MPG pulling a trailer

[Allensr]

i'm out for the first time pulling my trailer with my dog on it. We left Austin to ride to Fort Davis TX. I ran out of gas at about 140 mi. That is about 23MPG. The good news is I carry 2 gal of gas on the trailer. The bad news is I could not see the warning light on the dash. Sun blanking out the display. Can't see the fuel level or the millage. The two question are, is the about normal MPG while pulling a trailer at 70 MPH and what have you done to deal with the display fading out in the sun? Other than that the ride has been great. Spyder, trailer, and dog all doing just fine.
Spyder is a 2014 sts manual. Trailer weighs 175, dog is 70lbs.

 

[Windagetray]

i'm out for the first time pulling my trailer with my dog on it. We left Austin to ride to Fort Davis TX. I ran out of gas at about 140 mi. That is about 23MPG. The good news is I carry 2 gal of gas on the trailer. The bad news is I could not see the warning light on the dash. Sun blanking out the display. Can't see the fuel level or the millage. The two question are, is the about normal MPG while pulling a trailer at 70 MPH and what have you done to deal with the display fading out in the sun? Other than that the ride has been great. Spyder, trailer, and dog all doing just fine.
Spyder is a 2014 sts manual. Trailer weighs 175, dog is 70lbs.

The mileage is not out of the question but a few questions first. Are you riding 2-up or alone? How much of "Fido" is sticking out of the trailer and in the wind? How aerodynamic is the trailer? What else is in the trailer besides the 17 pounds of extra (thank God!) fuel? ...and finally, is the windshield up or down? At 70 MPH these things make a difference. The weight of the trailer and contents would make a BIG difference anytime you had to pull out from a stop.

 

[SpyderAnn01]

It also depends on the wind and flat roads or hills? What kind of mileage do you normally get in the same conditions but without the trailer? Are you sure you had it completely full when you started out? I got 18 mpg once with my 2013 RT pulling a trailer, mostly uphill with very strong headwind, but normally I would get in the mid 20s towing.

 

[Tx web rider]

fuel mileage

on my GS SE5 i have done as good as 30 mpg running 2 up with 2 weeks of gear in my overly heavy trailer doing 65 in Arkansas big wind shield and all
but out there fort Davis area the winds are known to howl out there and i did 115 miles on a full tank running solo with approx same weight of camping gear in the trailer doing 80

faster you get above 65 faster the fuel vanishes i have found

and after i ran out of gas on I-10 20 miles from gas i do carry a 1.5 gal tank on the side of my trailer but have never used it

 

[jthornton]

i'm out for the first time pulling my trailer with my dog on it. We left Austin to ride to Fort Davis TX. I ran out of gas at about 140 mi. That is about 23MPG. The good news is I carry 2 gal of gas on the trailer. The bad news is I could not see the warning light on the dash. Sun blanking out the display. Can't see the fuel level or the millage. The two question are, is the about normal MPG while pulling a trailer at 70 MPH and what have you done to deal with the display fading out in the sun? Other than that the ride has been great. Spyder, trailer, and dog all doing just fine.
Spyder is a 2014 sts manual. Trailer weighs 175, dog is 70lbs.

As they say YMMV depending on a lot of factors others have mentioned. When I pull my RT622 I average around 25 mpg.

If the sun is making it hard to see the display I'll lean forward so my helmet blocks out the direct sunlight.

JT

 

[Allensr]

todays results

thanks guys. Going fast does eat the fuel. Up the mountain to the observatory and back, at a reasonable speed, I got 28 mpg.
The trailer is an open flat bed with a big dog crate bolted on to it. I am traveling alone except for Knox in the crate. My trip home tomorrow to Austin is about 400 mi. It's a PIA having to plan your ride in 100 segments. The Spyder is a fun machine but hard to think of it as a touring rig with it limited range. When I travel without the trailer I get about 30MPG. We are having a good time in spite of the issues.

 

[pwpalmbay]

In regard to the lack of seeing the fuel lit and gas gauge: I always reset my B tripmeter when I get gas. At 120 miles I know I better start looking for gas.