38.8 mpg

[mitch.lax]

Maybe instead of owning a bike a toyota prius is a more suitable vehicle for you, I hear they get wonderful fuel economy.

Probably not, small bikes like the gs get better economy than the prius

[BaltimoreGS]

I can't understand this fascination with what fuel milage you get from your bike. Bikes are there to be ridden and enjoyed and the best way to enjoy a bike is to twist the right grip. Yes I do know roughly what the fuel usage is on both of my bikes, but thats because I like to be aware of when I'm going to possibly need fuel when I'm travelling on new roads.

Maybe instead of owning a bike a toyota prius is a more suitable vehicle for you, I hear they get wonderful fuel economy.

Sorry to thread jack but I have to disagree with that statement.  Some of us do own bikes solely for the gas mileage.  I ride my CB250 to work whenever I can because it gets 70 miles to the gallon verse the 17 my truck gets.  Simple economics.  And keeping track of your gas mileage on any kind of vehicle can help alert you when a problem is arising.  My 2 cents...

-Jessie

[tt_four]

The only reason I've ever figured out what my mileage was, is because everyone else always talked about it. Aside from that I could care less, I destroy gas mileage when I'm having fun on a motorcycle. I make up for it by riding a bicycle 99.5 of the times I'm going anywhere. $$  0 gallons per mile  $$.

[lilwoody]

My 05 F model has slipped a bit since I changed the air filter and plugs. The filter is a HI Flo and Motorcycle Super Store claimed it didn't require any mods to use it.  It' was getting 58 plus with a best of 67 and consistantly getting 58 with my wife and I riding it. Now it's getting 52 to 55 but I am riding it a bit harder, still 50 plus is very good milage, I do love this little bike. I think I'll get a OEM air filter and see if it helps.

[gregvhen]

I can't understand this fascination with what fuel milage you get from your bike. Bikes are there to be ridden and enjoyed and the best way to enjoy a bike is to twist the right grip. Yes I do know roughly what the fuel usage is on both of my bikes, but thats because I like to be aware of when I'm going to possibly need fuel when I'm travelling on new roads.

Maybe instead of owning a bike a toyota prius is a more suitable vehicle for you, I hear they get wonderful fuel economy.

actually for ALOT of people, fuel milage is the main reason for owning a bike. and yes for ALOT more people fun is the main reason, but still fuel milage is a huge issue for alot of folks, especially ones who are only making 20,000 a year.

[Andy13186]

I think you may have a problem there.  When my bike was running on 1 cylinder intermittently, I got exactly 37 mpg.   Soon as I got her back in spec, boom, 58 mpg.

what other symptoms did you have when it was doing that? my bike feels pretty strong nothing seems wrong with it.. i topped it out at 110 mph too.. also how did you fix it?

fuel mileage isnt the main reason of me owning a bike.. i have a car too its  2003 mustang gt(both my vehicals are for fun).. it gets 15 mpg lol.. so this is still way better but i expected more . I  guess i cant expect to get really good mileage when i drive it hard though.

[bubba zanetti]

Sure, ride a bike than drive something that gets crap fuel economy makes sense. Worry about getting and extra mile or two per gallon out of something that already gets good economy is what I can't understand. Just get out and ride your bike and enjoy it, leave worrying about fuel economy to the tree hugging hippies.

[mister]

I don't pretend to know what my mpg is, but here's some math homework if anybody wants to take a crack at it. My bike is a 2005 GS500F, completely stock.

Gas here is sold in litres, not gallons. 3.79 litres are in a gallon.

Gas prices fluctuate from .85 to .95 cents Canadian, per liter.

1 CAD = .93 USD as of this morning.

I have been too chicken to ride my trip meter past 325 kilometers after a fillup on the kickstand, which is 201 miles.

When I fill the tank from 325 km (201 miles), it costs me approximately $14-15 CAD.


Have at 'er boys.

When you tank up, how many liters are you putting in? Can't work out MPG without knowing how much gas is going into it.

Depending on the riding I do, I will hit reserve between 330 and 360 kms. BUT, once I hit 300 I usually tank up first thing in the morning.

BUBBA:

Knowing your Mileage helps you know if you have issues. My fluctuates a little due to... riding style, wind strength, how high I fill due to my desire to Round Up to a whole or half dollar in price - so sometimes I fill it more than others. If it drops below what is the Norm for the bike, I know something is up.

Bikes are there to be used for whatever purposes their owner deems.

ANDY: Riding at redline will not get you anywhere near 50mpg. The bike is revving nearly twice as high compared to just cruising. So your spark plugs are firing many more time for the distance traveled.

