What kind of MPG you folks getting?

[beondwacko]

I used to get 32-34 mpg in town all the time....

Those are the same numbers I used to get with mixed highway/local riding. The only way I was able to improve on that was to really baby the bike by keeping it under 4K rpm for the whole tank and not twist the throttle past about 1/4 way at any time. My best ever numbers were 42mpg (once) and my worst was 27mpg. I am hopefull that when I add the PCIII and have it mapped correctly that I'll be able to score high 30's to low 40's with normal highway riding. We'll see.

[ActionStarCBRxx]

I am glad someone finally asked this one... It looks like there is something up with my bike as well.

My mileage is pretty bad. I have a 97. Stage1 Jet Kit, Two Bro Single exhaust and down a tooth in front. Mileage is hi twenties maybe a 30-32 mpg if I stay off the throttle (all in town driving) . I know I run rich, I can see it in the exhaust.

Thanks for bringing out this question... I need to investigate this further.

[nm767]

36 - 38 with mixed riding. 01 scorpion exhaust and power commander. :icon_doh:

[Para045]

I have a 98 BB and I commute about 63km ( 39ml ) each way and have had a best of 320km/18l ( 41.81mpg ) average of 300km/18l ( 39mpg ) at 80-120kmh ( 49-74mph ) avge speeds without wringing its neck and 270km/18l ( 35mpg ) at 90-140kmh ( 56-87mph ) avge speeds with some hard accelleration thrown in. I do seem to get slightly better milage during the warmer weather so far ( obviously less choke needed as I work 12 hr shifts so it tends to be colder in the early morning/evening ) but it does not seem to matter whether I use 91 RON or 95 RON fuel although she runs smoother on 95 so tend to alternate 91-95 . Will be interested when summer comes and I can take her on some longer distance rides and see what the milage is then :icon_think:

[rossh]

2001 cherry red all stock picked it up in detroit drove to nola followed wife 800 mi 70-80 mph all interstate 44.5 mpg.left wife last 400 mi 100-140 mph dropped to 36 mpg. xsitement factor is inversly prportional to mpg.

[TX1100F]

OK. Continuing to beat this poor horse...

Took <whoever's> advice and filled up tonight and ran 170 miles up and down the Interstate. I also put in half a can of Sea Foam since that seems to be the elixer of choice here. Got 41 MPG running with traffic at average 82MPH but ranging between 65 and 90 MPH depending on how many lanes and how many trucks were in the left lane slowing down traffic dammit.

So if my commuting mileage goes up from 32, then it's the magic of Sea Foam! If it stays around 32-33, it's the normal day-to-day magic of the Bird hauling my big ass around to and from work.

On a side note: This bike is smooooOOOOOOooooth!!! And pretty damn comfy too (with the Corbin Smuggler). I've decided to not worry about a higher windscreen or VFR800 clip-ons (unless they fall in my lap). I am, however, waiting patiently for the peg lowering brackets.

[JB4XX]

The ride back from NeXXt, averaged 75mph on my 97 jetted XX and got 52mpg.

Gearing is 18/45.

I've always noticed a "sweet spot" on my carbed bird where it got better mileage. Around 4-4500 rpm's, but usually ran 5-6000. The 18 front sprocket helped me get the highway speed and keep revs right where they need to be.

[TX1100F]

Last fill-up, after Sea Foam, and driving nice...

31MPG.

Time to hit the shop manual and google. -and maybe the Honda dealership for a XX brain scan.

I won't bug you guys anymore with this until I get a breakthrough.

[porterb123]

2000 model

TiForce full exhaust

No PC

K&N

18Tfront / 45 R

Mid 40's cruising 75 or so

Mid to upper 30's in town

No I do not ring the snot outta her

[mikesail]

Note to TX1100F. you might check my earlier garage posts about knock sensors.

My 2003 which I bought from a dealer with 0.1 miles on the clock, has always gotten 31, never higher than 33 nor below 30. I've finally changed out the knock sensor (thanks Joe ) and now my mileage has gone as high as 37, and sometimes back down to 31. It has much better power now and usually gets about 34 mpg.

From previous mpg queries and this thread I am convinced that there is still a significant issue with my bike. My next area to check will be the fuel pressure regulator, it may be holding a higher pressure and forcing the bike to run richer.

[SBBXX]

Oh, its true all right.

I really don't think it was a normal electrical draw thing so much as the battery was drawing excessove current frpm tje charging circuit, robbing the ignition system. That battery was HOT. Hot as in I couldn't touch it for 20 minutes and it was still uncomfortable to the touch once I got it out of there.

