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Main Area => General GS500 Discussion => Topic started by: Toad Rider on April 23, 2007, 07:49:25 AM

Title: GS gets amazing gas mileage...My wife's cruiser isn't even close.
Post by: Toad Rider on April 23, 2007, 07:49:25 AM
I have a '96 GS.  My wife has a '94 Yamaha Virago 535.  We went riding this weekend.  We rode 120 miles and stopped to fill up because her tiny 3.2 gallon tank was low.  She puts 2.7 gallons in.  I put 1.85 gallons in.   :icon_lol: Hard to believe since the bikes are about the same weight and displacement.
Title: Re: GS gets amazing gas mileage...My wife's cruiser isn't even close.
Post by: Lucian on April 23, 2007, 08:04:28 AM
Quote from: Toad Rider on April 23, 2007, 07:49:25 AM
I have a '96 GS.  My wife has a '94 Yamaha Virago 535.  We went riding this weekend.  We rode 120 miles and stopped to fill up because her tiny 3.2 gallon tank was low.  She puts 2.7 gallons in.  I put 1.85 gallons in.   :icon_lol: Hard to believe since the bikes are about the same weight and displacement.

My best mate had (i think) the same year virago and he got so tired of said problems he bought a VN800 which, surprisingly, gave much better MPG depite being such a difference in CC.
Just sounds like poor engineering on Yamaha's part to me....
Title: Re: GS gets amazing gas mileage...My wife's cruiser isn't even close.
Post by: The Buddha on April 23, 2007, 09:28:49 AM
The GS is notorious for uneven filling of the tank. The top part ha so large in surface area and if you even fill lower than previous level by ~1 inch ... its like under filling it 1/2 gallon.
The Virago OTOH has the tank under the seat, and it can vapor lock badly and underfill. The top tank is very very small, like 1/2 gallon or less. If she had that happen on previous fill and you did that 1 inch short on your current fill up, you can more than account for the difference.
Cool.
Srinath.
Title: Re: GS gets amazing gas mileage...My wife's cruiser isn't even close.
Post by: Unnamed on April 23, 2007, 07:16:18 PM
I've actually been having some mileage issues with my '96, today I only got about 130 to reserve although I took a longish trip at low rpms. When I'm just going around town I kinda whip my baby so I expect less mileage, but I would have expected better this time. May be that I've had to run choke a lot recently because of the colder temps, but that doesn't seem very significant. I know I filled the tank up right since I put in 3 gallons last time, but I'm not sure why my mileage is low. May just be that the bike is kinda old and wasn't especially well maintained by previous owners.
Title: Re: GS gets amazing gas mileage...My wife's cruiser isn't even close.
Post by: NiceGuysFinishLast on April 23, 2007, 07:26:27 PM
That's not SO bad.. I run about 160 to reserve
Title: Re: GS gets amazing gas mileage...My wife's cruiser isn't even close.
Post by: spc on April 23, 2007, 07:50:55 PM
I run about 140 to reserve but we've already determined I ride like a jackass :icon_confused:
Title: Re: GS gets amazing gas mileage...My wife's cruiser isn't even close.
Post by: gsJack on April 23, 2007, 08:12:16 PM
I run about 220 miles to reserve in the summer getting about 60 mpg, drops to around 50 mpg winters.
Title: Re: GS gets amazing gas mileage...My wife's cruiser isn't even close.
Post by: NiceGuysFinishLast on April 23, 2007, 08:16:36 PM
Quote from: gsJack on April 23, 2007, 08:12:16 PM
I run about 220 miles to reserve in the summer getting about 60 mpg, drops to around 50 mpg winters.

