Why is my 2019 RTL getting poor fuel economy

[Upcoaster]

Greetings Spyderlovers!

I just acquired a used, 2019 RTL from a private seller. It's in showroom perfect condition with just over 5K miles and plenty of extended warranty left. I was pleased with the deal and the test ride passed my muster so I paid the man and rode it home.

That 300+ mile shake-down cruise on Sunday was very enjoyable except for the fact that I was going through fuel like crazy. I know that the 998s had really short legs but from what I've read, the 1330 equipped Spyder should be getting 35MPG if not better (around 250 miles per tank).

The real time MPG read out was pretty steadily showing me 25 MPG with occasional spikes to 27 MPG. The previous owner apparently had not reset any of the trip counters so I noticed this average MPG of 14.8 which is presumably the average over the lifetime of the bike. Pretty abysmal.

IMG_6021.jpg

Once the seller gets the warranty transferred to me, I intend to take it in to the dealer to have this deal with. Just thought I'd check in with the quorum here in the mean time to see if anyone had thoughts on what could be the cause of this. Just in case it's related, I'll mention that 6th gear also felt a little funky (hard to describe) but 5th gear all the way home cruising at 75+ most of the time seemed to feel just fine.


Thanks to all!

[Jetfixer]

5th gear at 75 mph WILL gobble gas. I generally go into 6th at about 46-50 mph as long as that's not uphill. I average 37 mpg. Don't trust the onboard readout of fuel economy. Track your miles and gallons added for a few tanks.

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

5th gear at 75 mph WILL gobble gas. I generally go into 6th at about 46-50 mph as long as that's not uphill. I average 37 mpg. Don't trust the onboard readout of fuel economy. Track your miles and gallons added for a few tanks.

If you think that's bad try 75mph in 3rd. gear ...... seriously tho, I get decent mileage from my 14 RT., 38 to 40 mpg's depending on how I DRIVE IT .... I have no issues with 6th gear, I treat it like an OVER-DRIVE .... I see you had a 2010 V-twin, which NEEDED to be driven in the higher RPM range to good performance .... Drive your RTL the way it was designed to be driven and you will enjoy it more .... jhmo .... Mike

[ARtraveler]

Good advice above. IMO...the mpg readout is next to worthless. Check your mpg the "old fashion" way. Set a trip meter to zero each time you fill up. Take the total miles of the tank and divide by the number of gallons used. Note: fill to the same level each time. Auto shut off is not your friend. After auto shut off, I pull the nozzel out of the tank and carefully decant more gas up to the ring. Stop, let it settle and do it one more time. That is not perfect, but it is more close to full than auto shut off will give you.

I consistantly get 40 mpg with both our F3's. I don't exceed much more than 60 mph any time, any more. Higher speeds will gobble fuel as said above.

[Upcoaster]

OK, Some interesting replies, gents. Not at all what I was expecting but let's run with the notion that essentially "you're driving it wrong" for a hot minute...

So if the on board computer is worthless for MPG tracking, I guess I should ask if the distance to empty countdown is also meaningless?
I distinctly remember firing up the bike after one of my fill-ups and seeing that number show something around 160mi. Is that common, y'all? What do the rest of you see when you fill up?

Let's assume for a moment that DTE number is roughly accurate -- So y'all are saying the difference of one gear (5th vs. 6th) for highway travel is going to cut the my efficiency by over 40%?!! My 1300cc sport-touring class Yamaha with the same displacement (Yes. I know it's 200# lighter and several other differences) wouldn't notably bat an eye at "HOW I DRIVE IT". Ok, well maybe a little but definitely not to the tune of 40+ percent degradation in fuel economy. Any and every fill up whether all-out, long distance touring or commuting/errands; I'm still getting 200+ miles per tank on that Yamaha so it's taking me some time to wrap my head around the notion that the Rotax 1330 performs so radically differently. MAYBE up to a 25% hit on fuel performance but 40 +?? Maybe y'all truly have nailed the true root cause but I'm having a bit of trouble swallowing it.

I'm a bit more inclined to think something is wrong with the Spyder. So what if we run on that assumption for the moment... What sort of engine issues can can significantly hamper fuel economy? I'm especially interested in such causes common in the Spyder universe.

I greatly appreciate the conversation and ideas everyone!

