MPG at 75-80 mph?

[FarmerRick]

Just got back from a short trip to the middle of Nebraska, my first longer ride on this bike(99 Tourer with 21k miles).

Had very little wind on the way to my destination, got about 29 mpg.  Had a head and side wind at about 15 mph on the way back, got 23.9 mpg. Only made it 101 miles before I had to switch to reserve... yikes!!

Wondering if this is normal fuel use or not. 

** Note:  Big BF just rebuilt and tuned the carbs a few months ago for the prior owner. **

[SirLancelot]

As this bike is relatively new to you I may be able to help, take a look down on the left hand side just in front of the foot peg and you will find what we call a gear lever, you will get better mileage if you wiggle this about from time to time. 

[FarmerRick]

As this bike is relatively new to you I may be able to help, take a look down on the left hand side just in front of the foot peg and you will find what we call a gear lever, you will get better mileage if you wiggle this about from time to time. 

I'm running just shy of 4000 rpm at 80 mph per my GPS in 5th gear. 
If you can tell me where the 6th gear is on this thing, I'd gladly buy you a nice cold beer!!

[SirLancelot]

According to our Italian mate Mario 80 mph should be 3744 rpm, if you're running at 4000 rpm could there be a little clutch slip?
Not sure as I never hear about clutch problems but maybe.
Your mpg does sound modest, are you maybe a tad heavy with the right hand?
I'm in UK so beer must be warm.

[garyheskett All 49 x 3 st.louis]

I normally get 32-34 mpg in around town driving, some city and some highway. If I go with a group that is going 50-55mph, I can get 38-40mpg. Anything around 3500rpm, I drop to 30mpg. At 4000rpm, I get 28-30. The Valk runs great at 4000rpm, it's a perfect spot, but the mileage sucks. Coming back from Sturgis numerous times at 85-90mph, I'm down to 25mpg, or even less. One time I went on a Patriot Guard ride of 50 miles at 45-50 mph, got 48mpg.
And, I've tried hundreds of times to find 6th gear over the years, haven't found it yet!

[Savago]

It varies a lot, my I/S once did 22mpg in the interstate going from Oregon to Montana (4 states in a single day) as also once did 42mpg in the Beartooh Pass@Yellowstone.

The average in the highway is 30-34mpg.

[SCain]

According to our Italian mate Mario 80 mph should be 3744 rpm, if you're running at 4000 rpm could there be a little clutch slip?
Not sure as I never hear about clutch problems but maybe.
Your mpg does sound modest, are you maybe a tad heavy with the right hand?
I'm in UK so beer must be warm.

I think that Mario was running the overdrive gear set he made in order to lower his RPM's to 3744 at 80 MPH.

[Daniel Meyer]

Pretty normal at those speeds/winds. Worse if it's hot weather. I've seen as low as 20mpg in the heat...at 80ish...with a head wind.

Also, at 135 indicated the Valk standard will go precisely 63 miles on a full tank...or so I've heard...

[Gideon]

I normally get 32-34 mpg in around town driving, some city and some highway. If I go with a group that is going 50-55mph, I can get 38-40mpg. Anything around 3500rpm, I drop to 30mpg. At 4000rpm, I get 28-30. The Valk runs great at 4000rpm, it's a perfect spot, but the mileage sucks. Coming back from Sturgis numerous times at 85-90mph, I'm down to 25mpg, or even less. One time I went on a Patriot Guard ride of 50 miles at 45-50 mph, got 48mpg.
And, I've tried hundreds of times to find 6th gear over the years, haven't found it yet!

Your MPG is about the same as mine, with the exception of the 48MPG. I have never gotten that high.

[old2soon]

Corrding to my Friend Bob-A K A atticrat-sweet spot for these boxer 6s we ride is AT or Below 3000 RPM. I've dipped into the teens at times BUT I was near WFO on the throttle and Not tucked in for aerodynamics.  Been known to cruise all day out west at or danged near 100 MPH BUT you WILL notice in yer wallet how spensive dat are! Tire pressure wind weight bein carried trailer no wind screen tall wind screen road surface and other "things" ALL affect your fuel mileage. I will say yer in the ball park. Bob-atticrat-does performance work on our Valkyries. When he gits done you have Performance AND Fuel Mileage. Yup-I KNOW-those 2 things-performance AND fuel mileage rarely if ever go together. Ask the folks that have had atticrat work on theirs. But like most Good things-it ain't cheap. And not bein a smart azz but iffin I wuz lookin fer fuel mileage I would have bought "something" with less than 300CCs. On these Valkyries when they are Runnin RIGHT you can grab and twist her tail at 80-85 MPH and Still Feel acceleration. When they are Runnin RIGHT they ARE a joy to be on and in the wind with.  Don't need no good steenking fuel mileage!  RIDE SAFE.

