Gas mileage

[sleepman]

1.) Fill the tank. As someone else posted here, the tank will not completely fill with the nozzle stuffed into it. You need to pull the fuel nozzle up, and slowly top the tank off, I stop when fuel starts to kick back out the air slots.

More importantly,

2.) For the past week I've been running the Roadster at 6500-7500 RPMs in each gear, as opposed to 3500-4000 RPMs like I do with my car. This seems to have made a huge improvement in mileage.

Bottom line, my gas mileage seems to be on par with others following the adjustments above.

I can't see where packing your tank is going to improve fuel mileage, it's just going to give you a little extra gas to go a little further. As for higher rpm's making a "huge improvement in mileage" give us the comparison. What did you get before and what are you getting now, that just doesn't make a lot of sense to me.

I think one thing that we all have to consider about the Spyder is that BRP put a performance minded engine in it. Most of the guys I've talked with who ride the supersport bikes experience the lower mpg's as well. I rode yesterday with a friend who had a 103" HQ build done on his Road King and he's now getting 30 mpg's at best. Horsepower comes with a cost to fuel mileage.

 

[Zerocool]

I can't see where packing your tank is going to improve fuel mileage, it's just going to give you a little extra gas to go a little further. As for higher rpm's making a "huge improvement in mileage" give us the comparison. What did you get before and what are you getting now, that just doesn't make a lot of sense to me.

Yeah, I wasn't clear regarding "packing your tank." It has nothing to do with getting better fuel mileage, rather, my gas light would come on and when I filled the tank it would only take 3.6 gallons; a bit off from the 6.6 gallons where I'd expect to put at least 5 gallons in. So I wasn't topping off the tank which lowers the distance you get.

"Huge" is relative, I know I was getting 26 mpg previously. This past week, and for the first time, I got 34 mpg. Maybe the bike is improving the more miles I rack up.

Understand, I'm not trying to belabor the gas mileage, as it's not that important to me. Rather, being new to riding I'm trying to avoid developing bad riding habits by checking with you who are more experienced.

Thanks.

 

[sleepman]

I would think if anything that the improved mileage is from improving your riding style as you gain experience. I've had my Spyder a month now and just went over the 2,000 mile mark this weekend. I feel like it's significantly broke in and I haven't seen a change in mpg. I can range between my lowest of 30 mpg to my highest of 35 mpg, I'm consistently at 32 mpg. I would think however that there could be a mpg difference between the SE5 and the SM5 much like there is a difference between a standard and automatic car.

 

[NancysToy]

I would be surprised to see much difference between an SE5 and the SM5. It will be interesting to get some feedback now that the button shifters are arriving. The losses on automatic transmission equipped cars are mainly due to the slippage in the torque converter. With the modern lock-up converters, they are closer than in the old days, but they still slip at low speeds in the lower gears. The SE5 is different, and electronically controlled. It will only slip at an idle, from what I have gathered, when it has to. It may lose a little in comparison because you never let off the throttle to shift, though.

The mileage on Spyders seems to vary a lot. I don't think this is all the rider, and maybe not the machine, either. I feel that some variance is due to the increased amount of ethanol in our gas. Obviously it varies from stae to state, brand to brand, and region to region. Across the board, my 30 vehicles are getting worse and worse mileage. Even my lawn tractor has suffered this year. We did document improved gas mileage as our Spyder was broken in. I doubt it was rider variation. In that department, however, my wife wins. She consistently gets 2 mpg better than I do, highway, city, or mixed. Apparently she hasn't discovered the joy of twisting the throttle yet.
-Scotty

 

[Smylinacha]

I did around 600 miles over the weekend. 300 of it was highway on the way home and the Spyder was getting in the low thirties. That was doing between 65 and 75 mph.

 

[smokster]

Well i have been keeping track of my gas milage since i got the spyder. I have filled up 5 times in the 650 miles I have on it. The first take was 26mpg, 28, 27, 31, and the best so far was this last tank at 33mpg.

Sounds about correct.

 

[trikester]

I think my mileage is improving as the riding mileage goes up. I haven't refilled yet, after the Julian ride, but having three bars on the gauge after 172 miles of twisty mountain riding, I know that is better than when I first got the Spyder.

The only time I've measured the mileage was my first tank full and I only got 26 mpg then.

I have 694 miles on the clock now. It'll be interesting to measure what I got on this latest ride. :read:

 

[Star Cruiser]

I have been driving pretty aggresively for the break in. Lots of higher reving and back down. Looks like it really chewed up the gas. I'll fill the tank and start to track the milage. A neat site to get on and do mileage and best gas prices is: www.gasbuddy.com There is a fuel logbook option for the Canadian Sites, and for some of the States as well.

 

[Hummer42]

Me too. lol