holy chit...  I must really ride like a tard!
Title: Re: GS gets amazing gas mileage...My wife's cruiser isn't even close.
Post by: Unnamed on April 23, 2007, 08:22:35 PM
Yeah no kidding... I do redline it once or twice a day on a short stretch where its safe to do so, maybe thats my problem. What kind of rpms do you average?
Title: Re: GS gets amazing gas mileage...My wife's cruiser isn't even close.
Post by: makenzie71 on April 23, 2007, 08:23:33 PM
that virago may be about the same weight and have more displacement but, believe it or not, that underpowered lump  in it's frame is working a whole hell of a lot harder to do the same work.  You'll see the same thing with like the Ninja 250 vs the 500.
Title: Re: GS gets amazing gas mileage...My wife's cruiser isn't even close.
Post by: MikeNW on April 23, 2007, 08:44:04 PM
Please stop bragging about GS gas mileage until after I buy mine, I don't want the price to go UP!
Title: Re: GS gets amazing gas mileage...My wife's cruiser isn't even close.
Post by: gsJack on April 24, 2007, 06:19:31 AM
Quote from: Unnamed on April 23, 2007, 08:22:35 PM
Yeah no kidding... I do redline it once or twice a day on a short stretch where its safe to do so, maybe thats my problem. What kind of rpms do you average?

I redline my stock 02 GS maybe once or twice a year.   :laugh:  Why would anyone want to redline a stock GS?

Stock GS reaches power curve peak at about 8500 rpm and going more than 10% over peak gains nothing, power takes a dive after that.  Upshifting around 9k drops the revs to around 7k right on top of the torque curve.  I've found I can get the best performance running the back roads at 7-9k rpm.  Downshift when slowing at 7k rpm to pick revs back up.  Here's a friend's GS500 Dyno run:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v443/jcp8832/MikesGS500dynoRuns.jpg

If you do a good job of adding a pipe, intake mods, and jetting you can pick it up a couple grand and expand your power range.  You can do a better job by learning how to really ride the GS and leave it stock.   :thumb:

When the milage on the bike gets to 40k or so miles, it will start pushing oil at higher rpms and gas milage drops off too at higher rpms.  For max performance and gas milage and min oil consumption on a worn engine try that 7-9k range when running hard on a stock GS.  Annie's dyno run showing how power is extended upwards on the modified GS:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v443/jcp8832/AnniesGS500dynoRun.jpg



Title: Re: GS gets amazing gas mileage...My wife's cruiser isn't even close.
Post by: gsJack on April 24, 2007, 06:33:00 AM
Quote from: makenzie71 on April 23, 2007, 08:23:33 PM
that virago may be about the same weight and have more displacement but, believe it or not, that underpowered lump  in it's frame is working a whole hell of a lot harder to do the same work.  You'll see the same thing with like the Ninja 250 vs the 500.

Hard to beat the combination of power and economy delivered by the mighty little EX250.  Here's the results of a comparo from last years Cycle World Annual Buyer's Guide:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v443/jcp8832/PetrolPinchers.jpg

And a Busa riders opinion of it's performance:

http://www.pashnit.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1145&highlight=ninja+250
Title: Re: GS gets amazing gas mileage...My wife's cruiser isn't even close.
Post by: genEricStL on April 24, 2007, 07:23:01 AM
That link on the Ninja 250 was actually quite entertaining dude ... thanx  :thumb: My wife's been mulling over getting a bike and the 250 is something she's talked about quite a bit ... we see those things for sale all the time , just never gave them much thought - except when I first started riding ... when i saw how cheap they were (and couldn't understand why bikes didn't depreciate as much as cars do) , I went to one of the Kawi dealerships . The saleslady told me "Even if you don't know how to ride , you'll be bored with a ex250 in a week" . Now granted , she may have been right for me personally ( I run the @#$% out of my GS too lol) , it was an awfully bad tactic to sell bikes lol
Title: Re: GS gets amazing gas mileage...My wife's cruiser isn't even close.
Post by: Drakis on April 24, 2007, 08:10:28 AM
I have a 2001 GS500. Stock. BP Unleaded fuel (95 octanes) and NGK DPR8EVX-9 spark plug.
This week, i did 455km (282 miles) upon hitting reserve, and got to 540km (335 miles) before filling the gas tank.
I filled it with 18.5 liters (4.8 US gallons?).

Is this great or what?!
Title: Re: GS gets amazing gas mileage...My wife's cruiser isn't even close.
Post by: whitewolf on April 24, 2007, 09:46:58 AM
On my 04, I get between 61 to 63 miles per gallon. I run 91 % octane and put 48 miles a day round trip on it.
Title: Re: GS gets amazing gas mileage...My wife's cruiser isn't even close.
Post by: ohgood on April 24, 2007, 02:33:34 PM
I need to ride more slowly. I average about 55MPG.