[Hook#3287]

Fortunately, here in New England, there's always a back road to take over the Interstate Highway, so I mostly do that.

On a trip to Daytona from Atlanta and back one year, a fellow Valk rider and I did just about 25MPG on I-75 at, or about, 85MPH.

[Blackduck]

Very rarely drop below 30-33 between 70-80 MPH. Does not make much difference at what RPM I run.
BUT I have a well played with airbox and jetting, after market exhaust, Dyna ICM and Interstate carb springs.
By design the Valk intake system acts as a choke at higher RPM causing them to run richer..

Big caution to anyone thinking they will just open up the airbox, there was a huge amount of time spent getting things to run right. That includes dyno time and here that is not cheap.
Cheers Steve

[Houdini]

I have a standard and an IS, both get low to mid 30's when running around town or speed limit on the slab.  80+ on the super-slab gets mid 20's on the standard and low 20's on the IS.  This is calculator checked mileage not just hoping and wishing mileage by Valkyrie cheerleaders.   

[MarkT]

Since I installed a taxi tire, 3500 rpm gets 85 indicated on the speedo, 80 on the GPS, and mileage is 34.  Same as I get with mixed driving all the time.  The trick is to keep the rpm's down.  BTW just got back from the Darby ride around the San Juan mountains.  Pulling a 400# trailer, was not light on the throttle, was at 70+ half the time.  Some steep long climbs and descents, including passes Independence, Mclure, Red Mountain, Molas, Coal Bank, Wolf Creek, Spring Creek, Slumgullian, Monarch. Some higher than timberline. My mileage averaged 34; all gas receipts above 33.  Running air pressure 40 & 43. Bike mods that affect mileage - just my pipes. Tipping the windshield helps too.

Pulling this trailer:

[John Schmidt]

I know it's just me, but I seldom find the need to run 80+mph, never have....even as a punk teenager. Last time I made a long run at that speed was heading back to Columbus, OH from central Illinois, a family member had just been admitted to the hospital and it didn't look good. Before that was many years prior, outrunning a storm with embedded tornadoes. The storm won, sorta, but I made it to safety under an overpass, thanks to the highway patrol that caught up to me and pointed to a funnel cloud ahead. We turned around and headed back to the overpass, doing somewhat greater than 80 for about 2 miles. The trooper parked his car at an angle across the shoulder and I laid the bike down on the leeward side. Got a bit noisy for a few minutes. 

[Bagger John - #3785]

'99 Tourer; CA model. Stock intake, smog, exhaust equipment. Stock cams; stock trigger wheel. I/S ICM, carb springs. Jet needles are the Cobra brand adjustables with their clips set in 2nd notch from top; pilots are #38s. Idle screws about 1 1/4 turns out from lightly seated.

Around 75MPH I can consistently average 42+ MPG with that setup, and the bike has a Memphis Shades fairing plus an I/S trunk installed.


'01 I/S; 49-state model. Stock (as above), Dynojet needles, pilots #38; idle screws adjusted similar to Tourer's. Bike has no trunk.

Around 75MPH it'll average 31MPG. The bike also pulls a good bit harder through all gears than a stock 49-state I/S will. Depending on how much I want to play, I can make the consumption rate suffer far more...

[SirLancelot]

According to our Italian mate Mario 80 mph should be 3744 rpm, if you're running at 4000 rpm could there be a little clutch slip?
Not sure as I never hear about clutch problems but maybe.
Your mpg does sound modest, are you maybe a tad heavy with the right hand?
I'm in UK so beer must be warm.

I think that Mario was running the overdrive gear set he made in order to lower his RPM's to 3744 at 80 MPH.

Mario published a chart rpm/mph and I took the figure from his stated 5th gear the overdrive was of course lower rpm. Maybe he changed all the gear ratios?

[Bagger John - #3785]

...
Mario published a chart rpm/mph and I took the figure from his stated 5th gear the overdrive was of course lower rpm. Maybe he changed all the gear ratios?

