2014 RT-S MPG Report for Texas (V2.0)

[Texas]

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D I S C L A I M E R
This thread is intended only for those who are interested in the RT's capability in stretching MPG. If this thread does not interest you, please do not make negative posts about it, or any members who post in this thread.
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Now on to the subject....

I purchased my 2014 RT-S on 2/1/2014. Knowing this is a 1,000+ lb trike, and disappointed with the average MPG that many owners have reported, I wanted to see just what the new RT was capable of getting. As time goes on, I will continue to update this thread with the results I have received. Along with each MPG report, I will try to also supply information such as temperature, mode, type of driving, etc...

So far, MPG is very good for a trike of this weight and drag. The MPG report for 2/16/2014 is my best to date. While it consisted of mainly back country roads, at times there were also strong cross winds, and some of the roads were very rough, as I crossed more than 30 cattle guards, to give you an idea of road condition.

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MPG REPORT

2/1/2014:
181 Miles - 5.11 Gal. - 35.42 MPG
ECO/All Highway/High 70s

2/9/2014:
201 Miles - 5.08 Gal. - 39.57 MPG
ECO/City/Back Country/Highway/Low 70s

2/15/2014:
188 Miles - 4.83 Gal. - 38.92 MPG
ECO/Back Country Roads/1.25 hours in Traffic at idle/Low 70s

2/16/2014:
210 Miles - 5.18 Gal. - 40.5 MPG
ECO/Mainly Back Country Roads/Mid 70s

2/22/2014:
187 Miles - 4.70 Gal. - 39.8 MPG
ECO/Mainly Back Country Roads/Low 70s

3/10/2014:
202 Miles - 5.34 Gal. - 37.8 MPG
ECO/Mainly City Roads with some Back Country Roads & Oil Change Performed During This Tank/Low 70s

3/22/2014:
187 Miles - 5.12 Gal. - 36.52 MPG
ECO/City/Highway/High 60s

3/22/2014:
203 Miles - 5.55 Gal. - 36.58 MPG
ECO & Normal/Highway/30+ minutes of Idle Run/High 60s

3/30/2014:
224 Miles - 5.61 Gal. - 39.93 MPG
ECO/City/Back Country/Highway/Low 80s

4/19/2014:
196 Miles - 5.29 Gal. - 37.05 MPG
ECO/Mostly City/Some Highway/High 70s-Low 80s

4/25/2014:
170 Miles - 4.00 Gal. - 42.5 MPG
ECO/Highway/Low to High 80s to mid 90s

4/26/2014:
200 Miles - 4.78 Gal. - 41.84 MPG
ECO/Highway/Low to mid 80s

4/26/2014:
101 Miles - 2.20 Gal. - 45.90 MPG
ECO/Highway/Low to mid 80s

4/26/2014:
102 Miles - 2.32 Gal. - 43.97 MPG
ECO/Highway/Low to mid 80s

5/10/2014:
229 Miles - 5.51 Gal. - 41.56 MPG
ECO/In Town/Back Country/Low to mid 80s

5/12/2014:
156 Miles - 3.51 Gal. - 44.44 MPG
ECO/In Town/Mid to High 80s

5/16/2014:
147 Miles - 3.60 Gal. - 40.81 MPG
ECO/City/Mid to High 80s

5/17/2014:
176 Miles - 3.99 Gal. - 44.11 MPG
ECO/City/High 80s to Low 90s

5/23/2014:
169 Miles - 4.09 Gal. - 41.32 MPG
ECO/City/Low to Mid 80s

5/30/2014:
257 Miles - 6.04 Gal. - 42.55 MPG
ECO/Highway/Back Country/City/Low to Mid 80s - CalSci Tinted Shorty Windshield was added