Michael

[drewbytes]

My 2008 500F with twin K&N and 20/62.5/147.5 jets always returns 4.3-4.4L/100 (64-65mpg UK / 54 MPG US) on my commute to work.

Which BTW is slightly better than I got stock.

[tt_four]

The next time I buy a bike to save gas mileage I'm just going to buy a hayabusa and gear it really tall so I can cruise down the highway going 70mph at idle. It's a pretty well thought out plan.

[gregvhen]

The next time I buy a bike to save gas mileage I'm just going to buy a hayabusa and gear it really tall so I can cruise down the highway going 70mph at idle. It's a pretty well thought out plan.

haha let me know how that works out for ya 

[tt_four]

I've always been curious how it would be to take a bike with normal(or even lowered gearing for that matter), and change the internal gearing of your engine to make 6th gear super tall. I know people like to put on a smaller rear chainwheel for lower RPMs and better mileage, but if you did my idea internally you could keep your pull in 1st-5th gear, and just keep 6th as a cruising gear. It would be like shifting through gears from 1 to 2 to 3 to 4 to 5 then straight to 9th gear, and no matter how much pull you had in 1st and second gear for traffic and twisty back roads, you could comfortably cruise at 4-5k rpm on the highway.

[The Buddha]

Oh easy. Take the motor out.
Open it up - all of it, you're getting to the transmission, which in a motor with a 1 story engine case design is accesible after removing the head, the cyls, splitting the cases, and its in the back and then take the 6th gear wheels out. machine new ones to have the same total of the diameters, but the driver is larger than the driven wheel, the dogs remain the same as it is, and you put it back together.

If it was a 2 story engine case design, you would be able to get the transmission out by inverting the whole bike with the motor still in the frame, taking off the pan and the transmission is right there.
The only bike I know of that employed this design is an XS/XJ1100 that ... well taller gearing isn't its biggest problem.

Cool.
Buddha.

[redhenracing2]

Are we really complaining about almost 40 miles per gallon? Up until a few months ago, I was lucky to hit fifty miles before I hit reserve. That makes what, 18-20 miles per gallon? Now, after having replaced my terribly clogged pilot jet on the left carb, I average about 100 miles before reserve. That makes what, 35-40 mpg? Could it be better? Sure. Am I happy with it? Absolutely.

[The Buddha]

You may still be high on floats or other maladies ...
BTW what gas mileage do people that run my carbs get ... I'd test it myself, but at the moment I dont have a running GS and when I did, I never bothered to check this particular thing ... well cos there is better stuff to do ... Like see what parts are falling off the bike.
Cool.
Buddha.

[gregvhen]

I've always been curious how it would be to take a bike with normal(or even lowered gearing for that matter), and change the internal gearing of your engine to make 6th gear super tall. I know people like to put on a smaller rear chainwheel for lower RPMs and better mileage, but if you did my idea internally you could keep your pull in 1st-5th gear, and just keep 6th as a cruising gear. It would be like shifting through gears from 1 to 2 to 3 to 4 to 5 then straight to 9th gear, and no matter how much pull you had in 1st and second gear for traffic and twisty back roads, you could comfortably cruise at 4-5k rpm on the highway.

Great Idea!! Thatd be awesome, and Buddha, I read your explination and kinda get it, but do you know anywhere that has pictures of this?

[lilwoody]

I've always been curious how it would be to take a bike with normal(or even lowered gearing for that matter), and change the internal gearing of your engine to make 6th gear super tall. I know people like to put on a smaller rear chainwheel for lower RPMs and better mileage, but if you did my idea internally you could keep your pull in 1st-5th gear, and just keep 6th as a cruising gear. It would be like shifting through gears from 1 to 2 to 3 to 4 to 5 then straight to 9th gear, and no matter how much pull you had in 1st and second gear for traffic and twisty back roads, you could comfortably cruise at 4-5k rpm on the highway.

I don't think the GS produces enough torque to turn a ultra overdrive like that. When you shifted into it it would just bog the engine out. Now a big V twin with pistons that look like coffie cans, it might turn something like that but not a 500.

[bubba zanetti]

I must apologise to all you fuel misers, I got motorcyclists mixed up with motorbike riders.

[tt_four]

I don't think the GS produces enough torque to turn a ultra overdrive like that. When you shifted into it it would just bog the engine out. Now a big V twin with pistons that look like coffie cans, it might turn something like that but not a 500.

Well I think I definitely exaggerated my example, but I still like the idea

[gregvhen]

I must apologise to all you fuel misers, I got motorcyclists mixed up with motorbike riders.

I dont get it.