Motorcycle Forum banner
Cancel

What fuel mileage does your Motorcycle get?

401380 Views 2051 Replies 1153 Participants Last post by  Life Behind Bars!, 
D
I ride an XL 1200R and get a solid 49 MPG on my daily commute, mostly interstate highway.
Reply
Save
Like
2021 - 2040 of 2052 Posts
gunsmoker
Gesture Font Smile Rectangle Pattern


That's 34 MPG from my 1996 Honda Shadow V-twin 1100 that has aftermarket exhaust pipes and a dynojet carburetor jet kit installed, but it's supposed to be fairly close to Honda factory specs.
This MPG calculation is based on one tank full of gas and both the beginning and ending fill-up were done at the exact same gas station with the same nozzle filling it up the same level almost to the cap.

I'm a heavy guy probably about 340 pounds with all my gear on and this tank full of gas was used primarily on two rides one to a neighboring city to the west of me and a different day I rode to a neighboring city to the east of me.

I tried to take it easy on the throttle and I was cruising on two-lane roads at about 45 to 55 most of the way. But, I could not get into fifth gear very often. Traffic conditions and the twisting, curving roads I were on didn't allow much of that, so most of this trip I was cruising in fourth gear.
See less See more
Reply
Save
Like
Offcenter
gunsmoker said:
View attachment 79268

That's 34 MPG from my 1996 Honda Shadow V-twin 1100 that has aftermarket exhaust pipes and a dynojet carburetor jet kit installed, but it's supposed to be fairly close to Honda factory specs.
This MPG calculation is based on one tank full of gas and both the beginning and ending fill-up were done at the exact same gas station with the same nozzle filling it up the same level almost to the cap.

I'm a heavy guy probably about 340 pounds with all my gear on and this tank full of gas was used primarily on two rides one to a neighboring city to the west of me and a different day I rode to a neighboring city to the east of me.

I tried to take it easy on the throttle and I was cruising on two-lane roads at about 45 to 55 most of the way. But, I could not get into fifth gear very often. Traffic conditions and the twisting, curving roads I were on didn't allow much of that, so most of this trip I was cruising in fourth gear.
Click to expand...
From my point of view, that mileage sucks!
My 900 pound plus Goldwing with a 1500 cc engine gets 42 mpg, day in and day out. With me on it, it weighs in at over 1100 pounds.
I'm sure it isn't as fast as your Shadow, but you said you were taking it easy.
Reply
Save
Like
  • Like
Reactions: 1
hogcowboy
I agree with George, that's terrible fuel mileage. Although maybe 4th gear played into that. Would be interesting to have seen the fuel mileage before the mods or factory setup. Bet it would be better.
Reply
Save
Like
  • Like
Reactions: 1
Steadfastly
My 1974 CB350 got about 90mpg (Imperial or Cdn. gallons) and I remember when I could fill the tank for $1.00 Cdn. Okay, yes, that was awhile ago.
Reply
Save
Like
gunsmoker
Clothing Trousers Hairstyle Muscle Comfort
See less See more
Reply
Save
Like
  • Wow
  • Haha
Reactions: 2
Steadfastly
I can remember as a young boy, my father getting upset because gas went from $0.25/gal. (Cdn.) to $0.28. :)
Reply
Save
Like
  • Like
Reactions: 2
pdcomm
Ha. I recall paying $.27 / gallon and spending an evening wasting that precious pocket change away doing burnouts and drag racing up on the quarter mile straight . That '58 Biscayne was so much fun . It had a 348 punched to 409 with a nice cam , headers with dumps and a six pack on top . ;)
Reply
Save
Like
  • Like
  • Love
  • Haha
Reactions: 4
ChiefGunner
Steadfastly said:
I can remember as a young boy, my father getting upset because gas went from $0.25/gal. (Cdn.) to $0.28. :)
Click to expand...
I myself definitely remember those days. Dad would send me with $2 to fill up the 2gal gas can for the mower.
I also remember $2 a carton for cigarettes.
Reply
Save
Like
  • Like
Reactions: 1
Offcenter
Early 70s, my brother and I would go out for a ride after dinner with $5 in our pockets. Five bucks was enough to fill the tank of the bike and get a burger, fries and a soda from McDonalds....and come home with change left from our $5.
Reply
Save
Like
  • Like
Reactions: 1
hogcowboy
Offcenter said:
Early 70s, my brother and I would go out for a ride after dinner with $5 in our pockets. Five bucks was enough to fill the tank of the bike and get a burger, fries and a soda from McDonalds....and come home with change left from our $5.
Click to expand...
But your weekly salary was minuscule as well.
Reply
Save
Like
Offcenter
hogcowboy said:
But your weekly salary was minuscule as well.
Click to expand...
True, true. And since I worked for my father in his grocery store, my salary was REALLY minuscule! LOL!!
Reply
Save
Like
  • Haha
Reactions: 1
gunsmoker
I just checked my mileage again after my second fill up since I have been carefully measuring my mileage and how much gas I put in. RESULT-- the most recent tank got me 36 miles to the gallon. Again, mostly on roads with a 35 to 55 mile an hour speed limit and enough curves and hills on those roads that I couldn't use fifth year most of the time.
I was primarily in fourth gear for this riding.

