Riding super economically.

[c_dug]

So perhaps it's a little bit "closing the stable door after the horse has bolted", but in an attempt to save what's left of my licence (after I no doubt get raped for my little kitten killing rampage the other month), I've been trying my best to follow the posted speed limits.

As a side effect, and with little conscious effort, my MPG has gone from ~40 up to 48 measured by litres in vs miles done rather than any fancy onboard wizardry. This has given me a new high number to aim for, since high MPH's are so frowned upon. Can I break that 50mpg barrier? How about 60? My commute is fairly consistent, It's basically filtering for about 70% of the 22.5 mile journey. It's pretty identical in both directions.

So far I've been trying to change gear at 3krpm, and keep my top speed to 50mph. I'm not really sure that this is the best way to ride economically though?

So. What are your top tips for bringing my MPG up? What sort of gains can I expect to see? If I was to hit 60MPG I'd need to crack an extra 55 miles out of a tank (bringing it up to 257 miles from 19.5 litres), is this even possible without doing a whole tank on the motorway?
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I am a bellend, I am a man of constant sorrow, I am a gummy bear, I am a rock.

[SofaBear]

i have an er6f.

doing 62 regularly will get me 70+mpg. but it is painfully slow and hard to keep at those speeds on busy roads.

i noticed it get worse though when i tried travelling slower than that anywhere. optimum rev range for my bike as far as efficiency goes is just over 3.5k to 4.5k (62). which

5k gets me 70mph and averages 60mph. Im ok with that, but as soon as filtering gets involved it just rapes my mpg.

my advice, travel light, change before you normally would, anything less than 3.2k on mine feels like its going to stall, anything more than 5.5k feel too revy, keep tires pumped up, maybe try the higher rated fuels?

the momentum stuff gave me better mpg in my old ST24 mondeo, nearly 550miles to a tank.

[bikertomm]

Make sure your tyre pressures are sorted first of all. Apparently new engine oil and a serviced bike can add up to 5% towards MPG, this could of course be manufacturer's BS but likely some truth in it.

Then when it comes to riding, just try to predict everything.

I generally always try to never come to a complete stop, in slow moving traffic I move slow, (car) off the throttle as opposed to accelerate > brake > accelerate > brake like most of the mongrels on the M25.

As you said, just nice smooth changes relatively low down in the RPM's. Smoothness is the key IMO, and keeping moving, starting from a stop soon adds up moving all that weight.

Also on a bike aerodynamics can play a big part I seem to remember. Get your chin on that bar!

The only other thing I can think of is going downhill for long sections, apparently putting the bike in neutral can use more fuel than putting it in the highest gear and just not touching the throttle, so just do what works for you. Sometimes I like the speed increase from neutral..


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07' Honda Hornet now full powaah! My guide on performing an oil change!

[The Shaggy D.A.]

Stick a few extra PSI in the tyres, ride like you have no brakes.
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Chances are quite high you are not in my Monkeysphere, and I don't care about you. Don't take it personally.
Currently : Royal Enfield 350 Meteor
Previously : CB100N > CB250RS > XJ900F > GT550 > GPZ750R/1000RX > AJS M16 > R100RT > Bullet 500 > CB500 > LS650P > Bullet Electra X & YBR125 > Bullet 350 "Superstar" & YBR125 Custom > Royal Enfield Classic 500 Despatch Limited Edition (28 of 200) & CB Two-Fifty Nighthawk > ER5

[evoboy]

74mpg from my NTV600 over a 200mile journey on A roads and Dual carriageways. That was fully fuelled up and with full luggage. Not bad for a 300quid shed with pod filters, larger carbs and a bodged up exhaust system!

I just keep the revs below 4000 on that bike.

My ZRX11 can manage 50mpg when revs are kept below 4000 also. But its boring as hell and I might aswell just ride the NTV.

Just dont let the engine labour/struggle and be smooth on the controls.
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Suzuki GT250 x7------- Fazer 600------CB250RS------Aprilia Rally 70----- Bandit 600

APT Motorcycles

[Moo.]

Buy a Honda C90... Even ragging the tits off it everywhere sees 100 miles to a tank. That tank only holda bout 3.8 litres


Limited speed though haha! Your never gunna lose your license on one! And they are rather easy to wheelie (Unintentionally!)
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A2 Passed 18/6/10

[Itchy]

Maybe change the sprockets? I can't remember which way you go but it means higher speed for lower RPM at the cost of bad acceleration.
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Spain 2008France 2007Big one 2009 We all die. The goal isn't to live forever, the goal is to create something that will. In the end, your life will flash before your eyes. Make sure it is worth watching.

