WHY Does The Ryker Get such POOR MPG???

[Aufgeblassen47]

I mean, I get only around 33-34 MPG, and I don't even ride over 60 MPH!

My 1998 Jetta TDI routinely got 55 MPG, and it is 1,900cc vs. 600, 90 HP vs. 47, and a whole lot HEAVIER!!! Proportionally, the Ryker should get well over 100 MPG, IMHO!!! Seems like designers were lackadaisical!!! I'm sure it can't be THAT un-aerodynamic! And I'm sure the CVT isn't THAT inefficient!

[Bob204bc]

That's just the nature of the beast.

My Suzuki GS550 got 40 mpg, Yamaha RD350: 38 mpg, Kawasaki s2 350: 23 mpg, BMW R80RT: 42-45 mpg, BMW K1200LT: 38-50 mpg, Victory Cross Roads: 33-42 mpg, Can Am F3L 30-35 mpg.

Motorcycles are not built for gas mileage. Except for commuter bikes, mileage is not their intention as it was with your Diesel Jetta.

[Aufgeblassen47]

mileage is not their intention as it was with your Diesel Jetta.

Yeah, I could drive from Orlando to Nashville on only one tankful of fuel!

[delkhouri]

First of all you are comparing Diesel to gas. Diesel always gets better fuel economy.

Secondly and the real reason your tdi vw got so much better fuel economy or even the 1330 spyders get better fuel economy is RPM's. I bet in your TDI at highway speeds you are at what 2500rpms. The 1330 spyder at highways speeds are at 4000ish rpm (just guessing here) where the Ryker at highway speeds is 6000+ rpm for the 900cc and at 7000rpm for the 600cc. More RPM to maintain speed = more engine work = burning more fuel.

What I don't understand is why the suzuki burgman 650cc scooter and the honda silverwing scooter 600cc average 45-50mpg. They both have cvt transmissions and can do it, I don't understand why the ryker 600cc cant. But then again its probably down to the whole rpm thing.

[bikerbillone]

delk, pretty sure you have nailed it.

[Eviltwin]

What I don't understand is why the suzuki burgman 650cc scooter and the honda silverwing scooter 600cc average 45-50mpg. They both have cvt transmissions and can do it, I don't understand why the ryker 600cc cant. But then again its probably down to the whole rpm thing.

I own a Silverwing and at 60 its turning around 5K rpm. That is with stock pulley setup. My guess with the Ryker is that you are pushing a third wheel with a disc that creates drag. You also have a much less aerodynamic front, no windscreen and probably much wider tires. It converts the engine power via a CVT as well as a shaft drive. And it weighs a bit more.

At least it does better than my RT. That gets about 25mpg.

[ARtraveler]

Apples and oranges here. If your Ryker gets much less than other Rykers...maybe something is wrong...unless you are driving like a speed demon...which you said you do not.

Low 30's was the best I ever had on four out of five Spyders (all 998 twins). The 1330 RT is high 30's, low 40's. I never bought them for economy, so for me, not an issue to worry about.

[cjackg]

Maybe you should have bought a Prius.. I don't even know what my mileage is, I just enjoy the ryde!

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

Maybe you should have bought a Prius.. I don't even know what my mileage is, I just enjoy the ryde!

Knowing your gas mileage ( for me at least ) isn't about pinching pennies..... Your Gas mileage TELLS YOU how your engine is performing ….. If you avg. 38 mph consistently and suddenly it goes down to 32mph ….. something isn't right with the engine ….. and you will know this before something really bad happens ….. jmho …. Mike

[BajaRon]

It's all about where the CVT is designed to keep the engine. You can set it for fuel economy and sacrifice performance. Or you can set it for performance and sacrifice economy. Everything is a trade-off.

I'd say the different modes (ECO, etc.) are an attempt at giving you some ability to choose where you want to run in the power band. But even the most fuel efficient setting is still highly biased towards performance. I assume BRP felt that most people were more interested in performance than fuel mileage. And, I for one, think they were right.

At the other end of the scale is walking, if you really want to get the best fuel mileage!

[NU2Spyder]

Well said Ron. Was wondering if you can clear something up for me? Which type of trans does the Ryker have ? As on my 2011 RT 5 speed or 2014 RT 6 speed ? I hated keeping up with revs and tacs much less the fuel mileage on the 5 speed.

[Highwayman2013]

Well said Ron. Was wondering if you can clear something up for me? Which type of trans does the Ryker have ? As on my 2011 RT 5 speed or 2014 RT 6 speed ? I hated keeping up with revs and tacs much less the fuel mileage on the 5 speed.

