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High MPG non 125 bikes

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Jamie S
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PostPosted: 23:11 - 14 Oct 2012    Post subject: High MPG non 125 bikes Reply with quote
I'm after a bike that is good on fuel and cheap to buy but is not a 125. Needs to be capable of 70+ mph. Any ideas?
EDIT: when I say cheap im talking 1k or under.
Jamie.

Last edited by Jamie S on 23:18 - 14 Oct 2012; edited 1 time in total
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cb1rocket
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PostPosted: 23:13 - 14 Oct 2012    Post subject: Reply with quote
honda nc700? cbf250?
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Jamie S
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PostPosted: 23:17 - 14 Oct 2012    Post subject: Reply with quote
Sorry should of stated, under 1k
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cb1rocket
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PostPosted: 23:25 - 14 Oct 2012    Post subject: Reply with quote
cb250 then, or a bit more power is a cb500 but less mpg.

the other is a to consider a 250cc scooter which are eco, like the piaggio x9
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yambabe
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PostPosted: 00:14 - 15 Oct 2012    Post subject: Reply with quote
I get about 65 to the gallon from the zeph on average, the 600 divvy was about the same. Both will do 3 figures if you want them to so 70+ is no problem.

Kittykat used to get about the same from her Fazer 600.

Depends how you ride I think, and what sort of riding you are doing.
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G
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PostPosted: 00:21 - 15 Oct 2012    Post subject: Reply with quote
GPZ500s always seems to get reasonable mpg.
Might just be able to squeeze a BMW 650 in for that budget if you keep your eye out too.
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ThoughtContro...
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PostPosted: 00:49 - 15 Oct 2012    Post subject: Reply with quote
yambabe wrote:
Depends how you ride I think, and what sort of riding you are doing.


This +1

I can get 63mpg out of the SV when ridden sensibly, it worked out at 14.something miles per litre when I was bothered counting. I've had 195 to a max of over 200 miles per tank. Others had said they only get 40mpg and some even only get 100 miles per tank. Either we aren't riding the same bike or they blast it to redline through every gear.

Some old guy on 400 greybike forum posted that he got 70mpg out of a CB-1 after changing the sprockets and riding it fairly sedately to get up to motorway speeds. Considering that's a CBR400 engine that's quite an achievement.

As always it's all in the wrist.
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barrkel
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PostPosted: 02:39 - 15 Oct 2012    Post subject: Reply with quote
SH300, 280cc scooter; I get 75mpg riding like an idiot through London, stopping every 30 seconds for lights, full throttle launches every time. Get around 90mpg at around 70-80 on motorway / dual carriageway. Tops out at about 85mph per GPS. But you won't find one for 1000 GBP.

On the basis of my experience with the SH, a 250cc geared bike should have similar performance, and fun to ride close to its relatively low limits, without sacrificing mileage in an absolute sense. But of course 250cc is low enough to make overtaking on NSL roads a bit dodgier. And I think that's the tradeoff you'll end up making.

At least with a small bike you can ride it hard without worrying about fuel. With a big bike, you'll need to ride it like a granny, IMO.
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Amreet
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PostPosted: 08:03 - 15 Oct 2012    Post subject: Reply with quote
my £500 NTV600 returns close to 70mpg if i keep under 70mph on long motorway runs. the rest of the time it returns a solid 64mpg, whether thats back road blasting, motorway trips at a fair bit over 70, town riding. And at the same time, does all of that in comfort, is fun to ride and comfy. Shaft drive.
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Spangle2k4
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PostPosted: 08:26 - 15 Oct 2012    Post subject: Reply with quote
The GPZ500 returns a comfortable 60mpg and in my opinion has plenty of shove in the 3.5-6k rpm region meaning you don't have to work it hard to make progress. Cheap to insure and a nice big fuel tank as well (200 between fill ups easily).