I like the way it sounds at 5,000 rpm though, and don't mind WOT 5-8k rpm romps for the heck of it.

Usually I cruise home at night @ 5K rpm.

On the way to work it's 3-5K, just bring it up when a car is next to me.
Title: Re: GS gets amazing gas mileage...My wife's cruiser isn't even close.
Post by: RVertigo on April 24, 2007, 02:41:23 PM
4.5 miles each direction to work...  I got about 209 miles...  Then I realized that I'd connected the fuel lines backwards and "On" was actually pulling from "Res" and that I had about a 1/4" of gas in the bottom of the tank.    :oops:

When I'm only commuting to work I get dreadful gas mileage...  36-40 MPG...  But, with lots of freeway/back road riding I get about 52 MPG.
Title: Re: GS gets amazing gas mileage...My wife's cruiser isn't even close.
Post by: Jay_wolf on April 27, 2007, 01:43:20 PM
Think yourselfs Lucky , The Prices Here Are Like 2 Dollars a litre . and i think theres 7/8 to the gallon , so we pay outta our nose here, i mean , u can afford 2 run the big v8s over there. we cant :(
Title: Re: GS gets amazing gas mileage...My wife's cruiser isn't even close.
Post by: simon79 on April 27, 2007, 02:12:29 PM
40-45 MPG, I hope I'll be able to do better... :dunno_white:
But I like too much how the engine sounds at 7k-9k rpm in 2nd-3rd gear...D'UH!!! :laugh:


Quote from: Jay_wolf on April 27, 2007, 01:43:20 PM
Think yourselfs Lucky , The Prices Here Are Like 2 Dollars a litre . and i think theres 7/8 to the gallon , so we pay outta our nose here, i mean , u can afford 2 run the big v8s over there. we cant :(

ditto... :(

PS:even though I still prefer smaller EU cars to huge US cars/engines... ;)
Title: Re: GS gets amazing gas mileage...My wife's cruiser isn't even close.
Post by: xb9ser on April 27, 2007, 07:52:10 PM
I am a little dissapointed in my fuel mileage got 53 miles to gal on first tank. havent changed plugs yet and still learning to ride it. My 984 buell averages about 50 mpg and have got as good as 63 on a trip. with more than twice the horespower but it is FI. i still like the gs fun to ride and will keep it after buell is fixed. as my comuter bike. 
Title: Re: GS gets amazing gas mileage...My wife's cruiser isn't even close.
Post by: leedutcher on May 27, 2008, 04:05:05 PM
i beleave i saw on cnn one nite it was like 42 cents in iran or somthin like that :bs:....thats like 2 buck to top it off  :icon_razz:
Title: Re: GS gets amazing gas mileage...My wife's cruiser isn't even close.
Post by: Jay_wolf on May 27, 2008, 04:09:08 PM
saw a post i made about petrol prices , dated 20th (or so ) april , 2007 , and now in may 2008 , its 1.08 here. 8 p a year. and being someplaces are 1.12 p a litre
Title: Re: GS gets amazing gas mileage...My wife's cruiser isn't even close.
Post by: fred on May 27, 2008, 04:40:07 PM
Wow, you guys get way better mileage than I do... I usually go almost exactly 100 miles to reserve. I do have the worst possible stop and go surface street commute though... This summer I'll be working at a place that requires freeway driving, so perhaps my mileage will improve..
Title: Re: GS gets amazing gas mileage...My wife's cruiser isn't even close.
Post by: dogjaw on May 27, 2008, 07:46:21 PM
it seems strange that my 93 GS gets 58 mpg stomping on the backroad twistys as well as on the highway; I usually keep my RPMs around 6k...
Title: Re: GS gets amazing gas mileage...My wife's cruiser isn't even close.
Post by: qwertydude on May 27, 2008, 10:21:14 PM
250 miles til I hit reserve for me. That's 72 mpg, mostly freeway riding and I have an 18 tooth sprocket.
Title: Re: GS gets amazing gas mileage...My wife's cruiser isn't even close.
Post by: 08GSSteve on May 30, 2008, 05:39:21 AM
only done it once while running in the 08

