Worse gas mileage EVER

[pago cruiser]

Think I might win a prize...

Finally got the Valk Hack finished, and we (yo, wifey, canine, and luggage/tools) took the girl from Tucson to Griffith Park in LA over a long weekend for a sidecar rally.  1300 total miles in 3 days.  Great trip, nothing went bad, fast, make that very fast traffic.  Going over the wind was with us, running 80-85 on I10.  Got about 22-25  on different legs.

Coming back we spent the night in Quartzsite, where I think a lot of future zombie movies will be made; truly an odd little town in the "off" season.  2500 folks there now, average age prolly mid 60's.  By next month the population will swell to about half a million with all the snowbirds.

Anyhow, left Q at about 0900, with a bit of a headwind, travelling east to Buckeye.  Did I say fast traffic?  We AVERAGED 85 mph over the 95 mile distance to the Buckeye gas station.  Lots of WOT and close to WOT in 4th and 5th.  Went on reserve at 90 miles.  Dang!  Filled her up, and it took 6.7 gallons.  That would be 14.2 MPG! 

We also have a 2008 Liberty, and coincidentally that was also the worse mileage we ever got - pulling a trailer over mountains...   

[Savago]

Pago

Any photos of the hack?
:-)

My worst gas mileage (1999 I/S) was 24mpg riding the Interstate in Washington, doing 95-100miles/h.


Savago

[8Track]

Wow that really is bad fuel economy - that's more than my 3.7 litre Jeep Liberty with 4 speed auto uses - and that thing hoovers the juice!

[Bone]

My 98 Tourer had almost identical numbers in northern New Mexico a few years ago. The wind and mph had a bigger impact than I thought possible. The bike engine stumbling at 90 miles on the odometer worried me in 100º temps. I switched to reserve whew. Then 15 miles later it starts stumbling again with nothing but desert in all directions. 15 miles my reserve was gone.
I hadn't run out of gas in 30 years riding 2 wheels.

[Firefighter]

Yea, sounds normal to me. I usually get mid to upper 30's, but if I twist the throttle like you do it sucks up the fuel.

[thewoodman]

In all the years of owning my '97 Tourer, that was my only BIG complaint early on. Fuel economy  depends on many factors. I ride daily 2 miles each way to my office; 2 round trips a day. I go on reserve about 100 miles no matter what. When riding long rides, out in the country under 3,000 rpm's, I can go much further, but I start looking for fuel at about 100-120 miles. When we ride around the hills in TN and NC, my mileage improves again. At interstate speeds, this thing guzzles fuel like a thirsty puppy after a long, hot walk.

At first I thought about gear changing transmission or rear end gear ratios, which some have proposed and/or done. Too costly when you work the numbers about break-even. A larger rear tire size was considered, but that changes the handling in a negative way. SO..... Once I got used to the fact about the fat girls thirst, yet, how much pleasure it gave me, there was NO problem. Best damn bike I've ever owned in 55 years of riding.

[The emperor has no clothes]

In all the years of owning my '97 Tourer, that was my only BIG complaint early on. Fuel economy  depends on many factors. I ride daily 2 miles each way to my office; 2 round trips a day. I go on reserve about 100 miles no matter what. When riding long rides, out in the country under 3,000 rpm's, I can go much further, but I start looking for fuel at about 100-120 miles. When we ride around the hills in TN and NC, my mileage improves again. At interstate speeds, this thing guzzles fuel like a thirsty puppy after a long, hot walk.

At first I thought about gear changing transmission or rear end gear ratios, which some have proposed and/or done. Too costly when you work the numbers about break-even. A larger rear tire size was considered, but that changes the handling in a negative way. SO..... Once I got used to the fact about the fat girls thirst, yet, how much pleasure it gave me, there was NO problem. Best damn bike I've ever owned in 55 years of riding.

I'm curious about the negative handling with a larger rear tire ? The largest I've had was a 205/65 but I didn't notice any bad handling.

[old2soon]

When you dip into the 100 horse power that is available you HAVE to pay the piper or gas station sooner rather than later. When I cruise with the R P Ms at around 3800 or so in fifth-well we KNOW what happens on our ladies!  From full tank to reserve in about 123 miles or so. But I had her tail twisted in the left lane of I-55 south in Il. with the house in Missouri on my mind.  When-not often enough it turns out-I decide to ride "sensibly" I can see M P G returns in the mid to high 30s. My brothers tourer on the other hand gets way better mileage than my I/S. Don't make any difference WHO has lead he gets better M P G.  Every time I ride long distance with him on identical runs he takes half a gallon to a gallon less than I do!  But as I stated previously-did NOT buy mine for fuel economy. RIDE SAFE.

[trussellcma]

I averaged 27 mpg riding from Maine to San Diego. My worst was 25. I couldn't stand the short range and solved the problem with a 5 gallon auxiliary tank. Now I ride with 10.5 gallons and can go as far as I want before stopping for gas. I love it.

[John Schmidt]

This past weekend we had a pizza party that was well attended. It also was the first good ride I've had since the weather turned hot last May, put nearly 200 miles on the bike that day since I didn't take the short way over and back. Filled up a couple miles from home on my return and had a nice surprise; got a 37mpg average. Surprised because going over on the interstate, I was running at 75mph plus....depending on traffic. Coming back, same thing except for a longer period and longer stretch. Guess the old Gurl was as happy to get out and stretch her legs as I was to be along for the ride. Maybe if I got rid of the fairing and I/S pods, my mileage would go back up where it used to be....around 38+. On second thought.....naaah! I like it the way it is. 

[pago cruiser]

Savago - here's a pic of the rig - on the waters edge at beautiful Bombay Beach.  A rather interesting place on the edge of the Salton Sea...   I think the next Mad Max movie will be partially filmed here... 


Google it if you are in the mood for a discourse on environmental disaster.

Back to fuel mileage...  Finally figured out how to improve my miles per tank...



Should be here in a couple weeks.  10 us gallons!  Back to 150 miles on a tank!  Sure beats slowing down, or losing weight, or carrying less tools...

[..]

I averaged 27 mpg riding from Maine to San Diego. My worst was 25. I couldn't stand the short range and solved the problem with a 5 gallon auxiliary tank. Now I ride with 10.5 gallons and can go as far as I want before stopping for gas. I love it.

Which tank did you buy?

[Savago]

Pago

And that is a beautiful hack! Congrats!

Concerning the gas tank: is it that one made of carbon fiber (that another forum member mentioned a few months ago)? And would you mind to share how much did it cost?

Cheers


Savago

[da prez]

  Overall average in all riding conditions other than racing , I have been doing 36 to 40. If I run hard on the super slab , then it goes down to 30 to 35.  What is my secret---------------------------------------------------- Carbs by atticrat and digisync by bons.

      I installed the carbs and ran them and then did the sync. I improved about 2 mpg from the setting  atticrat' had. I do not think they could have been set closer on a bench. Before I used the digisync , I used the vacuum gauges from the bike shop to check the sync. What a difference when you set all six at the same time and watch the settings with the digisync. I have done several bikes and there is a noticeable improvement in performance.

   Carbs by atticrat if you want the best! (I am not putting anyone down that does their own)
   Digisync by BonS
                                           da prez

[trussellcma]

Well if you can see my signature picture, that is my tank on the back. It is a 5 gallon spun aluminum tank from Speedway motors. It was about $120, way cheaper than any tank designed for a motorcycle.