Running ECO Mode - my MPG results.

[Fjrwillie]

While it Vermont, I asked BLUEKNIGHT911 what his MPG was, quoting me 41mpg. Since we have almost equivalent Spyders I told him I usually get 31 to 33 MPG. He told me to try ECO mode, which has never been on since I purchased my RT.

Being a retired accountant, our profession involved recording financial data which carried over to my personal life. I tend to record some pretty useless information when it comes to money and Miles Per Gallon for the Spyder is that kind of information. But I am forever going back to my recordings. Here's a smattering of the gas I used for the Spyder in 2021

4/8/2021 SPY 64861 5.231g 3.259 24.46 MPG
4/10/2021 SPY 65018 4.876g 3.039 32.19MPG
4/19/2021 SPY 65197 5.634g 3.259 31.7 MPG
4/20/2021 SPY 65374 4.895g 3.059 36.15 MPG
4/26/2021 SPY 65532 5.025g 3.25 31.44MPG
5/2/2021 SPY 65670 4.765g 3.259 28.96 MPG
5/6/2021 SPY 65808 4.307g 3.259 32.04MPG
5/13/2021 SPY 65949 4.025g 3.109 35.03 MPG
5/13/2021 SPY 66100 3.948g 3.459 38.2MPG
5/18/2021 SPY 66220 4.147g 3.359 28.9 MPG
5/18/2021 SPY 66389 5.320g 3.439 31.7 MPG
5/31/2021 SPY 66545 4.257g 3.399 36.64mpg
6/1/2021 SPY 66694 4.629g 3.429 32.18MPG
6/2/2021 SPY 66855
6/2/2021 SPY 67019 4.750g 3.249
6/3/2021 SPY 67172 4.517g 3.259 33.87MPG
6/11/2021 SPY 67303 3.962g 3.599 33.06 MPG
6/11/2021 SPY 67442 3.355g 2.999 41.43 MPG
6/11/2021 SPY 67577 4.606 3.419 39.48 MPG
6/12/2021 SPY 67744 5.152g 3.279 32.41 MPG
6/13/2021 SPY 67846 2.547g 3.559 28.65 MPG
6/13/2021 SPY 68011 4.730G 3.499 34.88 MPG
6/16/2021 SPY 68192 5.408g 3.559 33.46MPG
6/16/2021 SPY 68358 4.554g 3.3659 36.45MPG
6/16/2021 SPY 68458 2.864g 3.499 34.91MPG
6/17/2021 SPY 68594 3.794g 2.959 35.846 MPG
6/18/2021 SPY 68681 2.356g 3.499 36.92MPG ECO ON
6/18/2021 SPY 68849 4.595g 3.259 36.56MPG ECO ON
6/18/2021 SPY 69024 4.566g 3.359 38.32MPG ECO ON


That last recording has increased my MPG's to over the 38 mark. I think this ECO stuff may have some promise. There is a slight decrease in 1st gear but ever so little, but noticeable to me. I will continue to record this data, because I can't help myself and update as time goes on.

Hopefully some of you folk will find it useful

Willie

[trikermutha]

What were your speeds to get these results?

[cruisinTX]

VEEEEERY interesting. I, too, am a bit of a numbers geek, but not because of being an accountant. I'm not sure why but I am a bit obsessed with numbers on odometers where I watch for numbers in sequence, palindromes, notable mileages (10K and 100K) and occasionally double palindromes when the main odo and reset both show one.

This better mileage does interest me too. So, I have a couple of questions about your habits in using ECO mode.

1. how aggressively do you accelerate between shift points?
2. what is your normal top cruising speeds on major hiways?
3. how much do you depend on cruise control while once at hiway speed?
4. what percentage of the time are you two-up vs. solo?

Inquiring minds want to know.

[bikerbillone]

I'm pretty happy with 32 mpg on my 2020 RTL, but that's 99% two up, always looking for more in ECO mode. The thing recently turned 3K, so maybe mpg will get better, if not, then it's still OK. Since Covid is getting better, I hope to get more miles this year, 3K miles in a year is sick.

[Fjrwillie]

What were your speeds to get these results?

Not running conservative by any means

Willie

[Fjrwillie]

VEEEEERY interesting. I, too, am a bit of a numbers geek, but not because of being an accountant. I'm not sure why but I am a bit obsessed with numbers on odometers where I watch for numbers in sequence, palindromes, notable mileages (10K and 100K) and occasionally double palindromes when the main odo and reset both show one.