It's a CVT, twist the throttle and go. No shifting.

[Aufgeblassen47]

It's a CVT, twist the throttle and go. No shifting.

But they run at rediculously high RPMs at any speed!!!

[campermac]

If you want good mpg then buy a Honda PCX-150 I had 2 of them that my wife and I used to ride 110+ mpg over 200 miles on a 2.1 gallon tank and they would run out to the limiter at 73 mph

[RICZ]

A contributing factor is aerodynamics. Cars have great aerodynamics, while motorcycles and Spyders do not.

[Aufgeblassen47]

A contributing factor is aerodynamics. Cars have great aerodynamics, while motorcycles and Spyders do not.

Not much actual cross section against the wind! My Yamaha Majesty with LARGE custom mounted saddleboxes still got 50 MPG, and so did my Piaggio MP3 500 3 wheeler. Heck, my SLINGSHOT with 2,400cc engine and obviously MUCH heavier got better MPG than Ryker (and I used regular in Slingshot instead of recommended PREMIUM)!!!

[Markubis]

Not much actual cross section against the wind! My Yamaha Majesty with LARGE custom mounted saddleboxes still got 50 MPG, and so did my Piaggio MP3 500 3 wheeler. Heck, my SLINGSHOT with 2,400cc engine and obviously MUCH heavier got better MPG than Ryker (and I used regular in Slingshot instead of recommended PREMIUM)!!!

The Slingshot uses the engine from the PT Cruiser I believe so its got a car engine in it while weighing significantly less. Hence the performance and the gas mileage. It also has gearing instead of a CVT.

The Ryker has a much wider front end compared to motorcycles so you are getting significant wind drag.

[Rogue Hawk]

Mine is getting better as I put miles on it. It was the same with any new car I bought.

[Aufgeblassen47]

The Slingshot uses the engine from the PT Cruiser I believe so its got a car engine in it while weighing significantly less. Hence the performance and the gas mileage. It also has gearing instead of a CVT.

The Ryker has a much wider front end compared to motorcycles so you are getting significant wind drag.

LOL, Slingshot has a GM engine that was in Pontiacs.

[Raknid]

Not much actual cross section against the wind! My Yamaha Majesty with LARGE custom mounted saddleboxes still got 50 MPG, and so did my Piaggio MP3 500 3 wheeler. Heck, my SLINGSHOT with 2,400cc engine and obviously MUCH heavier got better MPG than Ryker (and I used regular in Slingshot instead of recommended PREMIUM)!!!

You are correct, but it is not just about frontal cross section. How cleanly the object moves through an airmass is impactful too. For a motorcycle or three wheeler - with a rider perched on it - that is not a smooth service at the frontal, midsection or tail. So the surrounding airmass is very disrupted and flows are not smooth - and the rider and bike do not move through in a slippery fashion. Many jagged shapes and voids.

[chris56]

in the last 5.500 miles our 900 Ace reached 35 mpg, this is OK for me - around the same like with our Spyders, but we are now "faster" than with our old (too) heavy RTS/V2 ..
we are riding here in the Alps ( solo I love the Sport-mode !), 2up she "switches" always in the ECO-mode - only few "Autobahn-Highways"..

[IdleUp]

I mean, I get only around 33-34 MPG, and I don't even ride over 60 MPH!

My 1998 Jetta TDI routinely got 55 MPG, and it is 1,900cc vs. 600, 90 HP vs. 47, and a whole lot HEAVIER!!! Proportionally, the Ryker should get well over 100 MPG, IMHO!!! Seems like designers were lackadaisical!!! I'm sure it can't be THAT un-aerodynamic! And I'm sure the CVT isn't THAT inefficient!

It's Simple - When the Ryker is doing 60 mph, the engine is turning 5700 rpm. When a Spyder is doing 60 mph, its only turning around 3000 rpm, so your burning more fuel and wearing your engine almost twice as fast as a Spyder.

Regards - Mike

[Jsmith8695]

Now that I have over 1000 miles on the Ryker Rally, I achieved an average 36.2 mpg on my last 260 mile trip. This was riding two up (about 360 pounds combined weight) in ECO mode. Most of the ride was between 55 and 65 mph, mostly on rural roads. Used regular 87 octane fuel purchased at the local Sam's club

[bikerbillone]

That's most interesting, 2 up on the Ryker and 36+ mpg, who woulda thought it.

[Aufgeblassen47]

That's most interesting, 2 up on the Ryker and 36+ mpg, who woulda thought it.

I get only 33 with 1 up.