Poor Mileage

[Showie]

I think the best way to get a gas mileage figure is to take the average of several fill-ups. Wife and I just went 549.2 miles. I start at full, as close as I can with gas tank restraints. I start with both trips meters set to zero. I use "A" as total trip meter and "B" as point to point meter. It only takes a min longer at each fill-up to reset "B" to zero and note on receipt mileage from last stop as a back up in case you clear the "A" trip meter accidentally. (I erased "A" from an earlier trip :banghead: but I can now recreate total mileage from that trip if I want:yes:.) As a back up you might want to note total trip "A" on each receipt also. At end of trip add gallons and divide into total miles. In our case 549.2/18.698 = 29.37 Close to 5000 rpm's seemed when I got best mileage. 55 mph in 4th gear and 70 in 5th. 2013 RTS This basically takes the need to be precise at each fill-up out of the equation.

 

[flamingobabe]

I have a 2013 ST...most of the time I get 34-36 mpg...highway speeds....but in the heat of the day, afternoon and about 3 tanks in...I'll get maybe 20 mpg....then it will start to get better...crazy

 

[Bob Denman]

I have a 2013 ST...most of the time I get 34-36 mpg...highway speeds....but in the heat of the day, afternoon and about 3 tanks in...I'll get maybe 20 mpg....then it will start to get better...crazy

That seems odd :shocked: I'm not doubting your word though!
Generally speaking; a fuel injected engine will use less fuel in hotter weather (everything else being equal)
Here's why...
In the heat of the day; the air is less dense. The system will throw in less fuel in order to keep to the optimum mixtures that have been programmed.
conversely; colder weather and denser air, you'll need a denser charge of fuel being thrown into the combustion chambers to keep everything as it should...
I wonder if these bikes are attempting to "cool things off" in there with a denser fuel charge when things are really starting to heat up?? :dontknow:

Scotty???

 

[flamingobabe]

not sure about what you posted...my opinion...for what it's worth.....BRP has scaled down the temperature of the engine...gauges say it is 4or 5 bars....when temps are 100++...my RS would show higher than the ST...but something is not right to drop from 34-36 to 19-20 mpg in a matter of a tank of gas...running same temp outside...same speed...go figure...but it has happened more than once

 

[Bob Denman]

My theory, (once you chop away all of the bull...), is kind of that BRP may have got the fuel system throwing more fuel in when engine temperatures start seriously climbing to try and cool things off a bit...
That might be why the fuel economy drops when the temperatures get "too" high...

 

[Spyder Tony]

Also just in case you don't know the tank is 6 gal. not the advertised 6.6 gal..

This is the first i have heard about the tank only being 6 gallons versus the advertised 6.6 gallons. My 2013 St manual lists the tank capacity as 6.6. I'd love to know if this is substantiated...any input from anyone out there???

 

[NancysToy]

This is the first i have heard about the tank only being 6 gallons versus the advertised 6.6 gallons. My 2013 St manual lists the tank capacity as 6.6. I'd love to know if this is substantiated...any input from anyone out there???

The space the tank contains is 6.6 gallons, but part of that is space above the opening, and necessary head space for venting and expansion. The usable capacity is approximately 6.0 gallons.

 

[Spyder Tony]

The space the tank contains is 6.6 gallons, but part of that is space above the opening, and necessary head space for venting and expansion. The usable capacity is approximately 6.0 gallons.

Thanks Nancystoys!!!
Guess it's like a terabyte hard drive that only has 1000 gigs of available space instead of the full 1024, due to system files after formatting. Duh...should've realized that. Thanks for the kickstart of the old medulla oblongata

 

[carajony]

Tracking using a program like gasdandy or the website fuelly.com is much more accurate.

Awesome... just signed up... Thanx..:thumbup:

 

[Knarfoh]

I have about 2,700 miles on the Spyder and I have been using 93 Octane. I took the 6.6 advertised capacity of the tank and divided it by the 115 miles per tank I am getting. Using 6 gallons as the capacity I get 19.16mpg. I normally fill the tank to the top without overfilling it. Thank you for your response.

No offense, but that is not the way to calculate gas mileage. The Spyder will read empty long before you run out of gas. You need to divide the mileage by the amount of actual gas purchased.

You are assuming every fill- up is 6 gallons just because the tank reads empty? Did you see my chart? Often my tank reads empty with 1 to 2 gallons still in the tank.

Look at my chart. I have never purchased 6 gallons of gas at one fill- up. The most ever was 5.36 gallons and more often it is closer to 4 to 4.5.

You do know to use the actual amount of gas purchased right? OMIGOD. This is unbelievable. If I had used your methodology to calculate mileage, I too would only be getting 19 miles to the gallon.

Earlier i said you were reporting the worst gas mileage I had ever seen claimed on this Forum. And now I know why.

Mystery solved. Someone didn't complete 4th grade math.

You don't look at the pump or receipt? You never noticed you weren't buying precisely 6 gallons at every fill-up? Do you even know how much gas you are actually buying at each fill-up. LMFAO. I know this is a joke. Someone is pulling a prank on the rest of us. No one could honestly believe they should use tank capacity. USE ACTUAL GALLONS PURCHASED!

 

[Bob Ledford]

Does anyone know why my 2013 RT Limited, would only get about 15-18 miles per gallon? I am only getting about 115 miles to the tank. I have noticed that some riders have posted up to 34 mile per gallon.

More information required:

1. Miles on bike

2. Average environment ( secondary, city, rural, interstate )

3. What gear do ride around in most of the time

4. Brand of gas used

5. Your weight

6. Co-rider weight

7. Extra junk weight ( the stuff we all carry around and seldom use )

 

[Spyder Tony]

You do know to use the actual amount of gas purchased right? OMIGOD. This is unbelievable. If I had used your methodology to calculate mileage, I too would only be getting 19 miles to the gallon.
Earlier i said you were reporting the worst gas mileage I had ever seen claimed on this Forum. And now I know why.
Mystery solved. Someone didn't complete 4th grade math.
You don't look at the pump or receipt? You never noticed you weren't buying precisely 6 gallons at every fill-up? Do you even know how much gas you are actually buying at each fill-up. LMFAO. I know this is a joke. Someone is pulling a prank on the rest of us. No one could honestly believe they should use tank capacity. USE ACTUAL GALLONS PURCHASED!

Just my opinion, but that seemed a bit harsh. I think it was just an honest mistake in his calculations...not worthy of being demeaned.

 

[Bob Denman]

:agree: Thanks for bringing that up! :thumbup:

Math is not everybody's favorite subject... The correct method of calculating fuel mileages has been explained now; give the fellow a break.