MR. WOMO Posted November 9, 2006 Share Posted November 9, 2006 Hey all, I posted earlier this summer about my '98 Bird. It had been runnig VERY rough and had a small valve cover leak into the 3rd spark plug well. So I pulled the carbs, put on a new valve cover gasket, cleaned the carbs up (though they seemed very clean to me) - the problem, or what I suspect was the problem, was that the straps that hold on the bank of carbs were pretty loose, causing what I think may have been a vacuum leak. After tightening those and reassembling, it's been running pretty good. I also put in a new battery since it was having a hard time holding a charge, new Iridium plugs and added some SeaFoam to the first couple of tanks of gas. (though I would love to have a Bird rider that lives nearby, and is better with the whole "wrenching" thing take a listen to it and let me know what they think) Anyway, we've had a couple of nice days here and I've been riding back and forth to work, and noticed that I'm getting about 140 miles, give or take, on a tanks-worth! I saw a thread not too long ago where some of you were saying they get closer to 200 or more a tank! I do think it is running rich, but would that contribute to so much fuel consumption? Any ideas why mine is so lousy!? Some pertinent facts that may explain/help to figure: - Dynojet kit - K&N filter - Blueflame slip-ons As always, all help is appreciated! Cheers, Kevin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rideonXX Posted November 9, 2006 Share Posted November 9, 2006 Checked your tire pressures? Very frequent checks are a good thing---but a lot of folks don't take the time unless they are planning on riding more lively.---------happy trails kel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MR. WOMO Posted November 9, 2006 Author Share Posted November 9, 2006 kel - Thanks for the reply. Tire pressure, check. I was burned on that very thing years ago, but have since bought one of those portable air compressors so I'm always good to go! -Kevin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Venus97 Posted November 10, 2006 Share Posted November 10, 2006 I have a '97, I'm getting in the low to mid 40's mostly freeway at 70+ mph. I usually fill up when the gas gauge is below a 1/4, takes btwn 3.6 to 4.1 gallons and miles is anywhere from 160-180. I did run it to 200 miles 1 time and was starting to sweat. It seems there is a reserve, but I'm not sure where that starts on the gauge. I have noticed mine has gone down a little recently and I'm attributing it to the colder temps. I also wonder when the oxygenated winter blend will hit the stations, which is known for lowering mileage. Maybe where you are it has already started??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rideonXX Posted November 10, 2006 Share Posted November 10, 2006 Damn------I have a '97 and have NEVER got over 35 mpg---most of the time 32 to 34 depending how agressive I am with the throttle and gear choices. I weigh 220+ in gear and Diablos at 36/40. -1 front sprocket. To me---40 would be pretty nice. Happy trails kel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
150Fuelie Posted November 10, 2006 Share Posted November 10, 2006 It's gotta be the Blue flames, wanna sell them Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete in PA Posted November 10, 2006 Share Posted November 10, 2006 98 Bird...My speciality. Did you buy it recently with all those mods or did you do them yourself? I had a Dynojet kit in the begining, (I've owned mine since July of 99) and I got it running great but to get rid of a hesitation at 3500 rpm it ran really rich. 32 mpg rich. I long ago went back to the stock needle but shimmed. I think the Dynojet needle has the wrong taper. You can get 38 mpg this way, and good running. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scottw Posted November 10, 2006 Share Posted November 10, 2006 That is really low, unless you ride it hard all the time. How does the plugs look??? Are the tailpipes really sooty?? How about pulling the Dynojet kit out and see what happens. I've pulled 230 miles out of a tank and still had 0.8 gal left on my 99 (PGMFI) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MR. WOMO Posted November 10, 2006 Author Share Posted November 10, 2006 Hey guys, thanks! Pete in PA/scottw - Yeah, I'm wondering if the Dynojet is the culprit. I JUST put the plugs in, so I don't know if looking at them this early will tell me much; like less than 1K ago. The endpipes are very soot covered, and the plugs I pulled before did indeed look like the bike was running very rich. I had a extremely reputable mechanic put the kit in when I lived in Cali, and don't know if I would have the experience enough to replace it myself. And if I did, would switching to a Factory Pro kit instead be any better? Or is stock the only way to get that mileage back? Also to fix the running rich part - dial the screws IN right? Perhaps they are out a little too much? Let me know what you guys think. Hey 150Fuelie - Were you the guy that was looking for a set of the 'flames? I do like 'em, though I wish I had gotten the dual port tips. I bought these about 7-8 years ago, and they were REALLY cheap back then - like about 5 or 6 hundred bucks if memory serves. They've gone up big time since then. But worth it! I'll be happy to sell ya mine when I get enough spare change to get new ones!! Cheers, Kevin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shovelstrokeed Posted November 10, 2006 Share Posted November 10, 2006 A bit of apples to oranges here as mine is a 2001 and EFI. The 'bird fuel consumption is not what I would call stellar but you have to pay for that power some way. Running at 5000 RPM in 6th, I normally get around 38 mpg and see the warning light start flashing at about 170 miles. On my bike, that means I have a gallon or so left in the tank. I just rode through VA on the way up to NJ (no radar detectors allowed) so I kept my speed down a bit at around 4400 RPM (GPS 72 mph). Went well into the 200 miles till the warning flash. A bit shy of 41 mpg. Around town, I seldom see above 35. Stock gearing, stock pipes and my 200 lb self and 110 lbs of luggage. 2 Givi E360 side cases and an E460 top case along with a soft bag on the seat. A lot has to do with your throttle hand and how it is twisted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MR. WOMO Posted November 10, 2006 Author Share Posted November 10, 2006 shovelstrokeed - sounds about what I was doing into work and back; around 5K revs in 6th. City riding has obviously been even worse! Thanks for the input, and I'll see what the carb experts weigh in with. -Kevin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
