RT 1330 MPG ??

[IdahoMtnSpyder]

I fixed the issue, and successfully logged the mileage from 2nd fill up to now my 3rd fill up. 156 miles before the low fuel light came on. 20MPG!!!!

No way 20 mpg. To be that low you would have had to pump in 7.5 gallons. The total tank volume is 6.9 but the usable volume is barely 6.4, and that only when you are running on fumes when you get to the gas station. You more than likely pumped in about 5+ gallons for an mpg somewhere around 25 to 30. 80 mph is a mileage killer. If you have a head wind at all you can easily see mileage as low as 25 mpg. I've had 30 tankfuls less than 25 mpg in 34,000+ miles.

[IdahoMtnSpyder]

For my real world experience with gas mileage over two summers read this thread. https://www.spyderlovers.com/forums/...ium-vs-Regular.

[IdahoMtnSpyder]

My tank is a 6.9. Granted some of that is the reserve.

No reserve space. About .5 gallons of unusable space above the absolute full up point.

[Lew L]

My fuel mileage goes to poop at speed over 75 or 80 (can you say Wyoming). Two up, fully loaded, under 70, or on slower mountainous trips we get 38 to 40 mpg. And that is with the ECU Stage 1 upgrade.

Lew L

[happyspyder2039]

Also lower the windshield to almost all the way down will help.

[canamjhb]

Ya, I'm familiar with the gas pumps you have to endure in California. Ridden many thousand miles there. If you don't pull that donut back and slowly top your tank, you will have much reduced range. Remember, The RT does not have a fuel filler neck. When you put the nozzle in, it is being placed directly into the fuel tank..... Jim

[trikermutha]

The MPG's has nothing to do with how much gas is in the tank . But does help to pull back the nozzle a bit to get a few more miles out the tank being filled.

[SithLord]

Thanks CanAmJHB & Trikermutha
I agree, the volume of fuel has nothing to do with MPG's but I will try and pull back to squeeze more miles out of it.

HappySpyder2039
I realize the windshield all the way up creates more drag, but sitting at 6'2 in 100+ degree weather, having it fully extended allows me to flip up my modular helmet avoiding that hot claustrophobic feeling, while keeping the bullet bugs from impacting my face at 60 miles and hour lol. I'm ok with a little hit due to that, the trade off is worth it to me, but 20 (yes 20, I know what my app said and read) does not account for that.
I've gotten a ton of good advice, some confirmed my theories, some I will try once my packages of goodies arrives. I'll try slower speeds on my next adventure and monitor it after a few tanks, putting some sea foam through it just to be sure.
Thank you all.

[IdahoMtnSpyder]

Also, tank to tank mpg jumps up and down like a kid on a trampoline. My experience, shown in the thread I link to, shows that you don't get a good measure of mpg until you average 10+ tankfuls. Even then the graph looks like a roller coaster.

My mpg is negatively impacted mostly, I'm sure, by my F4 tall and wide windshield being full up all the time and the fact that probably 80% of my driving is 65+. In 34,000 miles I've only had 24 out of 296 tankfuls with an mpg greater than 35 mpg. And only 4 of those were over 40 mpg.

[happyspyder2039]

Sorry for the crappy advice. I’ll refrain from offering anything useful anymore.

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

Sorry for the crappy advice. I’ll refrain from offering anything useful anymore.

... He Agreed with you ...... and took the time to explain His Personal situation ..... happyspyder try and be happy .... Mike

[Mikey]

Boy's, boy's, I think the guy knows by now he's got to take his hand out of the carbs to gain fuel millage by now!! EASY!!!

[trikermutha]

Sorry Dad

[carbonation]

OP, sounds pretty normal to me.
I think the comment about filling the tank is correct. You need to pull the nozzle a bit and top off to almost the gate in the top of the tank.
I don't think Seafoam is going to get you a thing at this point. No harm, but it's mostly pale oil and provides some lubrication for upper cylinder and valve stems. Mixed 50/50 with Techron and dosed at 1 ounce per gallon is my homebrew for clean valves and fuel pump and injector lube.
I'm in the camp of sticking with the stock type paper filter as well. Not many agree with me, but the K&N only gets you more noise, and does not filter as well. The stock paper filter flows more than the engine needs, it is not a restriction or drop fuel mileage.
Considering you are in California with their cruddy RFG fuel, and were running 80, I'd say slow to 65, make sure the tank is full, and see what you get. I've never seen more than about 33 from my 1300. And the 998 I had was awful... never more than 20 on a good day downhill.

