share your fuel efficiency findings - create a fuel efficiency matrix

[krypto35]

Have been reading that stock GS's usually get about 58mpg overall -- what efficiency numbers have you experienced?  Please share - hoping to create fuel matrix to go along with the jetting matrix - in order to show the effects that modifications have on fuel efficiency.  Include details such as air filter setup, jetting, and exhaust and MPG - thanks!

I will be reporting on my bikes shortly:
#1 - 93 GS 500, K&N stock airbox, 40 pilots 135 mains, stock exhaust
#2 - 95 GS 500, K&N Lunchbox, 40 pilots 150 mains, V&H full-headerSS exhaust

[ohgood]

Nice idea, I'm surprised it hasn't been done here befor.

98 gs, V&H exhaust, K&N fiber filter, dunno about the jets - whatever the previouse X2 owner put in.

city (boring as hell and puttering) = 55 - 65
hiway = 40 -50
interstate/pinned/playing/whatever = 40 - 45

how about folks indicate a 3 part breakdown of riding conditions/speed like that ?

[scratch]

Relatively stock '94, Unifilter foam airfilter, 40 pilots, .5mm washer under needle, 125 mains, Bob's advanced ignition rotor, stock sized tires, stock sprockets (16/39), post top-end rebuild (new rings).
Current mileage: 36,500 miles.

Daily average riding, shifting @ 5.5k, city, 5 mile commute (fwy in the mornings (69mph), backstreets in the afternoon (35mph ave.)) = 55mpg

[wever411]

Stock 06. 14xx miles

55-60 mpg mixed city(40 mph)/highway speeds(60+ mph)

[Zap]

Stock 2005 with about 3,600 miles.

The worst I've gotten is 54 mpg which was interstate riding at about 75 to 80 mph and similar speeds on back roads.

Normally I ride a bit slower on country roads and get from 60 to 66.5  mpg (my best so far).

[Caffeine]

Worst ever: 49 MPG
Best ever:  72 MPG (that was during break-in, never going above 5,000 RPM)

I tend to get 52 - 62 MPG

2005 GSF, unmodified

[anthonyd5189]

Stock 2006

Best: 71 (during break in)
Worst: 50

I do mostly town riding or back roads, so I stick towards the 45-55 speed limits.

[PuddleJumper]

2004 model factory stock.
Interstate at 70-80 MPH I consistently get 52 MPG. my commute is 12 miles of interstate and 4 miles of in town, One way.

Back roads not being agressive, I get 60+. My best was 62.97

BeSafe.

[CirclesCenter]

1990 GS500EL Stock powertrain.

Average 55 (I can't ride sane, sorry)
If I'm being a wuss I seen the high end of 60.

[jsamaniego]

I welcome the initiative! 

Here is my data for over a year:

GS500 2003 stock with 24000 kms (15000 miles), with the carb needles all the way down and a 17T sprocket.

Average: 60,5 mpg (25,8 km/l or 3,98 l/100km)

best: 70mpg worst: 53 mpg

I guess I'm an "old fart" and do not push it. Most riding on backroads around 4000 rpm in 6th.
Highways around 70mph.

Given my riding style and the road profile, the 17T sprocket has demonstrated advantageous and increased the mileage by around 3mpg in average

[krypto35]

Great responses so far!  Thank you!  Anyone with Mods out there care to spice things up a bit?  I'm affraid my '95 with 40/150 rejet, K&N Lunchbox, V&H Exhaust gets only around 50mpg average, BUT I will have to wait until warmer weather to be certain.  Keep the post coming!

[gsJack]

Depends on which size front tire I have on, 110/70 or 110/80.  It doesn't change the actual mpg but the gallons are divided by more miles recorded with the smaller dia tire giving about 2 mpg more.   

Both bikes strictly stock with no jet, exhaust, or intake changes and with about 80k miles on the old 97 and 40k miles on the current 02, I've run about 60 mpg average all summer and most of the spring and fall.  Colder weather drops it to the 50-55 mpg range here in NE Ohio for the winter season with longer choke usage and shorter trips.

Haven't taken a long trip for 2 years now but when I was running 400 mile days down the interstate at 75-80 mph indicated it dropped to the 50-55 mpg range and as low as 45-50 mpg at times running in the mtns in a spirited manner.

I've found GS500 gas milage to be very consistant over the 8 years I've been running them if you don't mess up the engine with mods.   

[Turd Ferguson]

2005 GS500 (no farirings)
95% in town stop-and-go riding
Hindle Muffler, K&N Lunchbox, 22.5, 65, 147.5
Average MPG:  45

[Onlypastrana199]

I've got a '92

K&N lunchbox, cbr1000 exhaust, 40/150, 15t and timing advance

I get 50-60mpg i don't do city/highway driving so I wouldn't know. I only do country twisties cause its all we got...

Average: 50



Occasionally when riding in Vermont (read that as Green Mountains) I get 40-50mpg.

[Chuck]

2001 stock ~50mpg
added a airtech fairing and got around 54-55mpg
at the track (redline for 2.5 hours!) -- under 30 

[sanjay]

Nice idea!  Krypto, would you be interested in putting this on the wiki?

[krypto35]

definitely, we're getting a lot of information here and it is great.  Starting to see a trend that newer bikes with full fairings and 3-jet carbs get about 5-10mpg more, and anything with larger jets and exhaust get 5-10mpg less than stock 90's bikes.  It might turn out to be more of a summary of each post than a matrix, due to so many variables, but it's great seeing everyones results because I KNOW it's on all of our minds these days!  Maybe a revival of this post in the spring is in order - so there will be more bikes on the road and more numbers to crunch

[el_crispito]

I pull anywhere from 45-55 on my 95 (excellent condition) 500e.  45 when I dog the shaZam! out of it.  55 when I ride on wet pavement and take my time (often here in Portland, OR).  I look forward to seeing that matrix.

[oppy00]

I ride a '00 that I dropped 1 tooth off the front sprocket.  I went on a trip with my dad, that included riding the US-129, better known as the Tail of the Dragon.  Anyway, at every fill-up I calculated my mpg for that trip, and I never dropped below 60 mpg.  We rarely/never got over 65 mph, on the trip, as we both ride naked bikes and we prefer to take our time and enjoy the scenery.  In town to my knowledge I've never gotten below 40 mpg, even when my bike was running like crap.

[Chuckles]

I have an '89 with small front fairing.  152.5? jets, k&n filter, 2 washers, and partially drilled exhaust.  I get on average 55+ on turnpike and thats going 80+ mph.  On slow backroads I get more, about 60 going 40-50 or so mph.  City I am not sure, I hate the city.  I also am in dire need of new piston rings.