This better mileage does interest me too. So, I have a couple of questions about your habits in using ECO mode.

1. how aggressively do you accelerate between shift points?
2. what is your normal top cruising speeds on major hiways?
3. how much do you depend on cruise control while once at hiway speed?
4. what percentage of the time are you two-up vs. solo?

Inquiring minds want to know.

1. how aggressively do you accelerate between shift points? Shift probably around 4500 in general. When I need the acceleration like getting on the highway not afraid of the throttle so 5500 to 6000 would not be uncommon On town streets I do not accelerate heavily at lights or stop signs. Not looking to draw attention to myself and what would be the point. I use acceleration when the situation calls for it.

2. what is your normal top cruising speeds on major hiways? I run 7 to 10 over the posted speed limit. Interstate if 65 I would be doing 72. I like my comfort zones so to get to those Alone Zones not afraid of 80+ to get to the zone. Back roads typically run 10 over unless I see those folks that give out Performance Certificates, then I stay 4 to 7 over.

3. how much do you depend on cruise control while once at hiway speed? On Interstates, US routes and straight State Routes I use cruise as long as I am not having to brake alot or change speeds.

4. what percentage of the time are you two-up vs. solo? All of the stats above are SOLO. SO does not ride anymore due to back problems

In addition I do Grand Tours which requires stopping, getting off the bike, setting the flag and taking pictures and general photo opportunities. This is not particularly good for MPG.

Willie

[pidjones]

Just with a couple data points, I find that two things really increase my MPG: riding in national parks and staying out of traffic. National parks around here means BRP, FHP, or GSMNP - all of which restrict speed and go to higher altitudes (computer leans out the bike automatically). Avoiding traffic minimizes accell/decel and need to accelerate hard to stay alive. I run in ECO mode most of the time and seem to get a couple MPG increase from it.

[trikermutha]

I really seen no change if any when I used ECO mode awhile back. What type of gas you using can affect mpg too..ex ethanol versus non ethanol

[ARtraveler]

Also one who has not benefited from using ECO mode. I ride very conservative mostly all the time. I keep the rpm's in that 3500 - 4000 area MOST of the time. For me, ECO has generated about one mpg more. My biggest complaint is always watching for the green arrow to pop up. My current mileage on both F3's is 40 mpg. Close enough for us.

Another retired accountant here, so you can guess that I check the mpg's mostly every tank. And at the risk of starting another war (), I also use 87 octane with 10% ethanol for fuel choice. I believe Mike does the same.

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

Willie - what I noticed on your MPG's was you didn't start using it until we rode on the 17 th .. at the last half of the day ... so that really won't count. .... I'm pretty sure the engine needs a little bit of time to fully adjust for the computer change .... so what you got on the 18th should be more accurate - and it was much better .... I did notice on 5/13 and on both reading on 6/11 were very high. .... how you rode those days meant something ...... keep us posted on what you learn by keeping it in ECO mode ..... you did start using 87 oct. at the same time as using ECO mode so that may make a difference also ???? .... Mike

[Fjrwillie]

Willie - what I noticed on your MPG's was you didn't start using it until we rode on the 17 .. at the last half of the day ... so that really won't count. .... I'm pretty sure the engine needs a little bit of time to fully adjust for the computer change .... so what you got on the 18th should be more accurate - and it was much better .... I did notice on 5/13 and on both reading on 6/11 were very high. .... how you rode those days meant something ...... keep us posted on what you learn by keeping it in ECO mode ..... you did start using 87 oct. at the same time as using ECO mode so that may make a difference also ???? .... Mike

Gonna keep it ECO mode for awhile except when I am chasing you up 17. gotta couple of trips coming up so more data will smooth things out.

[2dogs]

Just with a couple data points, I find that two things really increase my MPG: riding in national parks and staying out of traffic. National parks around here means BRP, FHP, or GSMNP - all of which restrict speed and go to higher altitudes (computer leans out the bike automatically). Avoiding traffic minimizes accell/decel and need to accelerate hard to stay alive. I run in ECO mode most of the time and seem to get a couple of MPG increases from it.

