Gas mileage and hot gas

[Big bike man]

:shocked:Today my wife and I went to our dealer to get blue tooth our bike is a 2013 we checked our fuel and only went 107 mi. To a tank of fuel this is my first Spider r.t I feel that is pretty bad.also when we got home with a half tank of gas I then herd something and that turned out to be gas boiling .Has any one else had any of these problem,s

 

[Bob Ledford]

Ref gas mileage and hot gas

I suggest that you read some of the old posts. Ref: heat Ref: gas mileage.

This forumn may begin to sound like a transmission low on oil with all the whining going on reference heat, hot feet poor gas mileage and a myriad of other problems. Do not get depressed its normal for owners that bought a new machine to ride and some dime part breaks and they are upset its a natural thing

i suggest that as a new owner you search, find and read " Illinos boys new rider information" it is the result of a great collection of data that you won't find in the Owners Manual. It will discuss riding techniques in depth.

Welcome aboard. Ride Safe. Enjoy your new Spyder!

 

[Chupaca]

Relax a bit..!!

mileage will improve. Don't know how you are measuring the mpg's but don't go by the gauge. As for boiling gas it is known. I find filling a bit more often so as not to drop Below half a tank keeps this from happening. Hope they got you fixed up with the bluetooth..!! :thumbup:

 

[Dan_Ashley]

"click: http://www.spyderlovers.com/forums/...t-Do-s-and-Do-Nots-quot-for-new-Spyder-owners

 

[ARtraveler]

Mileage usually improves to 30-31 mpg. I check my mileage almost every tank. Use an approved method rather than looking at the gas gauge. If you are using analog gauges, the low fuel light will go on at about 120-130 miles. Digital gauges = low fuel light 145-150 ball park. Most people set a trip meter to zero to keep track of how many miles on the tank. If you want the math for mpg, just say so.

 

[boborgera]

:shocked:Today my wife and I went to our dealer to get blue tooth our bike is a 2013 we checked our fuel and only went 107 mi. To a tank of fuel this is my first Spider r.t I feel that is pretty bad.also when we got home with a half tank of gas I then herd something and that turned out to be gas boiling .Has any one else had any of these problem,s

Did you start off with a full tank? That would be 6 gal, And just to let you know for future mileage checks the Spyders tank is gal 6 not 6.6 gal like advertized.
So half a tank would be 3 gal...
Boiling gas seems to be common, Not right but common......:dontknow:

 

[flamingobabe]

I have a 2013 ST ...I will get 36 mpg...and then I 'll get 20 mpg...the hotter the bike the less mpg...2013's tend to run lean which make a hotter engine,,which will cause the gas to boil

 

[AeroPilot]

2nd tank in a row to get 160 miles plus

Maybe the 2011 RT SM5 is finally getting broken in at 33,000 miles. Last tank took 5 gals to fill. I'll fill tomorrow when its cooler on todays ride with 163 miles plus. (Mostly mountain roads at moderate speeds.) Filled up this morning with 87 Oct at the Shell station-- 4.7 gals at 162 miles.

 

[OldCowboy]

Mileage usually improves to 30-31 mpg.

This depends on where and how you're ryding. 95% of my ryding is on hilly, curvy Ozark two-lanes. So, my mileage is averaging about 27 MPG. If I were ryding on flat roads with few curves, I'm sure it would be much higher. As others have noted, the RT has the aerodynamics of a door, so really good mileage is not in the cards.

 

[Bob Denman]

:agree: But I did manage to get 34.9 mpg on some pretty nice backcountry roads yesterday... with a lot of 3rd and 4th gear riding too! :thumbup:

 

[ARtraveler]

This depends on where and how you're ryding. 95% of my ryding is on hilly, curvy Ozark two-lanes. So, my mileage is averaging about 27 MPG. If I were ryding on flat roads with few curves, I'm sure it would be much higher. As others have noted, the RT has the aerodynamics of a door, so really good mileage is not in the cards.

