Hmmm , my first thought is someone playing a prank on you and in a week or so you might expect to see your gas milage drop a bunch.


Actually I have no idea. My totally stock T100 with AI and stock exhaust gets 43 to 44 mpg and has stayed in that range since new (Now has 5200 miles. )

 

smileage

I'm stumped! llllllll

The gas mileage calculations done for the last four tanks of gas bought for my 2003 T100 work out to be 60, 59, 60, and 61. Always before, the bike had turned in consistant MPGs of between 38 and 40. I've made no mods from stock, and still have EFI, stock pipes, and airbox. I had always figured that the rather poor MPG had to do with our 4,000 foot altitude and the fact that I have not re jetted.

I bought the bike new and haven't ridden it just a lot. It only recently went over 3,000 miles.

Is anybody else getting this kind of mileage? Why do you think this one is suddenly doing so much better? (I calculate it to be about a 57% improvement!)..........

Please advise exactly how you are calculating your mpg on your bike.
the traditional method is to start with a slap full tank, record the mileage on your tripometer or speedometer and when you are ready to fill again, subtract the first mileage figure from the mileage when you fill up and divide the miles driven by the number of gallons used.
Your figures indicate that you did that. the minute differences are likely due to having a bit more or less gas in your tank when you fill up.
The error involved may also be in your speedo's variation recording miles driven.
Generally , any engine will run better the more it is broken in and with yours at 3,000 you are probably experiencing the engine loosening up a bit, the rings getting seated, the cylinder getting polished etc. etc.
You could have your speedo calibrated, there are shops around that can do that for a small fee. That might account for a few mpg but it looks like you are just getting the engine broken in thus better mileage........

 

That is about my gas milage on a -08 efi Thruxton, so it should correct. Has to be the break-in but the improvment was very large though..

edit: British mpg is 60 and US 50, 4.7l/100km. That's with the bike all stock.

 

Wow... too weird. If my mileage suddenly jumped to 60MPG I'd be thrilled. Did you fill those last 4 tanks at the same gas station? Maybe the pumps are out of calibration? Usually pumps being out of calibration does not benefit the customer though :-0) Its just as likely that someone is sneaking over to your bike while its parked and adding gasoline to your tank.

 

I am confused -

"I've made no mods from stock, and still have EFI, stock pipes, and airbox. I had always figured that the rather poor MPG had to do with our 4,000 foot altitude and the fact that I have not re jetted. "

you have a 2003 that is EFI but you havent rejetted?

WTH are you talking about? No efi until 08 and not in the US and you cant rejet EFI..... there are no jets.

These bikes never got 60mpg and the average is about 38-42mpg.

I get 200kms on 14L of fuel which is 7L/100kms. Not bad but not fantastic. Still better then my 4.6L Explorer Ltd which gets 14L/100kms.

 

I am confused -

"I've made no mods from stock, and still have EFI, stock pipes, and airbox. I had always figured that the rather poor MPG had to do with our 4,000 foot altitude and the fact that I have not re jetted. "

WTH are you talking about? No efi until 08 and not in the US and you cant rejet EFI..... there are no jets.

Oops! That's AI (air injection). My mistake. I'd just been reading another extensive thread about EFI and had it on the brain.

Yes, traditional method of calculating gas mileage as described above. When the first tank came in at 60, I figured I had recorded a number wrong, but the next three tanks confirmed my methodology.

Fill ups were at two different stations.

I thought that the Ducati was good at 57 MPG, but this is just wierd.

 

I am quite sure the OP meant AI not EFI.

 

Different areas of the country use different oxygenated fuel mixes for pollution control. They usually make a switch in blends when the weather changes in the fall. The blend is usually a high alcohol content blend which reduces fuel mileage. You might be in an area that has just recently changed their fuel blend.

 

Hey, Kurt,

Good thinking. We use that stuff here six months out of the year. The switch over to the winter blend (oxygenated) has not yet happened. Still, that's one heck of a lot of improvement!

Howard

 

Ahhhhh it is all clear now!! Carry on!

 

smileage

"Onward, through the fog!"

 

I get 52-55 mpg (US gal) on long steady day runs, but daily commutes drop me to around 46. I just can't fathom a 57% increase all of a sudden. Yeah my milage went up a little after break-in but not that much. Never heard of a Hinkley Bonnie getting 60 for an average. How many miles are you going to reserve or fill-ups? If your only going short trips then filling up, that leaves a lot of room for variation in your calculations. To get more accurate numbers you should ride till empty then fill up with 3 to 3.5 gal. That will give you a truer reading.

 

Bonny fuel consumption



I only get about 82-92 miles per tank, that is about 32-35mpg [UK gallons], pretty poor for a low performance bike. Bonnevilles have poor fuel consumption for some reason, they should manage 50mpg but I think you would have to do a regular 30mpg to get that.

 

Are you re-fuelling at the same gas station? I've not noticed with my bike but with my pick-up if I fill up at one particular store I get approx 150km less on a tank than I do if I fill up at other places. That is still not as big a difference as you are getting but might be worth some thought.

 

Yes, refueled at the same gas station, and even at the same pump.

Each outing had riding that was mostly long and steady legs, with little in town, commuter style riding. Each prior check of gas mileage involved around town riding only. That's quite a difference! I guess that it takes considerable gas to get that big, heavy flywheel moving. When it's spinning, appearently it take little gas to keep it that way.

