MPG of 250cc & 500cc?

[Ted]

Mornin all!

Just plotting various money-saving ideas here, but what sort of MPG would I be likely to get out of a 250cc?

I'm thinking something like an early 90s CB250...


Also, doubt there is many CX nuts on here, but what MPG should I expect from a 500cc V-Twin?


Basically I'm weighing up getting a 250cc to tide me over until my CX500 is on the road, or getting another tatty CX500 with the possibility of making one good bike and one banger...

[smegballs]

[G]

Remember that find a 'bargain' bike a couple of hundred quid cheaper than it should be buys a lot of petrol over it's life time .

[chris-red]

[panrider_uk]

I don't recall any of my CXs being particularly economical.

About 55ish I think.

Adding a fairing to your CX should help mpg a little.

Mark
____________________
Current bikes: Honda ST1100 Pan European. Moto Guzzi V85 TT Travel

[Ted]

[smegballs]

my superdream was about 50mpg. Shit for a 250, MZ did 60 and the SR did about 70.

[Ted]

I've just found this online:

CB250 (wikipedia):

60-70 mpg
130kg (285lb)
20hp (15kw)
80mph top speed


CX500 (motorbike-search-engine.co.uk)

50 mpg
200kg (440lb)
50hp (37kw)
105mph top speed


But how achievable is 70mpg on the CB?

[Kickstart]

Hi

Suspect as the newest of the bikes you mention is 25 years old, rather a lot will depend on how knackered the particular example you land up with is.

Edit - assuming you mean the CB250N rather than the newer 1990s CB250 that is a quite different engine.

All the best

Keith
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Traxpics, track day and racing photographs - Bimota Forum - Bike performance / thrust graphs for choosing gearing

[Ted]

I was thinking early 1990s CB, is the engine better or worse than the older ones?

With the figures I have got (CX=50mpg, CB=70mpg) I've done some dreaded maths...

The plan is to save money by using a bike and not my 1992 VW Polo (40mpg).

My weekly mileage is about 250m.

so, assuming petrol is 115p...

Polo= 8.8mpl, so £32.75 pw
CX= 11.0mpl, so £20.25 pw
CB= 15.4mpl, so £18.75 pw

The CX would save me £6pw, or £26pm
The CB would save me £14pw, or £60pm

So on that, there is no point switching to the CX, but the CB could be worth it...

[chris-red]

[The Shaggy D.A.]

Might be a dumb question, but why don't you use your Gilera Cougar? Surely that must get at least 70 to a gallon.
____________________
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

[bacon]

I just sold my winter hack, early 90's honda cb250 two fifty

https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v218/mikejbry/beefcake/gimp2.jpg

I would get 70mpg, didnt matter if i had the throttle to the stop on the motorway for an hour or not, or bimbling around town etc

it only has a single 26mm carb, and was pretty much designed with fuel economy in mind, its another reason its pretty slow to accelerate and only whacks out 20bhp (when new)

edit: its also pretty happy on motorways, 80 on flat, 85 if you slip stream (not kidding) and 90 downhill

[Robby]

A CB250RS will give between 60 and 80mpg, depending on how you ride it.

Still, the difference between a CX500 and a CB250 in fuel burn over a year is realistically going to be ~£200. If you have to buy a tyre or two, chain and sprockets, brake pads or a major repair then you'll eat into that saving pretty fast.

A CB250RS is heavy on chains and needs an oil change every 1000 miles. CX500 is shaft drive and doesn't need such frequent oil changes. Fix the bike you have.

I also doubt you really get 40mpg out of the polo.

[Ted]

I have thought about insurance, but not included it yet, or run a quote. Got 3 years NCB which will help a bit.

As far as tyres, filters, etc goes, if I use the bike then I will be using the car much less, so less wear on car parts. Cannot easily work out prices on wear and tear, but guessing it will even out roughly.

Good question Shaggy, as far as the good old Coguar goes, I would, but I'm 16 stone, my other half is 8, so I'm wondering if a 125 will cope with 24 stone?

Robby, do you think the polo should be less or more?
I thought it would do better. Done an MPG check every week for last month, normally hits just under 40, or just over with higher octane fuel.

[Ingah]

CB250RS is 27bhp and i'm under the impression it eats a little more fuel (MCN - not the most reliable source i know, quoted 65mpg, vs 75mpg for the plain vanilla CB250). Besides which i'm sure i read the RS was only produced in the 80s.
So it's not the same as the CB250 @ 20bhp.
____________________
-- Ingah

[G]

I’m often amused with the whole concept of buying an expensive new car (or bike in some case) for the sake of getting good fuel economy – when you then end up with spending more on depreciation than you would on fuel.

[bacon]

tpft insurance on the cb250 for me, age 24 when i started the policy, 0 ncb as i hadnt had licence a year yet and it was a new policy £92

also, the cb250 doesnt have a replacable oil filter, it just has a basket you clean out now and again on the oil pump, and it takes under 2litres of oil, so should be very cheap to un

[T0MMY]

[Ted]

I agree with that, but I'm only looking for a banger, if I go ahead that is...

[Ted]

So, just to sum up... is the general opinion that if I'm doing this purely to save money, it is not worth putting a bike on the road?

[G]

If it's just for money I'd certainly at least be waiting until there's a big bill for the car - be it insurance, repairs or tax etc.

[panrider_uk]

[Ted]

I would like to get the CX on the road... but I don't think its worth it at the moment...

Looks like I may remain in 4 wheels for a few more months...

[c-m]

[quote="smegballs"]