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

OK, Some interesting replies, gents. Not at all what I was expecting but let's run with the notion that essentially "you're driving it wrong" for a hot minute...

So if the on board computer is worthless for MPG tracking, I guess I should ask if the distance to empty countdown is also meaningless?
I distinctly remember firing up the bike after one of my fill-ups and seeing that number show something around 160mi. Is that common, y'all? What do the rest of you see when you fill up?

Let's assume for a moment that DTE number is roughly accurate -- So y'all are saying the difference of one gear (5th vs. 6th) for highway travel is going to cut the my efficiency by over 40%?!! My 1300cc sport-touring class Yamaha with the same displacement (Yes. I know it's 200# lighter and several other differences) wouldn't notably bat an eye at "HOW I DRIVE IT". Ok, well maybe a little but definitely not to the tune of 40+ percent degradation in fuel economy. Any and every fill up whether all-out, long distance touring or commuting/errands; I'm still getting 200+ miles per tank on that Yamaha so it's taking me some time to wrap my head around the notion that the Rotax 1330 performs so radically differently. MAYBE up to a 25% hit on fuel performance but 40 +?? Maybe y'all truly have nailed the true root cause but I'm having a bit of trouble swallowing it.

I'm a bit more inclined to think something is wrong with the Spyder. So what if we run on that assumption for the moment... What sort of engine issues can can significantly hamper fuel economy? I'm especially interested in such causes common in the Spyder universe.

I greatly appreciate the conversation and ideas everyone!

#1. - there are some gauges that are basically S.W.A.G. .... " FUEL GUAGES " lead the list .... with " AR's " method of fuel use estimation can work ...IF you fill your tank EXACTLY the same EVERY time ..... I ALWAYS put gas in TO THE LIP of the locking ring ....ALWAYS ..... #2.- I consistently got 45 MPG's with my 1800cc GoldWing. A large bike, but lots more aero-dynamic than a Spyder and it had relatively narrow tires ( two not three ) that had way less " rolling resistance ". ..... #3.- if your Spyder - seems to be running normally - it probably is. .... You asked - we answered, ... I suggest you try " AR's " gas fill and record method for at least 5 tanks and let us know what you get ..... good luck .... Mike

[PMK]

If you seem convinced the mileage is low on account of a maintenance or failing item, then by all means get your dealer to look into it.
Consider though, your machine has low miles, and while broken in, they still tend to improve until peaking towards 10,000 miles.

The Spyders computer does tend to learn driving habits. This takes a bit to happen. If the previous owner was a throttle jockey, no doubt the mpg is low and the computer favors that.

Seriously though, on the highway, cruise set, at higher speeds Spyders love burning gasoline. They are wide, heavy and as aerodynamic as a big brick. For comparison, our Spyder on highway trips gets around 30 mpg running cruise control at 75ish. About 160 miles per tankful.

If I back it down to say 60, it will improve a lot, leaning towards upper 30s mpg. Problem though is at 60, you are constantly holding up traffic and everyone blows by at 20 mph faster than you are traveling.

Stop and go, around town riding typically is around 34 mpg for us.

Things to check which will i prove mpg. Obviously tire pressure. Belt alignment is important. A correctly aligned front end while also free up the machine and reduce rolling resistance.

[Little Blue]

My personal best mileage is 37 mpg. Running in six gear at 62 and the tachometer at 3250/3300. So with CC on and flat open roads.

I am pleased with this mileage for my Spyder. Ryde Safe and Enjoy your Time. ......

[Mikey]

#1. - there are some gauges that are basically S.W.A.G. .... " FUEL GUAGES " lead the list .... with " AR's " method of fuel use estimation can work ...IF you fill your tank EXACTLY the same EVERY time ..... I ALWAYS put gas in TO THE LIP of the locking ring ....ALWAYS ..... #2.- I consistently got 45 MPG's with my 1800cc GoldWing. A large bike, but lots more aero-dynamic than a Spyder and it had relatively narrow tires ( two not three ) that had way less " rolling resistance ". ..... #3.- if your Spyder - seems to be running normally - it probably is. .... You asked - we answered, ... I suggest you try " AR's " gas fill and record method for at least 5 tanks and let us know what you get ..... good luck .... Mike

And just for kicks put a can of injector cleaner in the tank!!! If you are a running it hard and getting into it, your mileage will show that at the pump, hands down, don't care what your riding, some are worse than others and you can't compare apples to pears here, yamaha to canam and such two different beasts!!! Good Luck enjoy the new ride, put some miles on that thing, it's still new!!!