 

lower mpg due to grade of gas or riding conditions?

I have an 06 Bonnie, AI removal and TORs, with just over 4000 miles on it. We have been having a gas shortage here and I have noticed that the station where I fill up just put the ethanol notice on their pumps and I heard that they were going to switch to the winter formula early due to the shortage as well. Before this happened I was getting around 55 mpg using premium grade non-ethanol. Lately all I can get is regular with ethanol and my mileage has dropped to around 46mpg. I have been running about 110 miles between fill ups as this gets me to work and back 2 trips without hitting reserve. I have only recently started commuting on the bike so I wonder if the type of riding I am doing has caused the decrease, the lower grade of gas, or a combination of the two? Before I was doing leisurely country riding and now I am doing 75+ mph interstate most of the way. Also the temperature has dropped by about 30 degrees.

 

I've got an 03 with about 2200 miles on it. I average 32-35 mpg in stop&go city commuting. I live in the Northeast and we only have access to fuels with heavy amounts of ethanol in them.

I bought the bike used, and it had sat around for a while. I'm sure I need to have the carbs balanced and the idle/exhaust CO set by the dealer. I ran a bottle of Red Line through two tanks of gas, figuring it wouldn't hurt.

Maybe 3,000 miles will be the magic number that gets me to 60pmg?

 

My 08' gets 40-44 mpg religiously. Full tank to reserve always at 134-139 miles.I only use premium and ride fairly hard. Was getting about 48 before D&D's and re-jet about 1800 miles ago. Bike now reads 2500 on the clock.Wish I could get even 50 mpg. Somethings strange about your mileage.

 

My fuel mileage and performance seem pretty constant regardless of which grade of fuel I use.

I generally achieve a hair over 50mpg if I ride solo, all highway and don't whomp on it.

If I decide that I want to go a little faster or take the backroads (or both), then the mileage drops down into the mid-40's.

I've never seen mileage less than 45mpg.

One tank, I was able to achieve 57mpg.

 

Man, I must be leaking fuel on my scrambler, I barely get 33-35 mpg mostly stop and go...
I do have togas and removed the airbox, but even before with TORs I barely got to the low 40's at best.

With 60mpgs you have the range of a sport cruiser .... 180 miles before you refill...

 

2700 plus miles on my Scrambler I just got 44.4 MPH , hit Res at 140 miles .

Last tank I got 44.8 . All stock but the seat , Dx windscreen and centerstand .

This last fill up I put in reg gas , can't see any differance so far . It doesn't ping , and I tried my best to make it do it . It does in fact seem to lug a bit better down low .

 

I just filled up tonight and got 45.56 mpg ( US ) . Also I spashed a bit by pulling the trigger a bit to fast too . I thought at the time I was certain to get less mph > spilled some > did the 1/4 run twice that tank .

But nope I got better with Shell Reg than Shell Prem that tank .

A nice note to this all is after I did the fast runs , my stock exhust is sounding a bit better I guess I have burnt , blowed out some of the packing . I can hear the bugger a bit now over the motor .

 

MPG's

I'm getting a solid 42.5 miles per gallon.
Consistantly since break-in after my first couple of tanks.
I'm using Shell Premium.
I run about 120 to 140 miles before reserve.
I ride hard and fast, like I stole it.
I'm gonna try regular next fill up and see if that changes my mileage.

 

the supernatural is at work here

tsmgguy - you crossed the border one too many times and got trapped in the "metric dimension" and can now only experience kpgs rather than mpgs, hence the percieved mileage improvement.

Seriously though, I have a hard time believing the oxygenated fuel idea would account for such a difference. All my previous motorcycling was done in Colorado where we too used oxygenated gas. While I remember some improvement in summer mileage, it was on the order of maybe 10-15% and could just as easily be attributed to the warmer temps enabling the bike to run more effeciently. Hopefully some other high elevation riders will weigh in and give you their thoughts.

 

mileage - ethanol??

I have just checked my i-pod gadget and it says i have been averageing 49mpg.

its a mixed town / highway / single lane 30 mile round trip commute.
My bike is a stock o8 scrambler with 1550 miles.

Whats the ethanol in the fuel for, i dont think we get that in the UK or winter fuel.

Cheers
Clive

 

Whats the ethanol in the fuel for, i dont think we get that in the UK or winter fuel.

Cheers
Clive

Clive - Ethanol is blended in to help reduce carbon monoxide buildup, which occurs in many cold climate US cities in the winter where it regularly gets close to or below 0 degrees F. It helps them meet emissions standards. Since the UK doesn't have the cold winter temps that much of the US does, there apparently isn't any need to use it.

Also, the ethanol special interest group is as tough and politically dangerous to say no to as the Mafia

 

etanol

Cheers for the explanation scram.

c

 

gas mileage

I have 800 miles and aI,air box removed, rejetted 140/40 1 shim, Hyde Togas and get 42mpg.Just had the first oil change.

 

I ride a 2003 T100 will 11,000 miles on it. I get about 53 on the highway and 45'ish in the city. I'd have your speedo checked.

 

I've been getting some crummy mileage for a while, but it was all short trips except for one ride to a rally two-up with all the gear. This weekend I was able to fill up and burn a tank solo. 124 miles, 2.66 gallons gave me 46.6 mpg with the summer screen.

No complaints!