[TheSmiler]

[doggone]

[27cows]

Clutch in as much as possible. Roll without power at every opportunity. I've had some really good MPG figures.

66 out of a Bandit 1200 (with 91,000 on the motor). 127mpg out of my RXS (average is about 75, maybe 80). 164mpg out of a CBF125 recently. But these were under perfect conditions. Remember getting over 90 out of a GPZ500 a few years back too, but again, in perfect conditions.

Try to ride as if giving it a handful will immediately cause the motor to self destruct
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The RXS100: vehicle of choice for Chuck Norris

[Pete.]

Drop the needles until it loses all it's low-midrange. Instant increase in miles per tank.
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a.k.a 'Geri'

132.9mph off and walked away. Gear is good, gear is good, gear is very very good

[ScaredyCat]

Sign up with Fuelly or at least have a look at the results other people are getting with the same bike as you.

I love this sort of thing because I can really get my nerd on. I wrote myself an app so I can keep track of it all without relying on fuelly (although I post there also automatically from the app as a backup).

I need to tweak my graph code a little bit, not quite right but if gives the general idea. I also keep track of miles/ per fill up and the price of petrol.

Best I've had so far is 77.7mpg, that was on bikesafe

66.7 was when I was on the A14 for what felt like forever....


I'm fairly consistently using 11 litres for 200 miles, about 3 left in tank. I could push it a little more but there's a petrol station at either end of my commute and sometimes it's just easier to fill up when the last bar starts flashing.

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/188253/_bcf/NC700X_mpg_03122014204905.jpg

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/188253/_bcf/device-2014-12-03-205332.png
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Honda CBF125 ➝ NC700X
Honda CBF125 ↳ Speed Triple

[TallPaul_S]

[doggone]

[Andy9934]

Power is mostly used when accelerating - either to overcome air resistance, rolling resistance or slowness.

At higher power outputs the engine is less efficient.

Because of this it is desirable, as others have said, to accelerate slowly and smoothly.

Any energy you have put in is wasted as heat when you brake so this is undesirable for efficiency, but of course crucial for safety!

As a result you will see serious gains from having good obs that allow you to time your arrivals at junctions to coincide with opportunities to continue.

You can make significant gains by drafting large, boxy vehicles too but in the current weather conditions I would not attempt this. Even following at a safe distance is likely to confer some advantage though.

ScaredyCat that app looks awesome. Would you care to share the .api?
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Surrey
Honda Varadero XL125

[J.M.]

[Pete.]

[Tungtvann]

[Albigularis]

I actually tried riding very efficiently in order to save a few quid on my commute, but it's all start-stop city riding. I even went as far as sitting in 6th at 35mph which apparently gets me 49mpg according to the computer.

Still only managed to get just under 28mpg. If I ride like a tit everywhere (nice and loud) I get 25... I think I need my fuel map looked at for the Arrow can, as the bottom end is a bit lumpy.
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Biking history so far-
Aprilia RS125 - Kawasaki ZXR400 - Triumph Street Triple R - Suzuki GSXR1000 L3 - BMW R1200GS - Kawasaki Z1000 - Kawasaki ZX10R C1H - Ducati Multistrada 1200 S Touring - Suzuki Hayabusa

[J.M.]

[Kickstart]

[Pete.]

Gains might not be as much as you'd think. Ok, if you are coasting down a long hill that you have to stop at the bottom then having a system where fuel is shut off at closed throttle you save every bit of fuel that isn't injected but if you have are driving along and want to keep an average speed then shutting the throttle will save you fuel but the rate of decline is greater because you're dragging the engine along so you'll need to get on the power sooner to maintain a decent speed. In this case, you might find a better saving having a bike that you can hit the kill switch AND pull in the clutch so you're using no fuel and not dragging the engine along. I sometimes do it. I know I can get 4 days of commuting out of a tankful but if I have to make a detour it gets a bit dicey. If I go on to reserve before the end of my 3rd day's commute I'll save a bit of fuel on the last day by coasting on stretches where I need no power. Can save probably 20% of my fuel if I'm careful/can be bothered.
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a.k.a 'Geri'

132.9mph off and walked away. Gear is good, gear is good, gear is very very good

[Albigularis]

[DrDonnyBrago]

Whenever I try to ride ubergaynomical I last about 10 miles before cracking and redlining it in as many gears as I think I can get away with.

[doggone]

It's still worth being aware and trying out of best technique in case you get caught-out running low late evening with nowhere open.