And it was done with standard gas blended with 10% ethanol. Now I just filled up with REC 90, ethanol free. I'll see if this next tank produces better mileage.
Reply
Save
Like
gunsmoker
1993 Harley -Davidson XLH 883 "Hugger" just got me 45 miles per gallon average for the first tank I've ever burned through it.

And this was mostly city riding, in third and fourth gear. I only got on the interstate highway for a few exits and didn't like the wind buffeting.

I'm pretty happy with that MPG for a 900 cc naked cruiser.
Reply
Save
Like
Steadfastly
gunsmoker said:
I just checked my mileage again after my second fill up since I have been carefully measuring my mileage and how much gas I put in. RESULT-- the most recent tank got me 36 miles to the gallon. Again, mostly on roads with a 35 to 55 mile an hour speed limit and enough curves and hills on those roads that I couldn't use fifth year most of the time.
I was primarily in fourth gear for this riding.

And it was done with standard gas blended with 10% ethanol. Now I just filled up with REC 90, ethanol free. I'll see if this next tank produces better mileage.
Click to expand...
It will not. High test gas is for high compression engines in order to stop the pinging. It has nothing to do with gas mileage. However, where I live, high test gas has no ethanol so many run that at the end of the year so they don't need to add any stabilizer to the gas tank before putting the bike away for the winter.
Reply
Save
Like
Hank123
Ethanol free gas does indeed improve gas milage slightly while also being better for carburetored engines
Here's a good article on the difference between Ethanol and Ethanol free gasoline and the effects on gas mileage engine performance and the effects on your engine
motorcyclehabit.com

Is Ethanol Bad For Motorcycles? An Engineer’s Explanation | Motorcycle Habit

I’m an engineer for an oil and gas company and some of the false truths circulating around the internet about ethanol need to be put…
motorcyclehabit.com motorcyclehabit.com
I always run the highest octane Ethanol free gas in my bikes
Most are highly modified and need the extra octane
My present bike gets between 45 and 50 mpg depending on how hard I push her
Reply
Save
Like
  • Like
Reactions: 1
Steadfastly
Here is an excellent review of lower octane gas vs. higher octane gas. There can be a small advantage to using higher octane gas but it is not to give you better mileage or more power/speed. Watch to the end to find out what that advantage may be. Note that you can get the same thing by fuel additives from time to time available at your local automotive store.

Reply
Save
Like
Hank123
I'm running a stage 3 setup on my bike so I need the higher octane fuels
And yes I've used additives also
Next upgrades are stage 4 :cool:o_O
Reply
Save
Like
hogcowboy
Hank123 said:
I'm running a stage 3 setup on my bike so I need the higher octane fuels
And yes I've used additives also
Next upgrades are stage 4 :cool:o_O
Click to expand...
What will you run in that, jet fuel?
Reply
Save
Like
  • Haha
  • Like
Reactions: 3
gunsmoker
Today did 110 miles on a "run for the Son"
ride with some fellows from three different local chapters of the CMA.

Used 1.92 gallons, so that's 56 MPG.

For a Harley 883 Sportster (Hugger), 1998 year, with a 330 pound rider, and in the hilly terrain in the north Georgia mountains around Cleveland, Clarksville, Helen and Toccoa.
Reply
Save
Like
  • Like
Reactions: 1
Bitterroot Bugler
I stuffed a flat-track race engine into my '56 Porsche Speedster. It went like stink, but the high compression required 50% avgas and 50% leaded premium ... yes this was a while ago. I ran that combination joyfully for a while, but eventually tired of trips to the airport for fillups, so I detuned the frisky filly.

High octane for non-engineers: Higher octane reduces the volatility of the fuel so it does not ignite from compression of the air-fuel mixture before the spark plug orders such ignition. If your engine requires a certain octane to avoid pre-ignition (aka pinging, also known to burn pistons and valves), exactly that octane is what you should be running. Octane too low damages the works. Octane too high reduces the punch as it does not burn as completely, quickly, or as efficiently as the correct octane.

Ethanol is a complete scam the vindictive poopheads in charge are foisting on us.

It has less power per gallon, takes LOTS of diesel and petro-fertilizer to produce and screws up older non-alcohol-compatible engines. I avoid it on principle and also because its lower efficiency means you are paying more per gallon to propel your machine for the same distance. At some level of higher mathematics you can figure out what the lower energy of ethanol costs to transport a given vehicle/passenger combination a certain distance, but it involves that dreaded algebra.

Another downside of corn squeezins is its propensities to attract water and degrade quickly. Thus the common recommendation to make real gasoline your fillup before parking for the winter... and add stabilizer because THEY screwed up the formula to destroy long-term fuel storage.

In Montana the premium fuel is non-ethanol. I use that or 50/50 just cuz.. no math, just stubbornness.
See less See more
Reply
Save
Like
  • Like
Reactions: 2
2021 - 2040 of 2052 Posts
Motorcycle Forum
A forum community discussing all bikes from Harley Davidson to Honda, Suzuki, KTM, Yamaha, and BMW. Come join the discussion about performance modifications, troubleshooting, maintenance, and more!
Full Forum Listing
Explore Our Forums
🏍 General Motorcycle Discussion 🏍 First Bike / New Rider 🔧 Motorcycle Repair 🔧 Honda Vintage Forum
Top