Intro and an MPG question

[ramoniac]

I've been a member here since late last year, but have pretty much been lurking and soaking up all the good information on the forum since I joined.  I bought a 1999 Valkyrie with 17k on the odometer, in great shape, at the end of last fall.  I'm planning a road trip for this September, that if I can swing the funding for, will end up being over 13,000 miles (picture a deformed sideways figure 8 over a map of the US).

One of my main concerns is gas mileage. What are some good mods that will result in better mpg without robbing too much from the performance dept? I'm not exactly the most mechanically inclined, so the simpler the explanation, the better.  Thanks!

[Farther]

That's easy.  Stay off the InterState and ride at or below the speed limit.  At 40 mph I get better than 40 miles per gallon.  AT 90 mph I get about 18 miles per gallon.

[R J]

That's easy.  Stay off the InterState and ride at or below the speed limit.  At 40 mph I get better than 40 miles per gallon.  AT 90 mph I get about 18 miles per gallon.

What Farther said here.

If you have a heavy wrist, your mileage will go to hell in a wicker basket.

I pulled a trailer to Sturgis a few years ago.    Screwed around up there longer thna I should of so had to haul butt for home.    Don't ask the speed, cause MGM was wide open, and I got a mind boggling 13 MPG on 3 tanks, then I slowed down to 70 and got right at 36 MPG.

The harder you twist the Phat Girl, the more booze she wants.   At todays prices, that wild throttle would run you up into 6 digits $$$$ wise for fuel.

[sandy]

So far I've 2 trips over 8,000 miles. One on the Valk with a tent trailer and the other on a Wing with the same trailer. My advise is to split the trip over 2-3 trips. Take time to stop and enjoy where you are for a day or two. Since '03 I've been cross country 6 times and still haven't covered all I want.

As for MPG's; Dyna Jet needles set 2 notches down from the top leans the old girl out a bit. I get 35-38 at 70 MPH. Over 40 if I slow down to 60 or so. If you're not going too fast and watch the maps, you won't have any fuel availability problems.

[fudgie]

I get 32 and hover around 75 mph. Lasy yrs trip was 3200 miles and was a tad over $300 for fuel.

[PhredValk]

Welcome to the madness.

I've been from Alberta to southern Ontario (2100 miles each way) on my 99 Interstate three times now, and average 36 to 38 MPG (speedo in miles and estimate using 4L for a gal). Mostly ride at about 70MPH, with a 205/65 car tire on the back.
Fred.

[GJS]

Welcome to the board.

Yep. It's all in the 'Wrist Action' 

[old2soon]

Welcome to the insanity and our slightly off center family.   What every one else said about the right hand.   I get into the mid 30s with my I/S i'm good with it.   But if you twist the ladies tail she gets EXTREMELY thristy.   You wanna play ya gots to pay.   You get north of 70 you DO NOT usually get good fuel mileage. You get to triple digits hellz bellz my Oldsmobile 3.8 gets better fuel mileage.   Remember 15200 CCs 6 carburetors 100 H P 100 foot pounds of torque. And you have to burn fuel to arrive at those figures.   BUT the smiles created and the V-twinkys you upset   well worth the added cost!!   Again-welcome and RIDE SAFE.

[Former BMW Guy]

I have been consistently getting 39-41mpg using 91 octane NON-Ethel fuel.
www.pure-gas.org will help you find it at home or on the road....

Good luck and welcome from Minnesota

JP

[ramoniac]

Thanks guys. That's what I was afraid of, lol. My last two bikes were both Magnas, and I've been twisting the throttle on the Valkyrie like it was one of those.  The first time I put in a full tank of a gas, I did the math, and was just like "holy crap, this is almost in the range of miles per gallon my car gets!"  

[BF]

Thanks guys. That's what I was afraid of, lol. My last two bikes were both Magnas, and I've been twisting the throttle on the Valkyrie like it was one of those.  The first time I put in a full tank of a gas, I did the math, and was just like "holy crap, this is almost in the range of miles per gallon my car gets!"  

Ditto what Farther said.   

The Valk has six carbs.  They're thirsty.....not econmical. 

[saddlesore]

WELCOME.....

