #2. I know that I broke my rules twice this week. I had to accelerate hard to avoid the stupidity of the cagers. __________________ “Please Remember to Kazoo Responsibly.”

04-27-2006, 07:14 AM	#11 (permalink)
Louis Administrator Joined: Sep 2003 Bike: SV650S '05 (Blue) Location: Gatineau, QC, Canada Posts: 10,657	That's unavoidable Don. Once in a while, you need to use the evading manoeuvers. __________________ Louis

04-27-2006, 07:17 AM	#12 (permalink)
dichotomous Ditch Magnet Joined: Feb 2006 Bike: Blue SV650s K5 Location: the green mountains Posts: 174	I am going to go the other way with my experiment, I want to run the bike right below its powerband instead of way below. granted our RPMS will be different cause running my bike below its power is like 3,500-5,000rpms.... but i am going to try running it 5,000-7,0000rpms and see how that goes, I know the engine is loads smoother there. I reserve the 10k blasts for passing __________________ There's just something about a blue bike...... Throttle on, man, Throttle on..... (does underbar wave)

04-27-2006, 08:17 AM	#13 (permalink)
inspiron Muscle Biker Joined: Jul 2004 Bike: Blue Suzuki GSX 1400 (2003) Location: Canton Basel-Land, Switzerland (47.4493, 7.76536) Posts: 11,956	10K? My bike redlines around 8500, and the ECU caps the engine at 9400! __________________ There is nothing worse than aggressive stupidity. - Johann Wolfgang von Goethe blog: gsx1400

04-27-2006, 08:19 AM	#14 (permalink)
dichotomous Ditch Magnet Joined: Feb 2006 Bike: Blue SV650s K5 Location: the green mountains Posts: 174	yeah but you're making what, 200hp near there? mine redlines at 11 and the engine seems to cap at almost 12. __________________ There's just something about a blue bike...... Throttle on, man, Throttle on..... (does underbar wave)

04-27-2006, 08:59 AM	#15 (permalink)
inspiron Muscle Biker Joined: Jul 2004 Bike: Blue Suzuki GSX 1400 (2003) Location: Canton Basel-Land, Switzerland (47.4493, 7.76536) Posts: 11,956	Um, no. Max Power: 106 hp (78.0 kW) @ 6,800 rpm Max Torque: 93 poundfeet (126 Nm) @ 5,000 rpm __________________ There is nothing worse than aggressive stupidity. - Johann Wolfgang von Goethe blog: gsx1400

04-27-2006, 09:06 AM	#16 (permalink)
dichotomous Ditch Magnet Joined: Feb 2006 Bike: Blue SV650s K5 Location: the green mountains Posts: 174	isnt the gsx 1400 the busa? I thought they had a lot more power. __________________ There's just something about a blue bike...... Throttle on, man, Throttle on..... (does underbar wave)

04-27-2006, 11:45 AM	#18 (permalink)
inspiron Muscle Biker Joined: Jul 2004 Bike: Blue Suzuki GSX 1400 (2003) Location: Canton Basel-Land, Switzerland (47.4493, 7.76536) Posts: 11,956	GSX 1400 - Suzuki's Naked Muscle Bike. (Lots of pictures and stats on my website). GSX 1300R "Hayabusa" = Suzuki's top-of-the-line Sport Touring bike (just happened to be the most powerful production street bike), the new Kawasaki ZZR1400 (ZX-14 in the USA) has taken that title now - 199 horsepower with Ramair. __________________ There is nothing worse than aggressive stupidity. - Johann Wolfgang von Goethe blog: gsx1400

04-27-2006, 03:20 PM	#20 (permalink)
intimid8er It's A Conspiracy Joined: May 2005 Bike: '06 XB12X Location: 30 41'47.99" N 83 11'26.54" W Hold My Beer Posts: 9,840	Don, I tried this a couple of months ago. I don't have hard data. I just use my Trip Odo #2 as a gas gauge. The results were negligible. I just chalked it up to the traffic conditions I have to ride in on the way to work. __________________ Song Pick of the Week 10/15 Ozzy - Tattooed Dancer <Insert nothing original in this space>

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