[troop]

I have a 2019 F3S that has the larger (89t) rear pulley. When touring with luggage attached, at 80 mph (SD/WY interstates), I'm lucky to get 30 mpg. At 50-60 mph, I'll push close to 40 mpg. As stated, they guzzle at 75+ mph..

[ThreeWheels]

I'm coming a little late to the party, you may already have heard some of these comments.
Don't rely heavily on the MPG provided by the computer. It's an estimate based on your riding history up to that moment.
When you get a fresh fill up, the DTE could easily see 160 miles, then as you drive steadily down the highway it can actually increase.
It's happened to me.
Still, you should be getting around 35 mpg. Some get a little more, some get a little less.
Try the old fashioned "How many miles did I go and how much gas did I buy" method. Usually at least three tank fills to give you a good estimate.
If you confirm that you're getting crappy mileage (in the 20's or less), then you are correct. Something is wrong.
An easy check, what does your temperature indicator say ? A temperature gauge that misreads too low is telling the ECM to continue to pour in more gas while the engine heats up.
The misreading temperature gauge won't allow the ECM to go to full cruise settings.
DAMHIKT.
In any event, a trip to the repair shop is in order.

As always, my free advice comes with a double your money guarantee.

[PMK]

I'm coming a little late to the party, you may already have heard some of these comments.
Don't rely heavily on the MPG provided by the computer. It's an estimate based on your riding history up to that moment.
When you get a fresh fill up, the DTE could easily see 160 miles, then as you drive steadily down the highway it can actually increase.
It's happened to me.
Still, you should be getting around 35 mpg. Some get a little more, some get a little less.
Try the old fashioned "How many miles did I go and how much gas did I buy" method. Usually at least three tank fills to give you a good estimate.
If you confirm that you're getting crappy mileage (in the 20's or less), then you are correct. Something is wrong.
An easy check, what does your temperature indicator say ? A temperature gauge that misreads too low is telling the ECM to continue to pour in more gas while the engine heats up.
The misreading temperature gauge won't allow the ECM to go to full cruise settings.
DAMHIKT.
In any event, a trip to the repair shop is in order.

As always, my free advice comes with a double your money guarantee.

In an effort to not visit a dealer, couldn’t the machine be run until the fans energize, then note the temp reading. With that compare to other similar Spyders.

[cruisinTX]

"So if the on board computer is worthless for MPG tracking, I guess I should ask if the distance to empty countdown is also meaningless?
I distinctly remember firing up the bike after one of my fill-ups and seeing that number show something around 160mi. Is that common, y'all? What do the rest of you see when you fill up?"

In this case I would suspect the DTE estimate is based on the last mpg estimate vs. tank capacity. If the average mpg from the computer is used in the DTE calculation, it will be in error by the same percentage as the mpg. I have to agree with others who have said use the old fashion method of calculating your mpg taking care to fill the same level consistently. The short version of your first question here; yes.

[acdcking12]

I have an F3L and I just drive it the way I want, regardless. I do not care about fuel economy. I want to have fun and not worry about all that other stuff. I know how my rides and runs and I figure Ill notice something if anything starts to go wrong.

I am going to quote this from other people on this forum. Worry Less. Ride more

[spyder01]

Ok heres my 2 cents,,First I wasnt even aware that any Spyders had a MPG readout but obviously they are about as accurate as my clock.Second,Ive been keeping track of mileage for every trip Ive taken since new on my 17RTL which is always 2 up,and on the highway which I always drive 70-80mph I get 32-35.When I hit the twisties where my avg speed for the day is 50 mph (2 up)then I can get 35-40.Third,Your Spyder has a computer in it that uses the same parameters as every car in this country,it knows your AF ratio,it knows if your running lean or rich,it also knows your exact temperature and what your temp should be based on length of running time and load and outside temps.If any readings get out of range the check engine lite will come on.I think you should check your MPG the old school way before taking to any dealer as others have said.Be aware that your odometer is also probably lying to you just a little especially if you have the Kenda rear tire.Fourth,I always ride 2 up with luggage and shift into 6th about 45 and it feels fine,also had a GW for 15years which would out perform this Spyder in every way but if I still had it,it would never leave the garage because it just wasnt as much fun as this Spyder.I hope youll let us know what your true MPG is when you figure it out.