Quote: Bob D.

But I did manage to get 34.9 mpg on some pretty nice backcountry roads yesterday... with a lot of 3rd and 4th gear riding too!

I actually get my best mileage on these types of roads, and ryde them often. Did 34 mpg once. Second or third gear max, up to 55 mph sometimes. I get the 30 mpg on roads where I am cruising at 65-70. Like you said, mileage will vary from one driver to another and from :spyder2: to another.

 

[Dubld]

Mileage usually improves to 30-31 mpg. I check my mileage almost every tank. Use an approved method rather than looking at the gas gauge. If you are using analog gauges, the low fuel light will go on at about 120-130 miles. Digital gauges = low fuel light 145-150 ball park. Most people set a trip meter to zero to keep track of how many miles on the tank. If you want the math for mpg, just say so.

At what point should the mileage improve? I have over 1,000 miles on my Rt-S and am only averaging 27 mpg. I've read numerous posts on this site where people are reporting 30-35 mpg. I would love to be getting that.

 

[Knarfoh]

we checked our fuel and only went 107 mi. To a tank of fuel this is my first Spider r.t I feel that is pretty bad.

I have tracked my mileage since I purchased my 2012 RT-S SM5 new last year. I posted a mileage chart for all my fill-ups (up to that time) online.

CLICK HERE TO SEE ALL OF MY MILEAGE

Maybe I was naive, but I didn't even think to ask about mileage before I bought my Spyder. My 1994 Goldwing was around 40+ with a 1500cc engine. I just assumed the Spyder would be better. But as other posters have said, 30/31 miles per gallon is pretty standard.

Yes, you will get someone saying, "I took a ride yesterday and I got 38 mpg" or something similar, but that is baloney. On a tank as small as 6 gallons, a small variation in how much gas you add to fill-up can make a tremendous difference. Go to fuelly.com and register and track all of your fill-ups. Only over time, can you learn your true average gas mileage.

HUGE differences in a single fill-up is probably based upon the tank not being filled properly. To be honest, if I try to fill the tank to quickly, the pump shuts off BEFORE it is properly filled.

I usually fill my tank when it is on empty and it probably still has a gallon+ in the tank if you believe the 6 gallon capacity.

Look at my chart - it will tell you the true story over time.

CLICK HERE TO SEE ANOTHER THREAD ABOUT GAS MILEAGE

 

[NancysToy]

I have averaged 28 mpg overall, in the three seasons and the 25,000 miles I have owned my Spyder. Mileage depends on far too many factors to com pare to anyone else on the Internet...the region where you live, the brand of gas, the topography, the altitude, the climate, the speed, windshield position, riding style and habits, towing a trailer, trailer type, cargo and passenger weight, and even the rider's torso shape and the helmet type. Stop calculating the mileage and ride. JMHO

 

[ARtraveler]

At what point should the mileage improve? I have over 1,000 miles on my Rt-S and am only averaging 27 mpg. I've read numerous posts on this site where people are reporting 30-35 mpg. I would love to be getting that.

At 6000 miles or so, you will be getting the mileage that will apply to your particular :spyder2:. There will still be "good" and "bad" tank events. But the average should be pretty well be locked in by then.

 

[ARtraveler]

I have tracked my mileage since I purchased my 2012 RT-S SM5 new last year. I posted a mileage chart for all my fill-ups (up to that time) online.

CLICK HERE TO SEE ALL OF MY MILEAGE

Maybe I was naive, but I didn't even think to ask about mileage before I bought my Spyder. My 1994 Goldwing was around 40+ with a 1500cc engine. I just assumed the Spyder would be better. But as other posters have said, 30/31 miles per gallon is pretty standard.

Yes, you will get someone saying, "I took a ride yesterday and I got 38 mpg" or something similar, but that is baloney. On a tank as small as 6 gallons, a small variation in how much gas you add to fill-up can make a tremendous difference. Go to fuelly.com and register and track all of your fill-ups. Only over time, can you learn your true average gas mileage.