I've experienced exactly the same thing and I run ECO 99% of the time, and I run the higher octane fuel. I also calculate my fuel millage at every fuel stop but I quit recording it. There are many outside influences that affect MPG that some of us don't recognize or pay any attention to and then wonder why our MPG was so low or high. Heavy winds, heavy traffic, on/off the throttle, pushing through the twisties, stop-and-go traffic, and so on, all reduce our MPG. On the flip side, steady throttle, smooth maneuvers, low RPM's and lower speeds all increase MPG. No mystery here, we all do it. On my last 2up trip we did approx. 30 miles of 1st, 2nd, and 3rd gear riding. Very slow riding because of some graveled areas and an extremely rough paved road surface. Thought my windshield was going to vibrate off. The next 30+ miles was 1,2,3, and occasional 4th gear. The rest of the trip was slow high altitude twisties in a national park and the highway home was all downhill at 60 MPH. When I filed up my calculation came out to 49.3 MPG! WHAAAAAAT!! I could not believe it. I checked it twice and my wife checked it. I questioned the station's clerk as to the fuel pump's accuracy? He said no problem that he knew of and he also checked my figures. Still 49.3 MPG! I have to believe the reason was because of the extended low speeds we had to travel and the low RPM's we used for the 60+ miles we traveled. That's gott'a be it?

[RICZ]

My brother and I had identical bikes (1980 Suzuki G1000G) and he did not like riding long distance with me because I needed to fuel up more frequently. He rode conservatively, staying in higher gears, as he was trying to squeeze all the miles he could out of a tankful. I was charging the twisties in lower gears, getting as many yee haws as I could out of a tankful. One time, we were filling up and he was chiding me for having to take on more gas than he. I felt the need to justify my lower mileage and told him this: The ticket price for a better show is always higher and I am enjoying that better show.
YMMV is so true; there are differing blends of fuel, there is differing terrain, there are differing altitudes and there are differing temperatures. Riding in the Midwest is very different from riding in the Pacific Northwest in all those parameters. So I am happy with mpg in the low 30s, and higher spm - smiles per gallon. BTW, there is a road here that is akin to the Tail of the Dragon, only 4X longer. It's a real workout. Come on out and we'll do it together. Have a full tank.

[Joel The Biker]

You may be missing one other factor. Rear tire size. If you run a car tire, many run a larger size to make the speedo more accurate. This lowers RPM and increases gas mileage. My new 2021 S2S is getting 42 mpg currently which is very impressive to me. Stock rear tire still. My worst is 33 mpg on a tank.

[Snoking1127]

While it Vermont, I asked BLUEKNIGHT911 what his MPG was, quoting me 41mpg. Since we have almost equivalent Spyders I told him I usually get 31 to 33 MPG. He told me to try ECO mode, which has never been on since I purchased my RT.

Being a retired accountant, our profession involved recording financial data which carried over to my personal life. I tend to record some pretty useless information when it comes to money and Miles Per Gallon for the Spyder is that kind of information. But I am forever going back to my recordings. Here's a smattering of the gas I used for the Spyder in 2021

4/8/2021 SPY 64861 5.231g 3.259 24.46 MPG
4/10/2021 SPY 65018 4.876g 3.039 32.19MPG
4/19/2021 SPY 65197 5.634g 3.259 31.7 MPG
4/20/2021 SPY 65374 4.895g 3.059 36.15 MPG
4/26/2021 SPY 65532 5.025g 3.25 31.44MPG
5/2/2021 SPY 65670 4.765g 3.259 28.96 MPG
5/6/2021 SPY 65808 4.307g 3.259 32.04MPG
5/13/2021 SPY 65949 4.025g 3.109 35.03 MPG
5/13/2021 SPY 66100 3.948g 3.459 38.2MPG
5/18/2021 SPY 66220 4.147g 3.359 28.9 MPG
5/18/2021 SPY 66389 5.320g 3.439 31.7 MPG
5/31/2021 SPY 66545 4.257g 3.399 36.64mpg
6/1/2021 SPY 66694 4.629g 3.429 32.18MPG
6/2/2021 SPY 66855
6/2/2021 SPY 67019 4.750g 3.249
6/3/2021 SPY 67172 4.517g 3.259 33.87MPG
6/11/2021 SPY 67303 3.962g 3.599 33.06 MPG
6/11/2021 SPY 67442 3.355g 2.999 41.43 MPG
6/11/2021 SPY 67577 4.606 3.419 39.48 MPG
6/12/2021 SPY 67744 5.152g 3.279 32.41 MPG
6/13/2021 SPY 67846 2.547g 3.559 28.65 MPG
6/13/2021 SPY 68011 4.730G 3.499 34.88 MPG
6/16/2021 SPY 68192 5.408g 3.559 33.46MPG
6/16/2021 SPY 68358 4.554g 3.3659 36.45MPG
6/16/2021 SPY 68458 2.864g 3.499 34.91MPG
6/17/2021 SPY 68594 3.794g 2.959 35.846 MPG
6/18/2021 SPY 68681 2.356g 3.499 36.92MPG ECO ON
6/18/2021 SPY 68849 4.595g 3.259 36.56MPG ECO ON
6/18/2021 SPY 69024 4.566g 3.359 38.32MPG ECO ON