That, I guess, does qualify as electrical draw and anything that reduced the electrical load should increase the available power. This was just an extreme case. Since the power to run any electrical device must come from the charging circuit, it would make sense that reducing the electrical load will decrease fuel consumption. In the case of HID vs standard lighting, I doubt you would really notice the difference.

There is no doubt that a bad battery will load down the stator and suck HP.

You know I didn't think it was really worth posting at the time but I have noticed a slight difference in mileage dependant on the lighting. When I went from riding with the high-beam to just the low, and again when I switched to the HID. Electrical load will translate to a mechanical load, like riding with one of your brake callipers binding. If you had to crank the stator by hand and switched off/on 80 watts (roughly the difference between 2 HID verses 2 halogen bulbs), you would definitely notice the difference, almost to the point where you wouldn’t be able to continue cranking the latter, unless you’re N1K.

[Zero Knievel]

Normally, I get 35-40. Most of my miles are when the bird's loaded with luggage anyhow.

Just double-checked my records.

Based on the last three trips (Spring Rally in NC, cross-country trip and Rally in WV), the bird gets 34-41 MPG with exceptions as low as 30 and as high as 45 MPG.

Most of what eats your gas is riding style and weight (a lighter bike needs less to push it).

Mine is FI for what it's worth.

[tomek]

I get 60 mpg while doing 100-110 mph on interstate.In town I get only about 52 mpg.Well,not really.

FI XX is not the most fuel efficient bike.Period.I get low to mid 30`s in town and about 40 at indicated 80-90 mph at the sea level.While touring Colorado,Utah or Wy. it goes up,simply becouse there is less drag,thinner air etc.Last August I got something stupid as 45mpg between Ouray and Leadville while doing 10 over speed limit.It was cold as hell,raining,and I voted to hook up the electric vest,but not radar detector.There is only one electric outlet on my bike.

The only way to get the same mileage on my XX at /or near sea level would be by means of pushing or towing.

BTW if bikes are not ridden side by side those compros don`t hold much water.Your definition of fast might be very different of mine.

[Crazy Dave]

Totally Stock 02: 37-41 mpg with mixture of city and highway.

I just wish that the back tire would last longer-- Any suggestions?

Just don't tell me to avoid 1. Rapid Acceleration

2. Picking on Corvettes

3. Demonstration Rides For The Uninformed M/C Riders

4. Deal's Gap

[TX1100F]

OK... I think I've had a breakthrough of sorts. It's somewhat convoluted but gels in the end.

Last fill-up after sissy commuting riding was 29mpg!!! shit. :icon_wall:

As it happens, after filling up and closing the cap and jamming earplugs and strapping helmet and one last nose-pick, I hit the starter and hear the dreaded BRIP-click-click-click-click sound. Dead battery. Make a call, get jumped , make it home. Begin searching this site for battery recommendations. My quick search turned into research. I found a comment to the effect of low voltage conditions make for bad computing. Hmmm... Makes sense. Still looking for a battery though. Read about R/R issues on the way. Bummer. Read about CCT issues. Simple fix but dammit, Honda, why! Fuel pressure regulators too. I took a side trip on that one.

I have been smelling gas for a long time. When starting of course, but also sitting at lights, idling in parking lots, and at the end of the day filling the garage with fumes when I got home. I don’t see dripping gas. It all seems to be blowing from the pipes. So fuel pressure regulator check in the near future. But then think back to low voltage and bad computing... :icon_think:

So after seeing all the comments about Yuasa and loving/hating gel cells and Interstate batteries etc etc etc, I did what I've done for 20 years and headed to Wal-Mart. Filled my new Wally World Special and charged it overnight at 2A. Installed in this morning. Freaking Magic!

So since I bought my Bird 3 months ago or so, the FI light has ALWAYS stayed on for 1-2 seconds immediately after starting. I was about to start funking with the wiring loom. As an aside, I could also count the beats from the starter. About 4/second. With the new battery installed, the starter spins fast enough that I can't count the beats per second but it doesn't matter as it fires up almost before it physically hit the button! Sorry. Got excited. I saw some Discovery Channel thing on String Theory. Continuing - and the FI light never lit at all today!!! And after parking it in the garage after work, I didn’t smell gas!!! Freaking Magic?!?

Could it be that the whole (short) time I've owned it, the (assuming OE 2001) battery was slowly dying and dropping voltage and running the alternator harder and thus giving me progressively worse mileage and an FI light on startup from low initial pressure and bad computing so much so that is made me trail the remnants of an extremely rich mix???

I will top it off in the morning and report what MPG I get in a few days. Fingers crossed. I hope this thread can help out some poor bastard in the future...

Thanks for the years of discussions, ideas, and data folks! :icon_clap:

[Venus97]

Thanks for the update. Sounds like a matter of narrowing down the culprit. Kepp us posted.