HOW many MPG?! (25-30?!?!)(sv650s)

[qpop]

OK so since getting the SV I've been trying to keep vague track of mileage vs. filling up, trying to get a feel of riding the bike...and so far, not so good!

I must be riding this bike wrong, or something must be awry with fuelling, but essentially, last refuel I did it as soon as possible after reserve light was flashing (lets say within 10 miles probably more like 5) and put 10 litres of petrol in....
And my reserve light is flashing again after trip reads 55.4 miles!
So...worst estimates, we're looking at 55 miles per 10 litres, or ~25mpg....best estimates, 65 miles per 10 litres, ~30mpg!

I was led to believe with an SV this would be looking more towards 40? 45 on a good day?

Mitigating circumstances:
With it being so COLD I've been running engine on choke for ~10-30seconds from start just about every time I ride
Most rides are 5-15 mins in town, I accelerate too quickly and brake too hard (despite my best efforts to follow roadcraft..)

Could these factors be enough to be raping my mpg? What can I do to get this BEAST under control? I dont like having worse MPG than an Integra Type R

If there was a fuelling problem, would there be other symptoms? Exhaust is clean, not much carbon buildup etc.... What should I be looking for? Or should I look inwards, and at riding style? Or somewhere between the two? OH BCF HELP ME!
____________________
Past: 96 P Aprilia RS125 - 97 R Honda CB500 | Current: 00 W Suzuki SV650s
Why tiptoe through life only to arrive safely at death?

[Pernig]

I think your problem is that you're taking short runs on cold days. Bikes only make their best fuel consumption when taken on a long journey. 5-15 minute journeys through town are the sort of circumstances where your fuel consumption will be worst (stopping and starting etc).

If you were to go for a long journey you would probably find that you would last a lot longer before you hit the reserve. For instance, my bike is a 750. I put about 18 litres in to fill it up from the reserve.

Taking three 50 mile journeys with my friends on 125s, I clocked up 150 miles and didn't even hit the reserve before I filled up.
A motorway thrash at 100+mph followed by twisty backlanes and spirited riding I got from a full tank (in Bolton) to completely empty in 140 miles (ran the tank out in Louth, Lincolnshire and had to call out the AA to fill me up ).
Using my bike purely to get to town on (20 minute seven mile journey through a couple of traffic lights and lots of stopping and starting) I hit the reserve in 115 miles.

If you get bad fuel economy on a long run too, then I would be worried. Until then, I wouldn't sweat too much. There's a lot of variable factors. 5-15 minute blats through town in the cold really don't help, but things like leaving the choke on for 30 seconds don't make a titsworth of difference. Nothing to worry about there .

If you're still worried, check for possible causes.

Is the bike running rich (sounds like the choke is still on, you can smell a lot of unburnt fuel coming out of the exhaust).
Is your chain loose.
Are your tyres flat.
____________________
H100 Breaking for spares

[mackrilld]

Hello i have an sv650s and your fuel consumption does seem a little high. I ride to work 10min journey there and back but lots of traffic lights ect and get around 90/95 before the fuel light comes on then after about 120 bike will completely run out, IF i thrash it on a big ride (did have a pillion on board) i brimmed the tank and got about 92miles out of a full tank cost me £15 to fill it right back up (prices was around £1/1.05) hope this gives you some sort of indication as to how other sv650 fair on mpg. Dom

[c-m]

Bloody hell that's terrible.
My old ZXR750 with a claimed 42mpg would do 150miles to reserve (12 litres) and around 180+ to empty.

I now have a VFR800 on loan and it doesn't seem as economical.
____________________
Motorcycle headlight bulbs and HIDs
Blogging about my bike and trips
https://ridershandbook.com/

[Rawker]

i have an sv and do really short journeys into town about 4miles or so, stop start hard acceleration and braking and i get about 90 before the lights come on,

on a country run with some supercars, me 2up i still managed over 50mpg

get over 50mpg most times i go out for a decent country run.

Adam

[qpop]

but if its 15litres before reserve, and you get 90 miles in town, then your fuel consumption is about the same as mine?
____________________
Past: 96 P Aprilia RS125 - 97 R Honda CB500 | Current: 00 W Suzuki SV650s
Why tiptoe through life only to arrive safely at death?

[Rawker]

i usually don't fill it to the brim unless going out for a run.

usually stick about £10 in each time, unless going longer where i think i may end up stuck somewhere with no fuel.

Adam

[Itchy]

How aerodynamic are you though as this also matters.

As in my tour post on leaving day riding down the M6 at high speed my luggage was deadly flappy and I was wearing my flappier water proofs and it was also cold, I was emptying a 19 litre tank in 100 miles. Granted I am heavy on the throttle anyway it was windy and rainy.

On the way back when it was warmer and I had lost most of my luggage and was riding back in leathers which are more aerodynamic and also tied my hair back, I was emptying a tank every 180 miles and filled up only once on the way back to Manchester.
____________________
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.

[ajb]

I would also say be a little more precise with your measurements.

Fill the tank to the brim, do some miles and when you next at the pump, write the miles down then write down how much fuel goes in to fill to the brim again (try to fill it up exactly the same).

then do the maths.

When I had a CB500, I could get 180 to reserve with town-ish riding, one time I got real lazy with changing gear and hit reserve on 140miles.