That last recording has increased my MPG's to over the 38 mark. I think this ECO stuff may have some promise. There is a slight decrease in 1st gear but ever so little, but noticeable to me. I will continue to record this data, because I can't help myself and update as time goes on.

Hopefully some of you folk will find it useful

Willie

A lot of you higher mileages were without ECO ON

[ThreeWheels]

Sorry if I'm being a contrarian.
I've seen no significant difference in mpg in eco mode, and I find chasing that green arrow to be so much of a distraction that it becomes a safety hazard.

[2dogs]

Shift by braille, don't be looking at the green arrow for instructions on when to shift whether you are in ECO or not. It takes a while but at some point, you'll become one with your machine and you'll never have to look at your gauges. When you don't have to look at your gas gauge, then you know you're really good.

[askitee]

Interesting timing, a mate and I took a 4 day ride through a couple of areas that there was snow. Prior to leaving for no good reason I decided to leave Eco mode on. We clocked up approx 1500kms, and had to watch our speeds due to it being double demerits for the most of the time away. My consumption improved considering we zigzagged The Great Dividing Range on our east coast and by day two i really didn't notice the drop in performance, choosing to adapt my riding style a little to more conservative.

Double Demerits - here in NSW Australia when we get booked we accumulate points - get to 13 and your license is suspended for 3 months, 15km/h over the speed limit is something like 2 points normally, doubles to 4 on double demerit periods.

[Fjrwillie]

Sorry if I'm being a contrarian.
I've seen no significant difference in mpg in eco mode, and I find chasing that green arrow to be so much of a distraction that it becomes a safety hazard.

Agree with the annoying instructions but I shift by sound so no biggie. From time to time I do look down to see what gear I am in, and that green arrow seems to be there, but at my age you just learn to adapt.

Willie

[Fjrwillie]

A lot of you higher mileages were without ECO ON

Yea but I expect between 31 and 33 =which seems the norm.

Willie

[ThreeWheels]

Agree with the annoying instructions but I shift by sound so no biggie. From time to time I do look down to see what gear I am in, and that green arrow seems to be there, but at my age you just learn to adapt.

Willie

Yes, but the whole idea of the eco mode is to tell you to shift at lower rpm to save gas. If you don't follow the arrow, you're not really in eco mode. I suppose that's why it's not terribly effective for me.

[Fjrwillie]

Yes, but the whole idea of the eco mode is to tell you to shift at lower rpm to save gas. If you don't follow the arrow, you're not really in eco mode. I suppose that's why it's not terribly effective for me.

I have an issue with authority (TIC) so I don't see those little green arrows. They are suggestions, just like the speed on the yellow signs, just suggestions

[ThreeWheels]

I have an issue with authority (TIC) so I don't see those little green arrows. They are suggestions, just like the speed on the yellow signs, just suggestions

No. They aren't suggestions. They ARE eco mode. That's the point. If you don't shift when the arrows tell you too, then you're not using eco mode.
No one says you need the eco mode, I've found it useless, but putting the bike in eco mode and ignoring the green arrows is like going to a baseball game and ignoring the game in favor of reading a book.
Nothing will stop you, but why bother ?

[bikerbillone]

Think I need to drop out of ECO mode a while and see how that drives the mpg, I shift at the sound or feel of the engine, I always have 1968 when I first began riding m/c's. As a newbie with the 2020 RTL, I need to satisfy myself the riding mode I prefer.

[2dogs]

Yes, but the whole idea of the eco mode is to tell you to shift at lower rpm to save gas. If you don't follow the arrow, you're not really in eco mode. I suppose that's why it's not terribly effective for me.

ThreeWheels gets it. High torque at low R's. Follow the guidelines and it works. Don't follow them, and it won't. Simple as that.