The thread wherein those gears were discussed turned into a sh!t-show of epic proportions.

Number one takeaway was "Don't believe hypsters".

It's been a while...but...I think 1st through 3rd had the ratios relatively unchanged from the stock setup, 4th was a little lower and 5th was lower still, by a larger figure. I don't have the numerics in front of me.

[SirLancelot]

Thanks Bagger John I was blissfully unaware that there was history here, I bow to those that know better
And wish I'd never spoken 

[John Schmidt]

Re. Mario's gears, I think Big BF tried a set in his bike some years back and was totally unimpressed with the results. It all sounded good on the surface, but as Bagger John said....don't believe everything you hear or read. As I recall, it left you pretty under powered in 5th.

[SirLancelot]

BTW Farmer John are you a real farmer?
I understand that if you are you could have a really strong right hand

[SirLancelot]

OOOOPS Rick not sure who John is 

[mello dude]

As this bike is relatively new to you I may be able to help, take a look down on the left hand side just in front of the foot peg and you will find what we call a gear lever, you will get better mileage if you wiggle this about from time to time. 

I'm running just shy of 4000 rpm at 80 mph per my GPS in 5th gear. 
If you can tell me where the 6th gear is on this thing, I'd gladly buy you a nice cold beer!!

I wish the Valk did have a 6th gear! Even though down the hwy we're running 3600 - 4000 rpm, it feels way higher than that....

[Paxton]

Gideon's Quote: " I have never gotten that high..."
-------------------------------------------------
What do ya' mean?

Anyhow; I'll ride my Valk at 90 MPH even if I get 2 MPG.
If I want better gas mileage I'll ride my Vespa.

[The emperor has no clothes]

Gideon's Quote: " I have never gotten that high..."
-------------------------------------------------
What do ya' mean?

Anyhow; I'll ride my Valk at 90 MPH even if I get 2 MPG.
If I want better gas mileage I'll ride my Vespa.

Paxton's back 

[Ken Tarver]

Paxton......thought about you the other day....wondered where you been hidin'

Ken

[Bubba FoSho]

I put a 4 degree advance trigger wheel on my 99 Honda Valkyrie Interstate Saturday and my gas mileage went from 32 mpg to 41 mpg running 75 mph at 3000 rpm.  Plus the increase of power is very surprising. I don't have to downshift anymore going up hills and mountains. The normally rpm would've be at 4000 rpm at 75 mph. Using 93 octane.

[Cracker Jack]

I put a 4 degree advance trigger wheel on my 99 Honda Valkyrie Interstate Saturday and my gas mileage went from 32 mpg to 41 mpg running 75 mph at 3000 rpm.  Plus the increase of power is very surprising. I don't have to downshift anymore going up hills and mountains. The normally rpm would've be at 4000 rpm at 75 mph. Using 93 octane.

You running in 5th gear? Be careful giving out such information, somebody might suggest you're "full of s#*t".
Them 4 degree advance trigger wheels are magical.

[Paxton]

Ken I've been wondering the same thing myself.
I am out of my mind but I''ll be right back.

[MMathison]

I have a 97 Standard with 100k miles having ridden it to four U.S. borders.  Gas mileage has ranged from 22 to 40.  Mileage is dependent on the normal factors:  speed and wind.  Aerodynamics important--e.g. shorter windshield, easy on throttle and ride slow will get you 40 mpg (actually, I got 40 mpg the few times I rode with H-D folks); however, that is pretty boring.  I recommend filling the tank to the maximum--squeeze ~ 1/2 gallon from point you think tank is full.  At highway speeds (~ 75), I get 130-160 miles before hitting reserve. 

[ridingron]

...    I recommend filling the tank to the maximum--squeeze ~ 1/2 gallon from point you think tank is full. ...   

When I stop, I get my snack or drink or pottie stop or whatever. When I'm ready to hit the road, I fuel up. The topping off the tank is used when I'm on the road. Start using it before it warms up, expands and does the overflow drain thing. You never know when that 1/2 gallon will come in handy.

The only time you have too much fuel is when you're on fire.

[LB]

I put a 4 degree advance trigger wheel on my 99 Honda Valkyrie Interstate Saturday and my gas mileage went from 32 mpg to 41 mpg running 75 mph at 3000 rpm.  Plus the increase of power is very surprising. I don't have to downshift anymore going up hills and mountains. The normally rpm would've be at 4000 rpm at 75 mph. Using 93 octane.