[trikermutha]

Since I drive a lot and use this in my car , even the Spyder at times.

https://www.royalpurple.com/product/...ystem-cleaner/

[jcthorne]

Sorry but this whole discussion seems based on a faulty calculation. You state you went 156 miles and filled up. You do not state how many gallons it took to fill but then state you only got 20mpg. That would mean you pumped 7.8 gallons which will not fit in the tank. You got far better than 20mpg.

Learning to fill the tank and when its actually empty based on refill volumes will go a long way to extend miles on a tank when traveling.

Learning how to calculate mpg will go a long way to ease your mind on fuel economy you are getting.

[trikermutha]

What App are you using to calculate MPG??

[ARtraveler]

RE: MPG

The gauges are only there to give an approximate #.

Here is what I do. At each fill up, I set one of the tripmeters to zero. This gives me total miles run on the gas in the tank.

Fill up should be to the same level each time. The auto shutoff feature is just a starter. I pull the nozzel out and carefully continue to add gas until it reaches the filler ring. Stop, let it drain down and then fill up to the filler ring one more time. This is done faithfully for each fill.

Now you have information to calculate the MPG. Take the total miles on the tank, and divide it by the number of gallons put in at the fill. That will give you the best MPG numbers.

Note: I do not go crazy with decimal points either. I use one tenth. EG: Miles driven--200.53 That is 201 for me. Gallons used 6.3

201/6.3 would be 31.9 that would be 32 mpg for me.

There are still many factors that effect mpg....this is not perfect, but it isnt bad either.

[canamjhb]

Sorry but this whole discussion seems based on a faulty calculation. You state you went 156 miles and filled up. You do not state how many gallons it took to fill but then state you only got 20mpg. That would mean you pumped 7.8 gallons which will not fit in the tank. You got far better than 20mpg.

Learning to fill the tank and when its actually empty based on refill volumes will go a long way to extend miles on a tank when traveling.

Learning how to calculate mpg will go a long way to ease your mind on fuel economy you are getting.

Nice catch. My fuel light would start to come on when I used a bit more than 5.5 gallons. So if he rode 156 miles and the light came on, the OP probably added no more than 5.5 gallons. 156 divided by 5.5 yields 28.4 MPG. Factor in probably not topping the tank, crappy California gas, windscreen at full height, and constant 80 MPH and everything seems pretty normal to me..... Jim

[IdahoMtnSpyder]

Sorry but this whole discussion seems based on a faulty calculation.

Nice catch.

I sometimes wonder just how closely folks actually read posts. See post #24.

[Mikey]

Boy do we need a long ride in the twisty back country!!!

[canamjhb]

IMS.....You are absolutely correct. I did miss your post. Our conclusions are the same. I'm just a little slower..... Jim

[Fat Baxter]

I have a 2014 RT-S. I've done a number of long, high-speed (80 mph) runs on the interstates and the light comes on around 155 - 160 miles. If I run the back roads and keep it around 60 mph, and use the cruise control a lot, the light comes on just before 200 miles. So your results are in line with my experience.

High speed, combined with the RT having the aerodynamic cross-section of a barn door, eats into your mileage.

[SithLord]

TrikerMutha
I user Fuelly to calculate the mileage. I use it for my car, truck and 2 wheel motorcycle. Been spot on and reliable for years.

Fat Baxter
Thanks for you post. If that is indeed in line with the norm, then I'll have to live with it or ease up on the throttle.

I think we can call this thread dead now, thanks all for the helpful comments and suggestions (like topping off the tank).

[BreezyRyder]

I am a VERY aggressive Ryder, routinely 9mph above posted speed limit, hard acceleration, winding it out before shifting. My personal philosophy is that high performance engines LIKE being worked hard, and last longer for getting the exercise; I have been proven right time and again getting 200k+ miles out of every HP car I've owned. Caveat is change the oil, do prescribed maintenance at correct mileage or EARLIER.

I average 27-29mpg, routinely.