[UtahPete]

25 mpg is abysmally low. Even towing in the mountains I average 35 mpg. But, that's keeping it below 60 mph and rpm in the 2500-3500 range. As said above, highway speeds impact fuel efficiency dramatically, but not THAT much, in my experience. Unless you and the previous owner were hotrodding it, you should be getting better mpg, I think.

I'd say, try the old-fashioned method for checking mpg for a tankful, doing no more than 65 mph (and preferably minimal headwind) and keeping the revs below 4k. You should get at least 35mpg. If not, something is wrong, I think. BTW, 6th gear is your friend; use it.

[davev1pa]

I have both a 12' 998 RTL and a 14' 1330 RTS. We re-set our trips odometers each fill up. We ride exactly the same each time...almost never over 60mph and many stretches 55 mph on paved flat roads. 998 is 33-35mpg and 1330 is 37-39mpg. If we get above that in mph we suck up the gas. If we ride normally like this we tap out around 160-180 on the trip odometer. I have towed our trailer rt622 on each of these machines with idk how much wt -alot...at higher speeds :998 25-30mpg and 1330 30-35 mpg. My best mpg on the 998 is 38-40 and 1330 is 42-45mpg ( generally going downhill in the mountains). I don't ride the interstate cause I'm not in a hurry and I want to see everything and it sucks the gas down ..and if I do it's 65 mph and the far right lane. Yeah i have a Vtwin Victory vision it 44-52mpg range was 250 miles+...also had a 86 yamaha venture 1300 ...32-35mpg...160mile range.....My thoughts on your new 1330 ...if you take it to the dealer...you'll get a spanking and told that your being unreasonable and to go sit on a moped and think about your blessings.....3 wheels , protection from the elements, cruise,heated grips,radio,windshield, storage etc. We all adjust to each new machine and yeah I have to pull over earlier for gas on the 998 but it's the exact same comfort and performance as my 1330...same color too...and yet...I keep my eye out for another 1330 ...why??? IDK I'm an idiot to quibble over a couple mpg and an extra oil change at 4300miles..We are nit picking ninnies...lol you got the new bike boy blues but you'll come around and ride the hell outta it.

[K80Shooter]

From UtahPete " I average 35 mpg. But, that's keeping it below 60 mph and rpm in the 2500-3500 range"

This

[Pirate]

I have an F3L and I just drive it the way I want, regardless. I do not care about fuel economy. I want to have fun and not worry about all that other stuff. I know how my rides and runs and I figure Ill notice something if anything starts to go wrong.

I am going to quote this from other people on this forum. Worry Less. Ride more

I'm with you. ,I like most people, are creatures of habit and don't feel the need to change my driving habits to get a few mpg more.

[ARtraveler]

OK, Some interesting replies, gents. Not at all what I was expecting but let's run with the notion that essentially "you're driving it wrong" for a hot minute...

So if the on board computer is worthless for MPG tracking, I guess I should ask if the distance to empty countdown is also meaningless?
I distinctly remember firing up the bike after one of my fill-ups and seeing that number show something around 160mi. Is that common, y'all? What do the rest of you see when you fill up?

Let's assume for a moment that DTE number is roughly accurate -- So y'all are saying the difference of one gear (5th vs. 6th) for highway travel is going to cut the my efficiency by over 40%?!! My 1300cc sport-touring class Yamaha with the same displacement (Yes. I know it's 200# lighter and several other differences) wouldn't notably bat an eye at "HOW I DRIVE IT". Ok, well maybe a little but definitely not to the tune of 40+ percent degradation in fuel economy. Any and every fill up whether all-out, long distance touring or commuting/errands; I'm still getting 200+ miles per tank on that Yamaha so it's taking me some time to wrap my head around the notion that the Rotax 1330 performs so radically differently. MAYBE up to a 25% hit on fuel performance but 40 +?? Maybe y'all truly have nailed the true root cause but I'm having a bit of trouble swallowing it.

I'm a bit more inclined to think something is wrong with the Spyder. So what if we run on that assumption for the moment... What sort of engine issues can can significantly hamper fuel economy? I'm especially interested in such causes common in the Spyder universe.