Make a conscious effort to drive economically and see how it goes.
____________________
CBR125R '05 > CB500 '00 > CBR600F '99

[onfire]

I've been tracking the MPG on my phone since I bought my SV650s and I've had from 35MPG to 61MPG. My daily commute is 2.2 miles and I'm not a slow rider when the road is clear.
____________________
My bike: Honda CG 125cc Blue
CBT - Passed 12/01/08 - Bike - Yamaha YBR 125
Theroy - Passed - DAS - 21/07/08 - Bike - ER-5

[Clanger]

I don't know the mpg, as I monitor it due to speed and by the tank full. When the red light comes on though, I know I have about 20 miles to go before it runs out.

If I stick to a general mph of < 85, then a full tank will last a good 130miles. If I cane it, then it could run out after about 90miles.
____________________
Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter, and those who matter won't mind - Dr. Seuss

[MattEMulsion]

[tsmith]

a few things you can check.

have you modified the bike? larger jets, free flowing air filter and noisy exhaust will lower mpg

tyre pressures? check they are set to the recommended PSI

brakes ok? check they are not rubbing, warped disc etc.
any pulsing on the lever?

riding style - do you pin it everywhere, do wheelies, rarely use 6th gears, ride at high rpm in lower gears? this will lower mpg

flappy clothes also lower mpg (increased drag). leathers are best.


SV650s should get around the 50mpg mark.

[iooi]

[Blue_SV650S]

In your 5-15min rides how far are you going?? If of those 15 mins 14 of them are sat stationary in traffic/at lights then its no wonder you get carp MPG as .. well the engine is running for a long time and yet only covering 3 yards!! ... basically I could imagine in congestion where you are not filtering your average speed will may be summin like 2mph ... so 1hr running and only 2 miles covered ... that is not really going to give you good MPG is it

Have you tried using the bike on a clear run?

At a constant 60-70 (motorway) you should get ~45. Commuting where you can average 30mph ~40mpg.

Backroad blatting ~40mpg.

From full, at best I get 110 miles before the first fuel light, at worst ~85.

Under those conditions, if you are NOT getting figures aprox like that, then you have something wrong.
____________________
The purpose of life is to fight maturity.

[Seb]

Both my big twins are in a similar boat, on the Futura I would see as little as 120 miles out of 15 or so litres in town on short commutes, whereas on motorways and dual carriageways I'd easily see at least 200 miles before the fuel light came on.

The SP1 doesn't even manage 90 miles before wanting more juice in town
____________________
2010 Triumph 1050 Sprint ST

[chrisw]

[thefallenange...]

My SV is about £10 to 100 miles at the current prices. Which is 12 litres or 2 2/3 gallons which comes out at 38 mpg. Not bad but i've seen about 43mpg out of her. I'm not very easy on the throttle as you can see.
____________________
Past - CG125 ,KR1S, SV650s, Street Triple R - Current - Duke 390

r.bridge1988@gmail.com

[Marci]

8 miles a day of commuting sees me get 110 miles out of a tank on the cbr600f... spurty stop start riding. Same riding with baffles in, 119 miles out of a tank. Same riding with baffles in, but back brake binding like u wouldn't believe - 70 out of a tank.

When I went to Wales 2-up, fully loaded with luggage, I averaged 175 out of a tank... smooth n' steady due to girly on the rear.... baffle in.

Went to Scotland solo with luggage, managed 150 out of a tank... rode like a lunatic for the duration... no baffle.

Ridiculous amount of factors determine your mpg. I just stopped trying...
____________________
FAB-Racing MiniMotoSidecars - Back with a vengeance - F1 Class 2011...
CBR170 engine, custom chassis - www.minimotoscene.co.uk

[ajb]

Once you know approx. what MPG you get for 'average' riding, it will become instinctive by how you are riding what sort of MPG / mileage you are going to make. You just have to ride 'controlled' once to get a decent benchmark.

PS. It annoys me when people compare £££ to miles, prices vary so much and people never fill up with the same ammount it's an absolutely useless measurement !!!
____________________
CBR125R '05 > CB500 '00 > CBR600F '99

[ben350]

[qpop]

ok I brimmed tank, rode on trip meter, brimmed tank again when light flashed

this was 2/3 town riding 1/3 hooning yesterday on beautiful day (B road hooning mostly, YAY for Strines road )

I got.... 108.3 miles out of 14.03 litres :S

This equates to 35.1 MPG....

So I reckon I need to look at things like...air filter? I'm sure from time to time I can smell unburnt fuel, any ideas/clues on that one?
____________________
Past: 96 P Aprilia RS125 - 97 R Honda CB500 | Current: 00 W Suzuki SV650s
Why tiptoe through life only to arrive safely at death?

[MattEMulsion]

I don't think that 35mpg is that bad really for an SV650 with the type of riding that you have done. I am not talking from any personal SV experience, just from an outside point of view. Someone with a similar bike will be able to confirm better though. My advice would be not to go looking for a problem unles you are really sure that you actually have one.
____________________
Yamaha YZF-R6

[Tango675]

My SV650N K1 does about 50-55mpg. I usualy hit the reserve at 130-150 miles, but have done 170 on a tank (the last 30 miles where mostly costing and cursing my heavy right hand at the start of the tank).

I mainly do longer journys of 30miles at 50-*cough*70ish.

Trouble is the SV probibly takes about 10min to get up to tempeture. If you are doing that short a journy maybe a 125 CG may be a better option?
____________________
Somebody give that windup merchant a torque wrench..