Most of the time I get 30 mpgs or a little better.   
I get 120 to 130 miles per tankful between fill ups. It's a pain in the a$$ to stop so often but if I don't
stop it's also a pain in the a$$.
I 've been working at keeping my speed down but once I speed up to pass I tend to keep going fast.
glug, glug, glug

[specialdose]

New member. Been reading and dreaming about 3yrs of owning what is now my 98 tourer. Nothing I read came close to the experience of twisting the throttle the first time. I,m getting to the gas mileage.I have had her about 2 months now and as you might guess am still having a hard time controlling the right hand. Started running corn-free gas 4tanks ago. I check my mileage every time I fill up. Corn-free took me from 30 to 33-35. 98 black tourer,21,000, $6000. My retirement gift to myself. This site Is a hoot. The most eclectic bunch of people with one thing in common." Valkoholics" I never want to be cured. Still need some feed back on my question about the ECT timing mod.
                                                                                         Specialdose, Atlanta

[john]

the valkyrie is a genuine piece of work ...             
enjoy your ride ...         
do yourself a favor ...             
resist the urge to monkey with it ...               

[Bone]

specialdose I bought my Black 98 Tourer (w/21000 m)in 2005. 3 years ago I ran out of gas the first time in decades! Riding New Mexico pushing against the wind in 100º she stumbled and died. That desert looks very bad in that situation. I averaged 33-38 mpg but at 75 mph the averages mean nothing, be safe. Cell phone signals didn't exist out there where I was stopped 

[Hoser]

I've been a member here since late last year, but have pretty much been lurking and soaking up all the good information on the forum since I joined.  I bought a 1999 Valkyrie with 17k on the odometer, in great shape, at the end of last fall.  I'm planning a road trip for this September, that if I can swing the funding for, will end up being over 13,000 miles (picture a deformed sideways figure 8 over a map of the US).

One of my main concerns is gas mileage. What are some good mods that will result in better mpg without robbing too much from the performance dept? I'm not exactly the most mechanically inclined, so the simpler the explanation, the better.  Thanks!

Shift early, run 3000 rpm or less, gets you about 40 mpg at  about 65 mph.  Stay off the interstate whenever possible.  Keep tires inflated properly. Tourer or standard will get 150 miles or so before gas needed, Interstate should go 200.  I carry a gallon in a saddlebag just in case.   That's about as simple as I can make it.  Yes, I have used the extra gallon a time or two.   Happy motoring.  Hoser  

[gordonv]

Even though everyone did answer your question, I think this is more what you where looking for.

No! There is nothing you can do to your bike to get better MPG.

However, as already stated, your riding style and speed will dictate your MPG.

As for mods to your bike to get better MPG, maybe the only one we can all do is to replace your rear tire to the Darkside and a taller tire, so you reduce your RPM for a given speed, thereby doing what everyone has said, slow down and save fuel.

[Red Diamond]

the valkyrie is a genuine piece of work ...             
enjoy your ride ...         
do yourself a favor ...             
resist the urge to monkey with it ...               

Couldn't be said any better. '99 Interstate, stock, right down to the tires, consistently get 40MPG at 70MPH or less.

[Willow]

Since no one really answered your question, you have either two or three options depending on whether your Valkyrie is an Interstate or a Standard.

For an Interstate:
ECT mod or four degree trigger wheel.

For a Standard or Tourer:
ECT mod or six degree trigger wheel or a DYNA 3000 ICM  (an Interstate ICM would also be a slight improvement).

All of these options are ways of advancing the timing.

[R J]

This is a link to very good information for your Valk.

Nothing in this list will make it go faster, except for the Blower.

Save this link as it can be real helpful for some replacement items.

http://www.jkozloski.com/generic_parts.htm

[gordonv]

Since no one really answered your question, you have either two or three options depending on whether your Valkyrie is an Interstate or a Standard.

For an Interstate:
ECT mod or four degree trigger wheel.

For a Standard or Tourer:
ECT mod or six degree trigger wheel or a DYNA 3000 ICM  (an Interstate ICM would also be a slight improvement).

All of these options are ways of advancing the timing.