6/3/2014:
199 Miles - 4.59 Gal. - 43.36 MPG
ECO/City/Mid to High 80s

6/9/2014:
195 Miles - 4.50 Gal. - 43.33 MPG
ECO/City/Mid to High 80s

6/14/2014:
224 Miles - 5.41 Gal. - 41.40 MPG
ECO/City/High 80s to Low 90s

6/20/2014:
190 Miles - 4.25 Gal. - 44.71 MPG
ECO/City/High 80s

6/27/2014:
194 Miles - 4.53 Gal. - 42.83 MPG
ECO/City/High 80s to Low 90s

7/06/2014
200 Miles - 4.62 Gal. - 43.29 MPG
ECO/City/High 80s to Mid 90s

7/11/2014
168 Miles - 3.73 Gal. - 45.04 MPG
ECO/City/High 80s to Low 90s

7/15/2014
207 Miles - 4.62 Gal. - 44.81 MPG
ECO/City/High 80s to Low 90s

7/25/2014
144 Miles - 3.41 Gal. - 42.23 MPG
ECO/City/Low to High 90s

8/01/2014
209 Miles - 4.66 Gal. - 44.85 MPG
ECO/City/Low to High 80s

8/05/2014
180 Miles - 3.98 Gal. - 45.23 MPG
ECO/City/Low to High 90s

8/14/2014
183 Miles - 3.97 Gal. - 46.10 MPG
ECO/City/Low to High 90s

9/04/2014
184 Miles - 4.37 Gal. - 42.11 MPG
ECO/City/Low to High 90s

9/14/2014
156 Miles - 3.427 Gal. - 45.52 MPG
ECO/City/Low to High 90s

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[MidTNDawg]

Sounding better. Is this due to breaking-in or other changes?

[Texas]

Well to me, the MPG from 2/15 is not accurate due to the time I had to sit at idle in traffic; so if you un-factor that, then mileage has continued to improve. Since these figures were all within the first several hundred miles, I'm thinking that break-in has a lot to do with it, although I continue to perfect the throttle and shift times. I've been purchasing my gas at the same place for the past three fill-ups (87 octane), so that has remained consistent. The roads I drive are fairly hilly, and the wind is almost always a cross wind, because it is usually blowing strong from the South, and my rides take me West-East. My mileage shouldn't get a lot better, and once I see it stabilize, I'll begin testing with ECO Mode off.

[SpyderAnn01]

What is your average speed? Can you calculate that from the hour meter? That might be interesting data. At first I thought mid 70 and low 70 were your speeds not the temperature. LOL

[Chupaca]

nice report..should help those wondering and give them a point of reference...

[Bob Denman]

"T"
I'm digging this information!! Thanks!
And with only about 800 miles on the bike; what'll it be doing at 8,000 miles, and is fully loosened up?

[Texas]

What is your average speed? Can you calculate that from the hour meter? That might be interesting data. At first I thought mid 70 and low 70 were your speeds not the temperature. LOL

Ann,

I can only answer those who ask about speed, to say that those concerned about speed won't see the full benefits of MPG. While I have not been able to find an aerodynamics graph, I can tell you there are several dynamic factors at play including rolling resistance due to tires, road surface type and hills, wind resistance to to speed and direction of the wind, as well as air mass (cold air is much more dense than warm air, which causes more resistance). I should have also mentioned in my mileage report, that I always have the windshield down. In fact, I would like to see someone produce a good looking shorty windshield. While I wouldn't use it during the winter months, I would use it when temperatures are above 78F. Also, wind resistance is not linear. In other words, if the force of wind resistance is 8 at 10 MPH, it is at least 30 at 40 MPH, not 32. However, we deal with speeds much higher than 40, so you can see how limiting Force as much as possible is more efficient.

The average speed meter is always misleading, so I don't mess with it. To give you an idea, watch your own, and you'll see what I mean. It factors in such things as sitting at idle in traffic, stop lights, etc..., and I don't consider that to be an accurate representation of experienced speed. I could have gone 1 mile overall at 100MPH, but sat at idle for 10 minutes, and it would have said my average speed was 10MPH.