HUGE differences in a single fill-up is probably based upon the tank not being filled properly. To be honest, if I try to fill the tank to quickly, the pump shuts off BEFORE it is properly filled.

I usually fill my tank when it is on empty and it probably still has a gallon+ in the tank if you believe the 6 gallon capacity.

Look at my chart - it will tell you the true story over time.

CLICK HERE TO SEE ANOTHER THREAD ABOUT GAS MILEAGE

I am going to disagree with your statement about people not knowing how to fill the tank properly or to the same level each time. If the tank is filled the same way each time and to the same level, you are going to get similar results. Nothing is perfect and you are always going to be off a little. This is not that technical an issue, and I am perfectly happy with knowing I am in the ballpark of 30 mpg and have been on all of my Spyders.

 

[Well Hell]

topic of Gas

Hey Gang, while we are talking about gas :roflblack: no not that kind:roflblack:. I was told by my dealer not to use any thing but 91 octane. Any thoughts on this, other than it being very expensive.:shocked: Looking forward to the discussion.:chat: What are everyone's thoughts on ethanol, and how do you get around it? :banghead:

 

[NancysToy]

Hey Gang, while we are talking about gas :roflblack: no not that kind:roflblack:. I was told by my dealer not to use any thing but 91 octane. Any thoughts on this, other than it being very expensive.:shocked: Looking forward to the discussion.:chat: What are everyone's thoughts on ethanol, and how do you get around it? :banghead:

BRP recommends the use of premium fuel in the RT. What do you consider to be "very expensive"? If you ride 12,000 miles a year and average 30 mpg, premium fuel costs only $80 more for the entire year if the difference is $0.20 a gallon. That's not "very expensive" to me. As to ethanol, at least in this part of the country, learn to live with it. Until Congress sees the error of their ways, we are stuck with that crap, and our food prices are rising to boot.

 

[Dan McNally]

Hey Gang, while we are talking about gas :roflblack: no not that kind:roflblack:. I was told by my dealer not to use any thing but 91 octane. Any thoughts on this, other than it being very expensive.:shocked: Looking forward to the discussion.:chat: What are everyone's thoughts on ethanol, and how do you get around it? :banghead:

As Nancystoy points out, the cost isn't that much. As for ethanol, there are places where you can get enthanol free gas . . . look here: http://pure-gas.org/

 

[OldCowboy]

Hey Gang, while we are talking about gas :roflblack: no not that kind:roflblack:. I was told by my dealer not to use any thing but 91 octane. Any thoughts on this, other than it being very expensive.:shocked: Looking forward to the discussion.:chat: What are everyone's thoughts on ethanol, and how do you get around it? :banghead:

I've run both 91 octane and 87 octane and can't tell the difference, either in performance or mileage. I'm sure if I had sensitive measuring equipment or a dyno, the 91 octane would be superior. But in the 'real world' I can't tell the difference.

Some people make way too much noise about 10% ethanol. 10% ethanol gas has been with us for almost a decade and everything from lawn mowers to pickup trucks can use it without a problem. While it's true that ethanol has about 34% less energy than gasoline, this means 10% ethanol gas has about 96.6% the energy of non-ethanol gas. So, technically you could expect about a mile per gallon better mileage in your average RT Spyder. To me, that's not enough to justify the hefty premium you pay for non-ethanol gas. For example, yesterday the price of 87 octane was $3.44, 89 octane was $3.64 and non-ethanol 91 octane was $4.14 at one of the service stations I use. Currently, I'm getting right at 27 MPG using 87 octane 10% ethanol gas. For 91 octane non-ethanol gas to be equally economical, it would have to be selling at $3.56 rather than $4.14.

Now, 15% ethanol gas is a whole 'nother ball game. Can-Am cautions against using gasoline with more than 10% alcohol. Several other motorcycle manufacturers have warned against it, as have some automobile manufacturers.