Gas Milage & Octane .... simple poll & question

[endeavor]

Stock '07 S2R 1000 with 1,600 miles

I just got 129 miles before my fuel light came on today. This  is mostly all freeway riding. In the city I usually get 50 - 60 miles before the light comes on. 

I have also gone 20 miles more once the light comes on.

[DuciD03]

Scotty PM-ed me on my prompting because we have exactly the same bike but he has 1/2 the miles; he has some good insite and detail, thought he should get credit and share the knowledge. Thanks Scott. (you were joking about the tire pressure  ....)

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Just one thing to check before anything else, are you tires up to pressure?  Low pressure can really eat into your mileage.

My bike has about 6500 miles and the engine is 100% bone stock.  I do a good mix of riding: highway, mountain roads, around town.  I'm pretty easy on the bike getting around.  I leave the cars behind but that's not hard to do.  I flog it a little more in the mountains but not much.  It gets 42mpg pretty much no matter how I ride it.

I bought it from my friend, she put only 1800 miles on it in three years.  I've had it for just over a year.  I did the 6000 mile service at around 3500 miles at the end of last season.  It was getting around 50mpg but I richened the trim from a setting of 0 to around 7 or 8.  You need a Mathesis tester or VDSTS software to do this, it's the same function as the idle mixture screw on a carburetor.  I did this to get rid of a lean pop at around 3500rpm.  It was set lean from the factory to meet EPA/Euro3 emissions.  It's richer but not overly so and the pop is mostly gone now.  I can get it to go away completely but then it's so rich that I smell gas when it's idling.  I would need a PC3 or similar to get rid of it entirely and I've got better things to do with $300 right now.  After the adjustment mileage went to 42mpg.

Since you just had a service done they should have done the TPS reset, idle speed, and trim setting.  This should put you in good working order unless they are way off on something.  If it idles and runs smoothly with good throttle response your TBs are probably in balance. 

Run you finger around the inside of the tail pipe and look at it.  Rich grey?  Just where you should be.  Black, too rich.  You can check the plugs too.  They should be light tan.  Black?  Too rich.  Light grey or white?  Too lean.

Krolik has an 800 with open air box, TPO beast kit, PC3, and cored or aftermarket exhaust.  That's pretty heavily modded and he gets 30-35mpg when we're in the mountains.  He can get around 45 or so if her really babies it.

but things can get a little wonky over time too.  It might be a good idea to check your belt tension & valve clearances.   If those are good then maybe get a TPS reset, TB balance, idle speed set, and trim set.  These are all the major engine adjustments that get done at a major service.  I find it hard to believe that you're so far out that it would take 25%  off your mileage but I guess stranger things have happened.

I'm guessing there is something wrong.  Take it back to the shop where you had it serviced and ask them about it.  Be courteous, be patient.  You get more flies with honey than vinegar.

Good luck and let me know how it turns out.

Scott

[DesmonsterS4RS]

07 S4RS Full Arrows, open airbox K&N, and DP ECU. I get about 35-40 mpg highway, and 28 -35 city 

Gets extremely annoying when the fuel light comes on at 65 miles    I am hoping a PCIII on top of the DP ECU will help a little.

[toaster]

i usually get just above 40 mpg.  i run 92-93 octane, whatever is highest at that particular station.  i tend to ride the bike pretty hard, but ive noticed myself taking it easier now that i ride my supermoto bike (which gets about 35-40 mpg).  04 m800,  mods are ducati performance exhaust, and pod filters.  no more mods until i get a pcIII.

and if it matters to your question, im about 270lbs.  i know that affects the supermoto pretty bad.  my buddy (160 lbs) rode it and got 50mpg, i get 40 on a good day and my dad (330 lbs) got about 30-32. so i know weight affects it some.

[scott_araujo]

toaster, now you're just making me feel worse for being fat.  I'm clogging my arteries, crushing my knees, AND contributing more to global warming.    Now I'm just depressed.  I better go for a ride so I feel better.

Scott

[Hank]

I weigh approx. 270 lbs also and still get around 45 mpg.  Dropping about 70 lb certainly would help, but I'm lazy 

[Doctor Woodrow]

2005 620, aftermarket high mount Termi's. Medium build/weight + Aerodynamic Axio 'Repsol' hardpack. 12 miles of freeway + 5 blocks of residential each way everyday to Chiropractic College: 54 to 56 MPG on premium.

The Doc

[CRASH!]

'99 M900
Termis, open airbox and FCRs, 87 octane, 6'1" and 180

40-45 mph commuting depending on highway/surface mix
45-50 mph fun riding

Much of the difference is wasted gas on warmups. My commute is 20-22 mi so that I'm warming the bike up 8 times per tank.

I get 170-180 miles per tank usually. I have gotten just over 200!

Mileage was much worse with the stock Mikunis in spite of repeated attempts to get them dialed in. I'd get in the 30's and got only 120 to 140 (absolute best) on a tank.

I like to whack the throttle wide open now and again but mostly it's just fast and steady; 80 on the highway (with the occasional faster burst ) and "somewhat" over the limit on back roads.

[mdriver]

01 M750 Arrow high mounts, slightly open airbox, and 14t sprocket

I only run 87 octane and get 32-37mpg depending on how hard i'm riding. My mileage actually improves the harder I ride, cause during idle and the lower quarter of throttle opening I'm running way to rich.

Can't wait to install this jet kit thats sitting on my desk here.

[knightrider]

1994 m900 with almost 20k on it dial, dynojet stage 2 jet kit, just dynoed today and running pig rich, and i still get atleast 40mpg. cant wait for fcrs.

[flsurfdog]

In crappy city only riding i can get as low as 80 on 2.5 gallons, but if i get out of town i can see almost 120.  unfortunately the only thing milage can tell me is how much i've been stuck traffic

[onederer]

2007 M695 with the termi/DP ECU kit, I get about 45 mpg with 87 octane.

what the?!?!?!?
with the same set up i'm getting 35mixed, 40 hwy.
then again, i weigh in quite a bit over you.

[acalles]

I'm getting over 50, closer to 55 running 91.

bikes a 08 695, I've been riding it fairly conservatively because I'm a new rider and the bikes new. I also only weight 150lbs and all my riding is between 6k and 9k ft altitude, on back roads at 65-80mph..

I threw on a Quat-D high mount system, sound killer, louder then my brothers sportster  (which is all thats really important), but 100 miles on it and my plugs are WHITE, with specks of metal.. way, way to lean.

I'm gonna throw the DB killers back in, see if that helps.. other wise stock will go back on and they'll wait till I can afford the f'n DP ECU.

[teddy037.2]

'05 620, stock intake, high mount arrows= 48-50mpg

+ chopped lid, PC3, custom map= 40-45mpg

+ 750cc 11:1 FBF pistons and richened mix until it's run-in and retuned= 38mpg (I've put one tank through so far)

estimates based on average milage when my light turns on, and I end up filling 2.4gal pretty consistantly from that point.

E10 92 octane is the highest pump gas we've got here

[LYD]

01 900 with D&D exhaust, stock air filter, PCIII, 87 octane gas.  I get an average of 50-52 mpg.  But I do alot of highway driving to work and home 27 miles each way.  6 gear and about 65-70 mph.