I ride a 2011 BMW G650GS which returns 75mpg. It's basically the same bike as the older F650 (made since early 90s) but they do seem to hold their money.
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garth
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PostPosted: 09:15 - 15 Oct 2012    Post subject: Reply with quote
My CB500 did 65mpg last tank.
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DrSnoosnoo
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PostPosted: 09:25 - 15 Oct 2012    Post subject: Reply with quote
my ZZ-R600 get's 65 mpg blasting to squire's, around town etc
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flyer
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PostPosted: 09:43 - 15 Oct 2012    Post subject: Reply with quote
Deffinetly not my 1999 model 1200 bandit, sucks fuel in the same manner that I neck pints! Thirsty!
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Jamie S
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PostPosted: 10:17 - 15 Oct 2012    Post subject: Reply with quote
flyer wrote:
Deffinetly not my 1999 model 1200 bandit, sucks fuel in the same manner that I neck pints! Thirsty!

I have a 1250 bandit and it's not much better, thats why I'm looking for another cheap run around.

All the suggestions so far seem good, it will be used for weekly trips to derby and back from north wales, just over 100 miles each way which is nothing , but I'm fed up of getting 35mpg in the van and 40 odd on the bikes, and thats if im steady.
Jamie.
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Alpha-9
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PostPosted: 10:18 - 15 Oct 2012    Post subject: Reply with quote
Are you really surprised a 1200 eats fuel? Laughing

Interesting thread, these are the bikes i'll be looking at when it's 'time'
Really like that BMW, except for the front mudguard, whats with that?
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tahrey
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PostPosted: 10:44 - 15 Oct 2012    Post subject: Reply with quote
barrkel wrote:
SH300, 280cc scooter; I get 75mpg riding like an idiot through London, stopping every 30 seconds for lights, full throttle launches every time. Get around 90mpg at around 70-80 on motorway / dual carriageway. Tops out at about 85mph per GPS. But you won't find one for 1000 GBP.

On the basis of my experience with the SH, a 250cc geared bike should have similar performance (etc)


Problem with this is, based on my own experience with a rental SH125 and its specs when looking it up (mulling over whether to get that or the CG as a first bike...), assuming the same sort of mechanical characteristics transfer over just with a higher capacity engine, those scooters run on magic. And they're bloody expensive because of it.

The 125 version took off like a scalded cat, can allegedly kiss 70mph (though the loaner's engine note at top whack suggested it was very very close to the redline at that speed; no idea how fast it actually went as the speedo was bust, but it held its own OK on the Sardinian autostrade), do about 140mpg when mollied... aaaand costs about three grand. Used.

VS the typical geared-bike winner ie the CG and CBF125 and it's closely related cousins from other manufacturers that top out around 65 and manage to pull low triple figures when ridden gently (I think my ultimate was 110mpg when riding it pretty close to what the manufacturer and the jap government test program intended)... but do at least have the good grace to commonly clock in around £500-1000, with a few shiny examples being as much as £1500.

I guess it's a combination of fuel injection, sleek fairings and a more-effective-than-most CVT, meaning it actually beats its geared rivals rather than falling behind? With the rub being in the high used values?

From my own investigations it seems to come down to a CBF250 for a modern bike (presuming you have two grand to splurge), CB250 if you have a lesser budget and don't mind something increasingly old and increasingly knackered, or the odd Suzuki GS/GN or Yamaha 250 if you can find them (hen's teeth...). For which you get 80-90mpg or so in relaxed riding and about an 80-85mph top speed.

Which, given that it's likely my own only realistic upgrade route from the CG at the moment (assuming the "stroker engine" idea proves to be a bust), means the midrange "2 wheeled 1.6-litre car" (feh) market is pretty limited and not a little squeezed. Fight you for the next CBF that comes under £2k?