I would say to those concerned about speed, don't mess with the physics of high MPG. You probably aren't ready for it yet. I know when I was younger, I thought about it, but internal emotions would not let me control it. As I got older, those internal emotions didn't fluctuate as much when I twisted the throttle. When I did twist the throttle, it was sort of a "been there, done that" feeling. Instead, I became more interested in the forces that we don't see, but play a big factor on efficiency. I also enjoy filling up with gas when I leave home, going out for a long ride for several hours, seeing my wife enjoy the trip, as she wants to see the scenery and not worry about her helmet shield being ripped away, and not having to fill up with gas again until I come home.

One of several by-products is also the fact that it is just a safer way to ride. I lost two friends when I was young. Both were with me at the time. One in a group ride, and one was just the two of us on separate bikes. I also almost lost my father while he was with me on his own bike (it took him a year to recover). I also have countless other stories about friends who have lost legs, put in comas, etc... No one is going to intimidate me to drive fast. I've been there, done that, and seen things that no one should ever see. People can go fast if they want, but it only takes one accident.

[carajony]

I filled up today... Third fillup.. went 183 miles from full to almost fumes... My Fuelly put me at 31 MPG for this fillup. Im at about 350 miles so far. Hope it gets better. I was always averaging about 24 MPG on my 12 RTS. I like to open it up alot...lol...

[F4 Customs]

Ann,

I can only answer those who ask about speed, to say that those concerned about speed won't see the full benefits of MPG. While I have not been able to find an aerodynamics graph, I can tell you there are several dynamic factors at play including rolling resistance due to tires, road surface type and hills, wind resistance to to speed and direction of the wind, as well as air mass (cold air is much more dense than warm air, which causes more resistance). I should have also mentioned in my mileage report, that I always have the windshield down. In fact, I would like to see someone produce a good looking shorty windshield. While I wouldn't use it during the winter months, I would use it when temperatures are above 78F. Also, wind resistance is not linear. In other words, if the force of wind resistance is 8 at 10 MPH, it is at least 30 at 40 MPH, not 32. However, we deal with speeds much higher than 40, so you can see how limiting Force as much as possible is more efficient.

The average speed meter is always misleading, so I don't mess with it. To give you an idea, watch your own, and you'll see what I mean. It factors in such things as sitting at idle in traffic, stop lights, etc..., and I don't consider that to be an accurate representation of experienced speed. I could have gone 1 mile overall at 100MPH, but sat at idle for 10 minutes, and it would have said my average speed was 10MPH.

I would say to those concerned about speed, don't mess with the physics of high MPG. You probably aren't ready for it yet. I know when I was younger, I thought about it, but internal emotions would not let me control it. As I got older, those internal emotions didn't fluctuate as much when I twisted the throttle. When I did twist the throttle, it was sort of a "been there, done that" feeling. Instead, I became more interested in the forces that we don't see, but play a big factor on efficiency. I also enjoy filling up with gas when I leave home, going out for a long ride for several hours, seeing my wife enjoy the trip, as she wants to see the scenery and not worry about her helmet shield being ripped away, and not having to fill up with gas again until I come home.

One of several by-products is also the fact that it is just a safer way to ride. I lost two friends when I was young. Both were with me at the time. One in a group ride, and one was just the two of us on separate bikes. I also almost lost my father while he was with me on his own bike (it took him a year to recover). I also have countless other stories about friends who have lost legs, put in comas, etc... No one is going to intimidate me to drive fast. I've been there, done that, and seen things that no one should ever see. People can go fast if they want, but it only takes one accident.

Texas, F4 produces a Sport model, it is 3" shorter than stock. It can be stock width or wide (5" wider than stock). The wide model is a very popular product and customers rave about the additional wind protection. Give us a call or check our website. Ride safe!