99Birdman Posted November 10, 2006 Share Posted November 10, 2006 I've found that the length of my rides make more difference than the type of riding I do. My normal commute is about 7 miles with some surface streets and if that is all the riding I do on a tank of gas, I get about 31-32 mpg. Probably because I spend a significant amount of gas at startup and idling at lights etc., even if I baby the throttle. OTOH - if I ride hard for a couple of hours on the weekend, twisties etc., I'll get 34-35. I imagine if most of my riding was distance, I could get in the high 30's or better. FWIW - may sound crazy but, my milage went up almost 10% when I took off the Heli bars and put back on the stockers. I was really looking for better cornering but apparently, at about 6', the Heli bars put me more up into the wind and less aerodynamic. I'm using a MagicalRacing double bouble screen. It may be possible that your height may have as much effect on mileage as weight. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MR. WOMO Posted November 10, 2006 Author Share Posted November 10, 2006 99Birdman - I would agree about the distance part. My ride to work is about 40 miles, give or take, so a pretty decent distance, and mostly freeway, so I would think I'm at about the max right now. I was reading another thread about sprocket sizes, and I did go to a 16/45 combination, which would account for a reduction there - forgot about that. As someone said in another thread about tires and performance vs. mileage; I guess one needs to go for what is most important to them. I may try to put in a Factory Pro kit or stock jets and see if it makes an acceptable difference in mileage/performance and go from there. By the way, I've got a Magical racing screen as well; the smoke/carbon combo - LOVE it! Really nice quality stuff! Hope you like yours as well! Cheers, Kevin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harald Posted November 10, 2006 Share Posted November 10, 2006 My 97 is stock except for Heli bars. My daily commute is 25 miles each way with about half of it highway. I usually keep the tach at 5000rpm on the highway so I'm ready for a quick pass when there's a gap. Nobody ever beats me off the line at a stop light (in other words I make good use of the throttle). My average mileage is 35. I recently changed air filter and plugs and checked valve clearances. I haven't sync'd the carbs because I didn't have an adaptor to fuel the bike while syncing. I run 37/39 with Pilot Road tires. I seem to get less mileage than other guys in any vehicle I have. I guess I'm just a lead foot/hand. My 2000 F350 crew cab dually 4x4 pickup only gets 10mpg avg. Some guys claim 15, but I have to really baby my truck to even get close to that figure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BarryG Posted November 11, 2006 Share Posted November 11, 2006 I average low 30s on my '02....most I'll see is maybe 36. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cbrbear Posted November 11, 2006 Share Posted November 11, 2006 Your air fuel mixture screws could be improperly adjusted from jetting, your choke could be stuck (happened on my buddies VTR1000) cable moved and he "thought" it was working fine when in fact choke was always on and he thought it was strange he had to adjust his idle way out..... I get on a nice road trip 220 or so before I have to stop, fuel light comes on around 180-200. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete in PA Posted November 11, 2006 Share Posted November 11, 2006 Just turning the screws in is only one part of a 4 part process. There are 5 positions on the needle that can be changed, don't know if the main jet is right, what pilot jet went in, and then there is the pilot screw adjustment. Here is a great step by step procedure on jetting. http://www.factorypro.com/tech/carbtune,CV...pm_engines.html I'll be yanking my bank again Sunday suposed to rain all day anyway. Still not quite right. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Para045 Posted November 11, 2006 Share Posted November 11, 2006 99Birdman - I would agree about the distance part. My ride to work is about 40 miles, give or take, so a pretty decent distance, and mostly freeway, so I would think I'm at about the max right now. I was reading another thread about sprocket sizes, and I did go to a 16/45 combination, which would account for a reduction there - forgot about that. As someone said in another thread about tires and performance vs. mileage; I guess one needs to go for what is most important to them. I may try to put in a Factory Pro kit or stock jets and see if it makes an acceptable difference in mileage/performance and go from there. By the way, I've got a Magical racing screen as well; the smoke/carbon combo - LOVE it! Really nice quality stuff! Hope you like yours as well! Cheers, Kevin My ride to work is about the same 65km ( 40ml ) and varies from 110kmh highway ( 68mph ) down to 60kmh ( 37mph ) twisty stuff and I usually avg ~ 35-36 mpg to the reserve riding with avg amounts of throttle ( not babying but not wringing its neck either ) but just lately have been going a slightly different direction which is about 10km ( 6 1/4ml ) longer but increases the highway side to about 3/4 of the distance and have been averaging about 39mpg ( including a couple of short squirts to 200kmh ). So I am hoping that on a long trip at highway speeds I would avg over 40 mpg. BTW mine is a 98 carb ( stock carby + jets I believe and I have a top box and weigh 130 kg ( 300 lb ) :icon_think: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Venus97 Posted November 12, 2006 Share Posted November 12, 2006 Birdman-my mileage went down slightly when I mounted a taller ZG sport touring screen, but then went back up when I mounted Scorpion slip ons. I finished a 200 mile ride today, got 47 mpg in mixed highway/mountain riding. I was thinking of adding jet kit but the bike runs so well I best not mess with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.