Suzuki are apparently bringing out a new UK market quick/efficient 250 imminently, but it's an upper class model rather than a budget hack, so the RRP sticker is four and a half thousand. For the fuel saving to be worth it, it either needs to be a dual fueller that can also run on piss, or you need to be driving something that achieves 30.0mpg or less and doing a fair few miles...
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angryjonny
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PostPosted: 10:48 - 15 Oct 2012    Post subject: Reply with quote
My other half had a nail of a GS400 that got through less than a tank of fuel in the entire time she owned it.
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andym
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PostPosted: 11:14 - 15 Oct 2012    Post subject: Reply with quote
yambabe wrote:
I get about 65 to the gallon from the zeph on average, the 600 divvy was about the same. Both will do 3 figures if you want them to so 70+ is no problem.

Kittykat used to get about the same from her Fazer 600.

Depends how you ride I think, and what sort of riding you are doing.


+1 again

I could get 115mph out of my 600 diversion, and if I was hammering it then I would get about 120 miles before hitting reserve, but at the same time, riding sensibly I could get about 250 miles (could probably get more being a bit more sensible) before reserve.
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barrkel
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PostPosted: 11:35 - 15 Oct 2012    Post subject: Reply with quote
tahrey wrote:
Problem with this is, based on my own experience with a rental SH125 and its specs when looking it up (mulling over whether to get that or the CG as a first bike...), assuming the same sort of mechanical characteristics transfer over just with a higher capacity engine, those scooters run on magic. And they're bloody expensive because of it.

The 125 version took off like a scalded cat, can allegedly kiss 70mph (though the loaner's engine note at top whack suggested it was very very close to the redline at that speed; no idea how fast it actually went as the speedo was bust, but it held its own OK on the Sardinian autostrade), do about 140mpg when mollied... aaaand costs about three grand. Used.


FWIW, the PS125 uses the same engine; it's the highest output of the Honda 125 scooter engines, AFAIK. With the PS, you get smaller wheels, so it's not quite as good on the motorway, but it's also cheaper.

A cheaper alternative to the SH300 are the Kymco 300s, but they seem quite rare in the UK. They're also fairly new, so like the SH, they haven't had time to depreciate.
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tahrey
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PostPosted: 09:37 - 16 Oct 2012    Post subject: Reply with quote
angryjonny wrote:
My other half had a nail of a GS400 that got through less than a tank of fuel in the entire time she owned it.


Doesn't mean much if it only did 20 miles, all of them being on a trailer Laughing Christmas Hat
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Scootaloo
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PostPosted: 10:18 - 16 Oct 2012    Post subject: CB-1 Reply with quote
I own a CB-1 and it get's 110 miles from one tank full. (13 litres including reserve)

Cost me £600 to buy and has been going for 6000 miles so far without incident.

Solid bike, Cheap, Good MPG

Only downside is certain parts need to be imported which adds a bit of cost.

So for these reasons I'm going to recommend a CB-1
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angryjonny
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PostPosted: 10:40 - 16 Oct 2012    Post subject: Re: CB-1 Reply with quote
Scootaloo wrote:
I own a CB-1 and it get's 110 miles from one tank full. (13 litres including reserve)

38.4 mpg then. These days the average car will do better than that.
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chris-red
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PostPosted: 10:44 - 16 Oct 2012    Post subject: Reply with quote
BMW 650 would be my choice Thumbs Up
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Scootaloo
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PostPosted: 10:49 - 16 Oct 2012    Post subject: Re: CB-1 Reply with quote
angryjonny wrote:
Scootaloo wrote:
I own a CB-1 and it get's 110 miles from one tank full. (13 litres including reserve)

38.4 mpg then. These days the average car will do better than that.


shit, never bothered to work it out!

Well, that's the final nail in the coffin for that old peace of shite.

Forget the recommendation before, my bad.

How about those 175-200-250's CB's from times of past? any good for the MPG?
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Alpha-9
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PostPosted: 10:56 - 16 Oct 2012    Post subject: Re: CB-1 Reply with quote
Scootaloo wrote:

shit, never bothered to work it out!

Well, that's the final nail in the coffin for that old peace of shite.

Forget the recommendation before, my bad.

How about those 175-200-250's CB's from times of past? any good for the MPG?


You spend £600 a month on that cb-1??
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