[Matt]

Just noticed this on CNN
http://edition.cnn.com/2008/LIVING/wayoflife/05/15/scooters.gas.ap/index.html

Talking about the increase in scooter and small motorcycle sales this year.

It reminded me of my last fill up.
My fuel economy for riding that included city driving, back country highway driving, dirt road riding, and even a good stretch of freeway at 110kph returned an incredible 2.7L/100km (87mpg!). I’m fairly light on the throttle, so I’m sure that helps, but still 87mpg! Wow.

The very first time I filled up my bike (right after it had the valves adjusted) I got 62mpg (my worst fuel economy). I think a lot of that low economy had to do with shifting too early (under reving the engine and accelerating below the engine’s efficient range). I’ve got almost 300km on the tank right now which was mostly spirited back highway driving… I’m really curious to see what my fuel economy will be…

Anyone else been noticing their fuel economy?

[megaspaz]

I’ve been guaging mine and it’s average for what other sv650 owners have reported. I get about 150 miles before the fuel indicator blinks which at that time there’s about ~1 gallon left in the tank. From there I can estimate that it’s around the high end of the mpg scale advertised, ~50 mpg (4.2 gallon tank). I’ll not push it to the solid fuel indicator light but just find a gas station when the light’s blinking .

—
If there’s anything more important than my ego
around, I want it caught and shot now…

[Ben]

I’m pretty liberal with the throttle sometimes, plus i’m riding a zx6r so I only get 42 mpg last time I checked

I think i’m going to pick up an 08 ninja 250 in a year or two once people start selling them that way I can get some great fuel economy with a great looking bike.

Ben
~Best Beginner Motorcycles Admin

[ohio2112]

Fuel economy was probably the number one argument I used to win over the wife to let me get a bike. My Nighthawk has been getting between 68-72 mpg. I love the fact that it only costs $12 to fill up my bike as opposed to nearly $60 to fill up my truck, and I can travel about the same distance per tank.

[RydRy]

87 is amazing- I havent heard of too many getting htat- I suppose its a 250cc? Ive noticed on the 650 getting 45-50 which seems average and also is still vey good- I wonder exactly how that works as some folks add the final 1 gallon resrve into their calculations but I usually base it on what I went and how much i put in so like 100 miles and filled up 2 gallons then 50mpg

[shaggles]

I think my Virago is supposed to get around 70 mpg but I haven’t actually tested it to see what I’m really getting.

[smadaakram]

my seca is getting 50mpg after 1tank on all twisty back roads, allot better than 20-25 with my Toyota truck!!

//@R!<

[megaspaz]

My calculation of the ~1 gallon reserve comes in from the average mpg from the 1st ~3 gallons over the course of time I’ve had my bike. @~150 miles on 3 gallons would be 50 mpg. It’s not totally accurate though and just a guestimation as the fuel indicator light doesn’t start blinking @ exactly 1 gallon of gas in the tank left. It blinks somewhere slightly over 1 gallon… maybe 1.1 or 1.2… can’t remember though…

—
If there’s anything more important than my ego
around, I want it caught and shot now…

[Matt]

Yup, I’m riding a 250 (Basically same engine as the new Ninja 250, just slightly less torque and more top end horsepower).

You don’t need to empty a tank to figure out fuel economy. Next time you fill up, rest your trip odometer. Then, when you fill up again you look at exactly how much it took to fill it back up to full, and how many kilometers/miles you put on your trip odometer.

[AzN LogiK]

That’s how i gauge the mileage on my car, then i average out all my fill ups. If mileage starts decreasing, then it’s usually time for maintenance, an oil change, spark plug change, etc.

[Author]

Posts