I greatly appreciate the conversation and ideas everyone!

Distance to empty is okay for "ballpark" information. If you come to rely on it to be safe to fill up, you will eventually run out of gas. The number is based on "averages." Get to know your particular motorcycle based on "your" numbers and based on "your" driving habits. I know I can go 200 miles before a fill up. It is supposed to go 250-270...but I would rather fill at 3/4 empty than below the empty bar. Do what you think is right. My last fill up, yesterday, said I had 276 miles to go before the next one is needed.

[fatboy]

also wind is a big factor if runnig 75 in 5th gear into wind fuel mileage will suffer

[Jetfixer]

It's not fair to compare the 1330 engine to a Yamaha engine. Check out the torque curve on the 1330 and you'll see that you should be in 6th gear a lot earlier than you think. These are torque engines, not hi-rev engines. As to the fuel mileage readouts, I've filled my tank and sometimes seen the miles to empty readout say 320. After about a mile, it's down to 260. This info is really only useful to figure out where you need to fill up again. Something else to try: Fill up to the top of the neck, ride until you get the low fuel warning light to stay on, then fill up again. Do this a few times and you'll not only get a true mpg figure, but you'll comfortably know how far you can go after that light comes on and stays on.

[Papa103]

I don't think I've ever gotten 40 MPG with my 2019 RTL or my 2021 RTL. If I'm driving off interstate 60 mpg and under using 6th gear when over 50 MPH I will get high 30's. Interstate driving 75 and up (in 6th gear) I will be in the mid to upper 20's.

[UtahPete]

25 mpg is abysmally low. Even towing in the mountains I average 35 mpg. But, that's keeping it below 60 mph and rpm in the 2500-3500 range. As said above, highway speeds impact fuel efficiency dramatically, but not THAT much, in my experience. Unless you and the previous owner were hotrodding it, you should be getting better mpg, I think.

I'd say, try the old-fashioned method for checking mpg for a tankful, doing no more than 65 mph (and preferably minimal headwind) and keeping the revs below 4k. You should get at least 35mpg. If not, something is wrong, I think. BTW, 6th gear is your friend; use it.

I got the RT for long distance touring. I tow a camping trailer and my wife tows the cargo trailer with her RT. We are touring (i.e. enjoying the sights and experience), so we're not in a hurry and we avoid superslabs and cities as much as possible.

Occasionally, we have no choice but to use the interstate (particularly when destination riding vs touring), and we do keep up with traffic. Last summer, we rode over 300 miles thru mostly desert on the interstate and averaged 70 mph, towing the trailers. Our overall mpg was in the low 30s. Jane's bike did better than mine because she tows the streamlined and lighter RT-622. Our combined mpg was therefore about 16.

If each of our bikes was averaging 25 mpg (i.e. 13mpg combined), we literally would not be able to justify the fuel bill for our planned 10k mile tour to the eastern seaboard next summer and would sell the bikes and trailers.

My GMC Canyon with 4 cylinder diesel gets over 40mpg empty and 20mpg or more fully loaded, towing our camping trailer, so that's my benchmark for expectations for Spyder touring.

FWIW, I keep the (car) tires on the Spyders at 2-3 psi over what the tire experts here on SL recommend. I believe that helps contribute to my higher mpg numbers.

[IdahoMtnSpyder]

That 300+ mile shake-down cruise on Sunday was very enjoyable except for the fact that I was going through fuel like crazy. I know that the 998s had really short legs but from what I've read, the 1330 equipped Spyder should be getting 35MPG if not better (around 250 miles per tank).

The real time MPG read out was pretty steadily showing me 25 MPG with occasional spikes to 27 MPG. The previous owner apparently had not reset any of the trip counters so I noticed this average MPG of 14.8 which is presumably the average over the lifetime of the bike. Pretty abysmal.

First off, 300 miles is far too few miles to get a reliable read on MPG. 2 to 5k will give a much better reading.

For one person's, one person only (me), real world experience with MPG over 2 summers read through this thread. It's 4 years old but that doesn't invalidate my findings.

https://www.spyderlovers.com/forums/...=guess+premium

Even though the main subject of the thread is premium vs regular gas there are a lot of comments about what factors affect MPG. You really need to read the entire thread to capture all the good info in it.