[F4 Customs]

Ann,

I can only answer those who ask about speed, to say that those concerned about speed won't see the full benefits of MPG. While I have not been able to find an aerodynamics graph, I can tell you there are several dynamic factors at play including rolling resistance due to tires, road surface type and hills, wind resistance to to speed and direction of the wind, as well as air mass (cold air is much more dense than warm air, which causes more resistance). I should have also mentioned in my mileage report, that I always have the windshield down. In fact, I would like to see someone produce a good looking shorty windshield. While I wouldn't use it during the winter months, I would use it when temperatures are above 78F. Also, wind resistance is not linear. In other words, if the force of wind resistance is 8 at 10 MPH, it is at least 30 at 40 MPH, not 32. However, we deal with speeds much higher than 40, so you can see how limiting Force as much as possible is more efficient.

The average speed meter is always misleading, so I don't mess with it. To give you an idea, watch your own, and you'll see what I mean. It factors in such things as sitting at idle in traffic, stop lights, etc..., and I don't consider that to be an accurate representation of experienced speed. I could have gone 1 mile overall at 100MPH, but sat at idle for 10 minutes, and it would have said my average speed was 10MPH.

I would say to those concerned about speed, don't mess with the physics of high MPG. You probably aren't ready for it yet. I know when I was younger, I thought about it, but internal emotions would not let me control it. As I got older, those internal emotions didn't fluctuate as much when I twisted the throttle. When I did twist the throttle, it was sort of a "been there, done that" feeling. Instead, I became more interested in the forces that we don't see, but play a big factor on efficiency. I also enjoy filling up with gas when I leave home, going out for a long ride for several hours, seeing my wife enjoy the trip, as she wants to see the scenery and not worry about her helmet shield being ripped away, and not having to fill up with gas again until I come home.

One of several by-products is also the fact that it is just a safer way to ride. I lost two friends when I was young. Both were with me at the time. One in a group ride, and one was just the two of us on separate bikes. I also almost lost my father while he was with me on his own bike (it took him a year to recover). I also have countless other stories about friends who have lost legs, put in comas, etc... No one is going to intimidate me to drive fast. I've been there, done that, and seen things that no one should ever see. People can go fast if they want, but it only takes one accident.

Texas, F4 produces a Sport model, it is 3" shorter than stock. It can be stock width or wide (5" wider than stock). The wide model is a very good product and customers rave about the additional wind protection. Give us a call or check our website. Ride safe!

[Wiredux]

Not too shabby. Where are you all shifting at and is there a trailer behind you Spyder?

[Bob Denman]

Not too shabby. Where are you all shifting at and is there a trailer behind you Spyder?

Dan,
I normally shift up to second and third at about 2,000 rpm or so...
Fourth, fifth, and sixth; maybe 2,500 rpm
I've played with the ECO mode, but haven't done any serious testing with it. It sure does soften the power delivery!

And... no trailer!

[Wiredux]

Dan,
I normally shift up to second and third at about 2,000 rpm or so...
Fourth, fifth, and sixth; maybe 2,500 rpm
I've played with the ECO mode, but haven't done any serious testing with it. It sure does soften the power delivery!

And... no trailer!

That about where ECO has you shift but I have not been able to get above 34 MPG. Just wondering how they are getting 40+ MPG. I know riding and road conditions have a big factor as well as speed. Guess I just need to slow down. I don't run that much in ECO and I wont be running in ECO with a trailer.

[Bob Denman]

I do tend to "putter along" pretty easy...
Right now; I'm stretching for a 200-plus mile run on this tank of fuel
(The last one went 199.8 miles, and I had a gallon and a half left!)


EDIT: 202.6 miles!
5.121 gallons.
39.56 mpg

[Texas]

Mileage Report Updated (See first post). I was finally able to make a solid break into the 40s (with one tank as 45.90MPG!). I contribute this mainly to the temperatures (the hotter the better). On a side note, with the temperatures in the mid 90s, I still don't feel a bit of heat on the RT-S. I can't say that for any other bike I've ever owned.

[Wiredux]

Here is mine.