Better Fuel Milage for the RT?

[scooterexpress]

to get better gas milage the spyder needs 2 things a bigger engine and a 6th gear.

 

[BeachSpyder]

I have a biggggg problem with this thread because you are leaving out how fast you are going in fifth gear, as well as the weight being carried. Can tell you from my most recent jaunt down 95 that my Rt-Se5 averaged 21-22 mpg at 80mph on premium, and about 25-26 mpg at 70 mph on premium. I don't have stats on regular because I was under the impression that you were supposed to run 91 octane fuel in these engines, hence premium. Am I wrong? Is 87 ok? It would save me a buttload of money (ok, well at least 30 cents per gallon). In all these cases, I was running with a 300 pound fat man at the helm, windshield up, thrusters engaged, and loaded for bear, including a back seat bag and extra jerky!

 

[Ga Blue Knight]

Where would they put it? :dontknow:

Well if they ditched the overweight and oversized air box and put a Kewmetal type of air box in they could extend the gas tank forward more than enough to at least double it size to 12 gallons! And adding a sixth gear would provide for a higher highway mpg rate. These two modes would give the Spyder easily a range of 350-400 miles.

 

[Captain Fin]

No problem here

After two hours on the spyder I Am ready to stop and stretch my legs. I did a 2000 mile trip on the spyder last April in four days. Thats three fuel stops A day. Not a big deal and I still had enough energy left to lift a few adult beverages at the end of the day.

 

[Bob Denman]

The airbox might well be part of the emissions package that they don't have all that much control over...:gaah: It'd be real easy to make lots of room up under the Tupperware if you don't have the Federal Government looking over your shoulder... :yikes:
I'll put up with 140 or so miles between stops and enjoy the opportunity to stretch my legs... :thumbup: That always leaves enough in the tank that fuel concerns are never an issue.

 

[StanProff]

I thought it would be a concern with gas mileage/range in the beginning but, as it turns out, the 140-150 range is fine with me. As others have said, stopping every couple of hours on a trip is not the worst thing you could do. Anytime I ride with my two wheeler friends the two hour driving time is the norm with them. Sure, it would be nice to have a couple of extra gallons in the tank at that time but I would still be stopping within that range. My solution is a reda tank or something like it for the chance that i may need it. Never needed it yet but the security is there just in case. I've pulled the 622 trailer, 2 up, Spyder loaded across country and mileage ranged from 26 to 32. Always using Hi-test gas. I have traveled on My Honda Magna and guess what the range is,,,, 140 between fill-ups! (ok, it is a much smaller tank) but lets face it, a lot of bikes only have a 3 to 5 gallon tank , Not talking about goldwings here. Anyway, I will agree that the spyder would be great with an 8 gallon tank. That shouldn't be very hard to engineer in from the factory. We would then have a 220 to 240 range to empty. I've had my say so now I'll be quite.

 

[otter28169]

Most of the ryders replying to this topic ride RT's, I have the perspective from an RS-S and goes a little like this: I end up pulling off the road to stop right around the time I have 2 "wedges" on the gas gauge anyways. Not because I feel the need for gas, it is because mine was not built for comfort. I love the ryde I have, and have to say that I think the tank size is just right. We will see how I feel after I put some miles on with the new comfort seat, but I do not imagine it will change my opinion all that much.

 

[packbuckbrew]

I have a 2010 RTS with tons of mods including a pipe and fuel controller. I tend to ride like I stole it so I get BAD gas mileage. That being said, the single best mod I found to improve gas mileage is the bump skid from Spyderpops. I didn't even buy the thing, I won it at Spyderfest last year and just slapped in on and what you know, my mileage improved significantly. Just my 2 cents.

 

[jerpinoy]

I think every body will be happy if our spyder will get 50 mpg like mine:joke::joke::roflblack::roflblack:

 

[scooterexpress]

I think every body will be happy if our spyder will get 50 mpg like mine:joke::joke::roflblack::roflblack:

jerpinoy, in a previous thread you stated that you would not mod your bike for any reason.would you mod it if they came up with a way for better gas milage? if so why?like you stated you are happy with the way it came.

 

[scooterexpress]

I have a 2010 RTS with tons of mods including a pipe and fuel controller. I tend to ride like I stole it so I get BAD gas mileage. That being said, the single best mod I found to improve gas mileage is the bump skid from Spyderpops. I didn't even buy the thing, I won it at Spyderfest last year and just slapped in on and what you know, my mileage improved significantly. Just my 2 cents.

packbuckbrew,i think you better rethink the possibilty that the kritter splitter(bumpskid) has given you better gas milage maybe you've backed off the throttle a little? or riding when its colder out as this does improve some,but to think the skid plate gets you better gas milage:roflblack: i have this and i've seen no differences. when you have documented proof the skid plate gets you better milage then we all will believe it.and spyderpops will be tickled beyond..

 

[packbuckbrew]

I am not the only one that found this, I know it sounds wrong, if I did not see it for my self I would not believe it either. I can tell you first hand, it improved gas mileage (2, maybe 3 mpg). The going theory is that it improves air flow under the bike and thus reduces drag. Drag is a huge factor in poor fuel efficiency of the RT. Doubt if you must, but I stand by my post.

 

[packbuckbrew]

Also, because of the Elkas I installed the nose of my RT is raised over stock nearly 2 inches. This may have led to more drag and by putting on the bump skid it helped me more than others.

 

[boborgera]

I am not the only one that found this, I know it sounds wrong, if I did not see it for my self I would not believe it either. I can tell you first hand, it improved gas mileage (2, maybe 3 mpg). The going theory is that it improves air flow under the bike and thus reduces drag. Drag is a huge factor in poor fuel efficiency of the RT. Doubt if you must, but I stand by my post.

:agree: VW figured that out years ago, Wind tunnels don't lie. :thumbup:

 

[rock]

if you dont think mods help your fuel mileage then you are being mislead..we did a simple update ( k & n air filter and a after market exhaust ) and our mileage went up close to 5 mpg we have a 2010 rts se5 and get a constant 33-35 mpg no matter how i drive it and that is with 2 up...it now has 23,000 miles on it...

 

[scooterexpress]

if you dont think mods help your fuel mileage then you are being mislead..we did a simple update ( k & n air filter and a after market exhaust ) and our mileage went up close to 5 mpg we have a 2010 rts se5 and get a constant 33-35 mpg no matter how i drive it and that is with 2 up...it now has 23,000 miles on it...

i have done this mod too and i agree there are some mods that do help gas mi but the skid plate not going to improve gas mi. reason i say this there is a gap created when the skid plate is applied which would also cause a small drag on the front-end it sticks out just a little on the front which will catch air i have the elkas and they do raise the front end up but seems to me i catch more air. have had the skidplate on since last spyderfest havent seen the milage increase until i did the air filter/muffler mod.but was also told need to get better plugs on too to really see a big dif.

 

[SpyderBen]

Better Gas mileage

I get between 34-39 miles per gallon. I really try to keep the RPM above 3500 in the gears. It has really helped. I have about 18,000 miles. By the way that is on 89 Octane.

 

[scooterexpress]

is that a sm5 or se5? i was always told that manual vehicals get better gas mi then automatics.i'm thinking more s/l riding sm5 then se5 anf ther the ones getting the better mi. jmho i could be wrong on this..i'm only getting 25-28 but i do tend to show off from time to time and more then often i'm hard on the throttle. but i did do a test for several weeks ran the bike at 40-45mph it was also stop and go keeping rpms above 3500 only got 25mpg.