But Willow, are those things for mileage or performance? I thought for performance. I don't recall seeing anything posted that would improve mileage in a Valk.

In my own Shadow 1100, I went to 7% better fuel mileage by changing from dyno to synthetic oil (Amsoil). Never had a chance to do it on my IS, before my accident.

[ramoniac]

was reading up on the ect mod here http://www.valkyrieriders.com/shoptalk/ect-mod.htm

It sounds like a win-win. Is there any drawback to this I'm missing?

[miscott]

Doesn't K&N advertise their Air Filter to give a slight increase in mpg, as well as hp?
PO put one in my 98 Standard, took it out a few weeks ago and got in almost 200 miles, avg speed
was 70-75mph and my mileage worked out to 36.3mpg.
Don't know if it helped make a difference, but my Valk also has shimmed needles and a 6* trigger wheel.
Runs like a champ, purrs like a kitten!

[MarkT]

was reading up on the ect mod here http://www.valkyrieriders.com/shoptalk/ect-mod.htm

It sounds like a win-win. Is there any drawback to this I'm missing?

I haven't done ignition advance mods myself, but I've been in this community since before the beginning (since '97) - and reading comments in the blogs.  I would ask about ignition advancement mods causing a need for higher octane fuel.  So if you gain performance or mileage it may be at the expense of higher cost fuel.  Secondly - optimizing the tune in various ways to improve efficiency, which can show up as better mileage, also show up as more power.  For me, any efficiency improvements tend to be used by faster acceleration so it doesn't improve my mileage.  That's OK, I'm good with that - if I was looking for mileage I would have bought a mo-ped - or the like.  IOW, you can't have too much power!  As for mileage - riding style has more influence than other things.  I keep the rpm's below 4000 when cruising, and slow down if fighting a strong cross or headwind.  I get about 34mpg on average, and hit reserve (if I go that far before fillup) typically a bit over 190 miles with an IS tank on my standard.  No engine mods, just my more efficient pipes (glasspacks) and a K&N filter.  Haven't measured differences attributable to tire types or sizes.

[Willow]

Since no one really answered your question, you have either two or three options depending on whether your Valkyrie is an Interstate or a Standard.

For an Interstate:
ECT mod or four degree trigger wheel.

For a Standard or Tourer:
ECT mod or six degree trigger wheel or a DYNA 3000 ICM  (an Interstate ICM would also be a slight improvement).

All of these options are ways of advancing the timing.

But Willow, are those things for mileage or performance? I thought for performance. I don't recall seeing anything posted that would improve mileage in a Valk.

In my own Shadow 1100, I went to 7% better fuel mileage by changing from dyno to synthetic oil (Amsoil). Never had a chance to do it on my IS, before my accident.

You are correct in that advancing the timing is done primarily for performance.  However, if you've read many posts at all on the subject you'll note that everyone who uses any of those three methods achieves an improvement in fuel mileage.

As Mark has pointed out, some using the six degree trigger wheel have needed to go to higher octane fuel.  My preference would be the Dyna or the ECT mod. I've have the Dyna installed on my two Standards for a combined 160 thousand miles..

I did also experience a slight improvement in mpg with the K&N filter.  Some don't.  Any exhaust system with a crossover pipe will help a bit on mpg and quite a bit on power.   

[R J]

MGM, as I said before has a 6* trigger wheel, it has Viking Exhaust with a crossover pipe, the heads have been ported and relieved.

Guess what, I'm still running 10% ethanol and it will kick quite a few bikes butt in a drag.    Oh, by the way that is 89 Octane, and here it is a dime a gallon less than high test.   

Had a Harley rider, Friend of my son, with a 113" S&S who wanted to race me.    Told him OK, if I could say what type of race and where at.     He agreed, oh yes, there was a $10,000 bet to the winner.   He was still wanting to race and asked what and where.

Told him a Road Race to San Francisco, had to have a gas receipt from San Fran, and back to Des Moines, and do it in 5 days.

Well that was the end of that race, he puckered out. 

Son asked him why and he said his 113" was only for short spurts and not a highway bike.

3 weeks later he was racing one of his buddies and blew the engine.   He borrowed my trailer to haul it home.   I think he said he had 10 Grand in that S&S engine.