LOL... your rpm is simply based on gear ratio. All things being equal, no clutch slippage, stock size wheels and tires, you can't change the rpm at a given gear/speed by changing the engine timing.

[FarmerRick]

I put a 4 degree advance trigger wheel on my 99 Honda Valkyrie Interstate Saturday and my gas mileage went from 32 mpg to 41 mpg running 75 mph at 3000 rpm.  Plus the increase of power is very surprising. I don't have to downshift anymore going up hills and mountains. The normally rpm would've be at 4000 rpm at 75 mph. Using 93 octane.

LOL... your rpm is simply based on gear ratio. All things being equal, no clutch slippage, stock size wheels and tires, you can't change the rpm at a given gear/speed by changing the engine timing.

I was thinking the same thing about the rpms....   I am definity interested in finding out about this 4 degree advance trigger wheel.  Where are these available?

[heavyd]

At 90mph I hit reserve at 90 miles, At 100-105 I hit reserve after about 80 miles,  At 70mph I can get 150 miles to reserve.

[JimC]

I know that with my standard I usually got 32 to 34 mpg. I recently bought an Interstate and when I was looking at it I remember the PO saying that it had a trigger wheel added. I did not ask what type or size.

The last time I checked my mileage, I got 44mpg.  (smell the roses type ride) I NEVER got 40 or more  with the standard.

I might be imagining this, but I actually think the Interstate is faster than the old standard also, (hard to tell without actually racing though). Now I wish I had asked for more information on the trigger wheel.

Jim

[DarkSideR]

I put a 4 degree advance trigger wheel on my 99 Honda Valkyrie Interstate Saturday and my gas mileage went from 32 mpg to 41 mpg running 75 mph at 3000 rpm.  Plus the increase of power is very surprising. I don't have to downshift anymore going up hills and mountains. The normally rpm would've be at 4000 rpm at 75 mph. Using 93 octane.

LOL... your rpm is simply based on gear ratio. All things being equal, no clutch slippage, stock size wheels and tires, you can't change the rpm at a given gear/speed by changing the engine timing.

I was thinking the same thing about the rpms....   I am definity interested in finding out about this 4 degree advance trigger wheel.  Where are these available?

I already sold you a headlight bracket, guess I will sell you my 4 degree trigger wheel as well. You know the drill.

[FarmerRick]

I put a 4 degree advance trigger wheel on my 99 Honda Valkyrie Interstate Saturday and my gas mileage went from 32 mpg to 41 mpg running 75 mph at 3000 rpm.  Plus the increase of power is very surprising. I don't have to downshift anymore going up hills and mountains. The normally rpm would've be at 4000 rpm at 75 mph. Using 93 octane.

LOL... your rpm is simply based on gear ratio. All things being equal, no clutch slippage, stock size wheels and tires, you can't change the rpm at a given gear/speed by changing the engine timing.

I was thinking the same thing about the rpms....   I am definity interested in finding out about this 4 degree advance trigger wheel.  Where are these available?

I already sold you a headlight bracket, guess I will sell you my 4 degree trigger wheel as well. You know the drill.

   any youtube videos of the installation?

[DarkSideR]

I put a 4 degree advance trigger wheel on my 99 Honda Valkyrie Interstate Saturday and my gas mileage went from 32 mpg to 41 mpg running 75 mph at 3000 rpm.  Plus the increase of power is very surprising. I don't have to downshift anymore going up hills and mountains. The normally rpm would've be at 4000 rpm at 75 mph. Using 93 octane.

LOL... your rpm is simply based on gear ratio. All things being equal, no clutch slippage, stock size wheels and tires, you can't change the rpm at a given gear/speed by changing the engine timing.

I was thinking the same thing about the rpms....   I am definity interested in finding out about this 4 degree advance trigger wheel.  Where are these available?

I already sold you a headlight bracket, guess I will sell you my 4 degree trigger wheel as well. You know the drill.

   any youtube videos of the installation?

No, but there is a good write up in Shop Talk (http://www.valkyrieriders.com/shoptalk/timingwheel.htm).

[Tourus]

     Rode up to NC and Tenn last week and my lowest mpg was 22 that was running between 78 and 85mph Between 75 and 80 I got 28mpg. Best mileage I got was 39 on back roads normally i get between 30 and 32

2000 Tourer with oversize windshield