350km to reserve or
60 to 65 mpg @ 220 miles to reserve
Title: Re: GS gets amazing gas mileage...My wife's cruiser isn't even close.
Post by: Blazinjr on June 11, 2008, 04:37:17 PM
Usually 220 to 245 until reserve.   When I check it it is around 58 to 64 mpg.   Best ever was 69.8 mph on a trip to Cedar point last summer.   although with the speedometer being off by 10% or so  that also change the story. 
Title: Re: GS gets amazing gas mileage...My wife's cruiser isn't even close.
Post by: toyopete on June 11, 2008, 06:06:07 PM
Hello Drakis,
I have a 2001 GS and get the same milage as you, it consumes around 1 liter on 24 kilometers in daily use, I love it.
makes you smile if you have to fill up your tank doesn't it?
Title: Re: GS gets amazing gas mileage...My wife's cruiser isn't even close.
Post by: Jay_wolf on June 11, 2008, 06:53:50 PM
May 27th  1.08 - 1.12p petrol prices ...

June 10th   1.15-1.25p



Hate This Country
Title: Re: GS gets amazing gas mileage...My wife's cruiser isn't even close.
Post by: 08GSSteve on June 11, 2008, 08:44:51 PM
Bloody hell thats expensive.

Our fuel prices here in Australia are bad as well at AUD $1.55 - 1.65 but 1.25p thats like $2.70 a litre here in Australia

Bet you are glad you ride a GS and not a V8 gas guzzler
Title: Re: GS gets amazing gas mileage...My wife's cruiser isn't even close.
Post by: Jay_wolf on June 11, 2008, 09:20:19 PM
Oh yea , well im still modifying her ,

Im on a Little Race Tuned 70cc at the moment , Gilara Dna ..

Is its modifyed form , i get 80+ mpg .. I only fill up maybe once ever 3 weeks , and it costs around 6 pounds .. and thats with midnight rides  :thumb:
Title: Re: GS gets amazing gas mileage...My wife's cruiser isn't even close.
Post by: jawntybull on June 12, 2008, 11:19:18 PM
I get around 3.7l/100km out of my 06 500F. Its one fifth the fuel consumption of my other transport - a Toyota Landcruiser. Talk about smiling when you fill up!!! $20 instead of $120...
Title: Re: GS gets amazing gas mileage...My wife's cruiser isn't even close.
Post by: yooblonder on June 13, 2008, 12:24:37 AM
Average mpg is around 50-60, mostly on country roads and motorways.  (Need to check this over several fill-ups)

Initially, I used to forget the bike had a sixth gear!  The biggest difference to my range is to fill it FULL using the centre stand.  Before that, range was 180km to reserve, now its 250km+.  Not brilliant on long distance commutes - filling up three times a day.

Comfortable RPM range in sixth gear is around 5.5 - 7.5k.

The price of fuel in Scotland's Northern Isles before the recent price hike was: £1.30 / litre (unleaded) and over £1.40 / litre (diesel)... and that's right where the stuff comes out of the North Sea.
Title: Re: GS gets amazing gas mileage...My wife's cruiser isn't even close.
Post by: Rhandom on June 13, 2008, 06:18:01 AM
I have a 98, but the previous owner tweaked it a bit.. and I get a pretty solid 40mpg on with premium. I wonder if faring would improve that number at all. I usually fill around 130, and that's about 3.something gallons of gas. I've run it out to 150, at which point I usually end up on reserve which seems to get me less than 5 miles. My commute daily is 4 miles @ 35-45 with stoplights, 16miles on the interstate between 75 and 90. Also, I seem to go thru a quarter of oil about once a month or so. tac stays just below 7 for most of the trip. I have oil change/plugs/etc on my list of things to do.
Title: Re: GS gets amazing gas mileage...My wife's cruiser isn't even close.
Post by: yooblonder on June 13, 2008, 08:05:29 AM
Reached 270 km / 168 miles before switching to reserve today, then a further 50 km before getting too nervous to go any further.  (Reckon it might have done another 50km.)

Total range of 320 km / 200 miles for 15 litres (3.3 gallons @ 4.546 litres to the gallon) = 60 mpg.

Cost over £17 but its still better than four wheels.