Friendly Mileage competition ???

[slabghost]

With gas prices going through the roof I thought it might be a good time to work on ways to improve mileage as well as making our bikes run smoother or more dependably. We can use this thread to share results and ideas. I know the first and most important step is to have the best tuning in carburetion and ignition. Mods in these two areas are especially desireable.

 

[dan filipi]

This is a good thread because I can apply any tricks here to our 2 guzzlers, my service van and Suburban.

One of my favorite shows is Topgear.
In one episode they said every time the brakes are applied it's costing you money in wasted heat.
You then have to accelerate back up to speed which costs more money in fuel.

I now drive like I have no brakes by watching way ahead at the traffic and planning a slow down.
The idea is to brake and accelerate as little as possible trying to maintain a constant speed and light pressure on the gas.

For awhile it was tricky predicting when to let up on the gas and take advantage of coasting and when not but now it's second nature and actually kind of a fun game.
I'm surprised how far both mine will coast when in over drive.

 

[Winger 82]

Push the clutch in going down hill :music: :music: :music:

 

[slabghost]

Good points. I've just bought a 4-1 manifold with a 2brl weber to see if that can help in the mileage department.

 

[aslatk]

Go downhill as much as you can :headscratch:

 

[detdrbuzzard]

keep tires properly inflated

 

[paddy.shadow]

I have a matched pair of early 90's F-150's 1 is a 300-6 stick, the other 5.0 auto.Clutch in on the manual, and neutral on the automatic as much as possible. I'm getting 18mpg on the 6, and 16 on the V8 auto....the 6 has 267000 on the clock...the 8 has 153000...frequent oil changes...free flowing exhausts.....and clean air filters, have been working for me. Not exactly stellar mileage, but not bad for full size pickups :yes: oh and slightly over inflated tires...allegedly less rolling resistance

 

[slabghost]

I started this primarily for ways to increase mileage on our bikes but adding cages to the mix is a good thing too. Although with newer machines options are different.

 

[dan filipi]

A lot of the same mileage increasing tricks apply to the bike so this is a good thread.

I had a Chevy Caprice Classic with a economy meter, basically just a vacuum gauge.
It had graduations on it in red, yellow and green. The idea was to keep the needle as high as you can in the green.
When I drove it at speed keeping it in the green I'd get 25 mpg. If I sped up with it dropping into the yellow I'd see mpg drop to 20-19.
Something like this would be handy on the bike because I'm never sure when it's working at that "yellow" range.
I think my best mileage is at 60-65 mph but there's no way to gauge it since if your speed is outside the best rpm for power range then mileage will drop.
Anybody seen a meter like this?

 

[scdmarx]

Anybody seen a meter like this?

I remember those meters. You're right, nothing but a vacum gauge. I put a vacum gauge in my pickup one time. It reminded me to back off.

 

[mcgovern61]

I started this primarily for ways to increase mileage on our bikes but adding cages to the mix is a good thing too. Although with newer machines options are different.

opcorn: This is a motorcycle forum?????? :shock: :shock: Just kidding! :smilie_happy: :smilie_happy: opcorn:

 

[CBH]

1. Drive 5 mph below the posted highway speed limit.
2. Remove unnecessary weight from storage areas.
3. Remove saddlebags to reduce wind drag
4. Maintain all filters
5. Run recommended air pressures in tires and suspension
6. Leave wife at home

 

[detdrbuzzard]

Go downhill as much as you can :headscratch:

with q tail wind

 

[Tory]

A lot of the same mileage increasing tricks apply to the bike so this is a good thread.

I had a Chevy Caprice Classic with a economy meter, basically just a vacuum gauge.
It had graduations on it in red, yellow and green. The idea was to keep the needle as high as you can in the green.
When I drove it at speed keeping it in the green I'd get 25 mpg. If I sped up with it dropping into the yellow I'd see mpg drop to 20-19.
Something like this would be handy on the bike because I'm never sure when it's working at that "yellow" range.
I think my best mileage is at 60-65 mph but there's no way to gauge it since if your speed is outside the best rpm for power range then mileage will drop.
Anybody seen a meter like this?

I had an old Monte Carlo with this same guage.I hated it.I was always so stressed out over it. :smilie_happy:

Dan,TOP GEAR rules,I am especially a fan of the original BBC version

 

[dan filipi]

The BBC version is the ONLY TopGear in my book.

 

[slabghost]

1. Drive 5 mph below the posted highway speed limit. I prefer +10 mph.
2. Remove unnecessary weight from storage areas.
3. Remove saddlebags to reduce wind drag
4. Maintain all filters
5. Run recommended air pressures in tires and suspension
6. Leave wife at home

:smilie_happy: :smilie_happy:

 

[AApple]

"Motor Minder", and "Mileage Meter" were two of the gauges I remember, and they are nothing but vacuum gauges. I've got a Motor Minder in the tool box out in the garage, and you can get vacuum gauges at the parts house to mount under the dash for the same purpose.
My '81 seems to get the best mileage around 60-65mph, too. Gotta remember, these bikes were made in the time of the national 55 mph speed limit, and the engines were tuned/designed to operate the most efficiently that range. Fuel wasn't loaded down with ethanol then, either. :rant:
Taking all of the excess/un-needed weight out of the bags/trunk will definitely help. Putting a couple more psi of air in the tires will reduce rolling resistance a wee bit. Fixing the dragging brakes will make a BIG difference, too. :rtfm:

 

[mcgovern61]

I bought a 2011 Ford Focus recently and it has an "average miles per gallon" computer function that changes while you drive. The car averages 28 MPG in mixed driving and has gotten an average of 35 MPG on the highway. arty:

The interesting thing for me was that my Wing was averaging 35-38 MPG going back and forth to work and I kept hearing about 42 MPG averages on 1100's? Thought I must be really doing something wrong. Well, with this Focus I can see exactly where in my commute that the MPG drops off and I was surprised to find out that at 50 MPH in traffic on the highway, it actually only gets 26 MPG and lower. In order to get the better mileage, the car has to be traveling at 68 MPH or faster. At 78 MPH it gets 35.6 MPG.

Now I know why my Wing was getting poor mileage compared to what I was seeing on other bikes. Put this bike on the highway at 75 MPH and it is right up there at 42 MPG.

 

[scdmarx]

My 82 Standard gets 33 in town and 42 highway. My 83 Interstate gets 28 in town and 44 highway. 1 or 2 riders.
I'm convinced it has mostly to do with the gearing. Seems the 83 takes a little more to shove off, but cruises like a boat.
BTW, highway speed for me is normally 60 in the 55 zones and 65-70 in the 65 zones. I-5 is 80 in the slow lane with all the lights on and a good set of mirrors.

 

[detdrbuzzard]

in mixed riding i average 44 - 48 mpg on the 1200 wing and 38 - 44 mpg on the 1500 wing my best mpg on the 1500 was 50.2