Gas Mileage / Air Filter

[Peteg]

My bike runs really well. I tightened the 18 intake clamps which seemed to make things even a little better. My gas mileage is all over the place, but I believe it's in the range. MPG only drops below 30 if I'm loaded up with camping gear and running at 75 mph with high winds. Then or pulling a trailer on the interstate it could probably go below 25 mpg. 37 mpg is extremely rare - probably a whole tank below 55 mph gives it a chance. I feel like I'm in the leave well enough alone range, but I'm wondering if changing from my standard paper filter to a high flow filter could squeeze out another MPG or two. My plugs always look great and I have standard timing / don't plan to do the high mileage timing mod. Any thoughts on whether a high flow filter would be worth the effort?

[Challenger]

I, personally never saw a nickles worth of difference between the K&N and the stock filter on either of my Valks. Went back to stock filter on my I/S and it gets consistently 2 to 3 MPG better than the Std. with a K&N.
Not a scientific comparison but I could tell no difference in performance either.  YMMV 

[98valk]

https://www.valkyrieforum.com/bbs/index.php/topic,122617.0.html


also add either a 4 degree or 6 degree trigger wheel, best to modify the OEM one

[Jess from VA]

My mileage varies too.

Yeah, it's the wrist, but consistently staying under 3K RPM contributes a good deal to better mileage.

I don't much pay attention to mileage, I'm out to enjoy my rides and have fun and add gas when I need to.

I once made reserve go a long way on the Blue Ridge Parkway (coasting down all hills) praying I would make it to gas before running out.  I did.  That was no fun at all.  I got like 40+ miles on that gallon.  

[old2soon]

    Ant/Every M/C i've owned while I may have tracked MPG a couple times I've NEVER gotten a M/C for the MPG it Might return. When I had my i/S I once got into the low 20s and Once and once ONLY a bit north of 44 MPG! All my RIDES I wuz more interested in Smiles per gallon!  Far as the air filter goes IMO stay with the stock Honda filter. RIDE SAFE.

[sandy]

The K&Ns flow more air due to larger pores through it. That means larger dust too. Stick with stock OEMs.

[Peteg]

Thanks, won't waste my time.

[Jess from VA]

One other thing about the Interstate.

The bar meter gas gauge is accurate enough, but I'm sure you've noticed it's a little flakey.  Sitting on the sidestand in the driveway, it'll read around half tank, but leveled up riding down the road, it'll come up 2-3 more bars to the accurate reading.  And it will drop then add bars back all day.  And you may not have seen that when at or near reserve, the last bar will start flashing at you, and that will start and stop too.

So for many years now, I always reset one or both trip meters to 0 at every fillup (and leave the trip meter showing).  And I rely on that as much as the gas gauge (esp stopped on the sidestand).  My fuel use is very consistent and both Interstates go about 220mi to reserve unless I've been honking on it.  And I treat reserve like empty (1.1 gallons per the manual).

Slopping gas on the tank at fillups is to be avoided, but I never fill on the sidestand.  I ride close enough to the pump to fill up while seated leveled up, and if the pump will slow feed (many won't), I can get another half gallon in gently rocking the bike with my hips burping air.  This really isn't necessary unless you are on a trip or it's a long way to the next gas stop, but it's just habit.  Then reset the tripmeters.

[Chrisj CMA]

The K&Ns flow more air due to larger pores through it. That means larger dust too. Stick with stock OEMs.

That may be scientifically true “larger dust” but we’re talking microns here not inches. My bike has almost 200,000 miles on the the original engine. k&N since around 20K. Still runs perfect. No oil usage. No smoking. Just like it should be. Figure out how many K&N users there are and that will be the number of folks reporting a similar story to mine. Use what you like. There’s a reason Honda approved the K&N under their warranty.

[h13man]

Mine came with a K&N and no difference between it and the OEM paper unit. Consistent 34 mpg. I got 41 mpg. as a high once and 30 mpg. low with a full load and interstate riding with the paper unit. K&N is a tad more noisy.