realistic Touring Range of the RT

[2Gunns]

I posted this on another thread, but thought I'd repost with a question for those who have "Hit the Highways" on their RT's

I was watching "Wild Hogs" again last night (yeah...I know:yikes

anywho: there's the sceen right after woody blows up the biker bar, when the guys want to stop for gas & refreshments. of course they missed seeing the sign "200 miles to next gas" so they ran out. I sat there thinking.... I couldn't even make that on my RT if I did fill up

What is the realistic range between fill-ups on the RT? (if you really had to push it)

 

[Bersquack]

I do not know about the RT, but with my RS (or GS) it is about 180. After that I get really nervous.

 

[Lamonster]

Figuring being able to use 6 gal of the tank

worst case towing a trailer at 21mpg- 126 miles
average towing a trailer at 25mpg- 150 miles
good mileage towing a trailer 29mpg- 174 miles
without trailer 29 to 31mpg- 174 to 186 miles

I do carry a 2 gal can with me in the trailer.

 

[boborgera]

Once on my 08/GS I went 189 miles, when i stopped for gas it took 5.9 gal. Like i said a few times before, i fill the tank to the absolute top when i know I'm going that far before i get gas. Probably in a mile or two i would have been walking. :yikes:

 

[patdcop]

My bladder runs out long before the tank does. I try and stop every 100 miles and plan my gas accordinly.

 

[MouthPiece]

Pushing it? I'd say 150 to 160 on my RTS. Also depends whether with or against the wind. As a practical matter? I usually fill around 120 to 140. I don't have a trailer.

 

[ThreeWheels]

Pushing it? I'd say 150 to 160 on my RTS. Also depends whether with or against the wind. As a practical matter? I usually fill around 120 to 140. I don't have a trailer.

+1

 

[westgl]

How far can you go on a tank

This is a tricky question.

Bike only, no trailer

Bike new, Less than 1000miles don't expect 30mpg,
maybe 20-23mpg that's about 125miles per 6 gals.

From what I have heard over 2000miles should start getting around 30mpg
180miles.

Forget doing much more than 200miles, That will run you dry, put a new pair of shoes in one of the saddle bags.

Westgl

 

[strats]

..... Or in metric

After 2500 kilometers in mixed conditions, always 2 up.

Gas Cubby on my iPhone says 7.2 litres per 100k's

 

[NancysToy]

Pushing it? I'd say 150 to 160 on my RTS. Also depends whether with or against the wind. As a practical matter? I usually fill around 120 to 140. I don't have a trailer.

You guys must get better gas than we do up here. Filling five gallons at 120 miles (and a warning light) leaves less than 30 miles before I have to walk home. 100 miles is my "hunt up a gas station-quick" trigger! BTW, I can get 250 miles on the same sized tank on my BMW. That's touring range!

 

[ThreeWheels]

You guys must get better gas than we do up here. Filling five gallons at 120 miles (and a warning light) leaves less than 30 miles before I have to walk home. 100 miles is my "hunt up a gas station-quick" trigger! BTW, I can get 250 miles on the same sized tank on my BMW. That's touring range!

Yea verrily, what he said goes double for me. I think it's foolish to continue riding very far once the low fuel warning light goes on, that's why I'm trying to make damn sure that the warning light is accurate. 30 miles (1 gallon) remaining is a good time to look for gas.

130, 140 miles, we're talking maybe2 hours in the saddle. On a road trip, that's not a bad time to stop and stretch your legs get something to drink, etc.

No one has discssed the poor range as it pertains to a daily commuter. 130 mile range, in the Northeast that's easily a single day's round trip to work which means you need to stop for gas every day or every two days at the most. That's a real PITA.

 

[2Gunns]

You guys must get better gas than we do up here. Filling five gallons at 120 miles (and a warning light) leaves less than 30 miles before I have to walk home. 100 miles is my "hunt up a gas station-quick" trigger! BTW, I can get 250 miles on the same sized tank on my BMW. That's touring range!

Yeah Scotty, That was my main reason for asking. Both my cruisers get 200+ per 4.5 gal tank, I would expect at least that on a "TOURING" machine. On the cruisers I only have the trip meter. On the RT I've got this fuel gauge that pegs empty at 100 miles (useless). After only putting 4 gallons per stop, I decided to ignore the gauge and go with the trip meter. I've put 5.1 gallons @ 140 miles....but I read on one post that it isn't really a 6.6 gal. tank, so... How much fuel do I have avaliable? I don't feel like walking ray:

 

[ontariospyder]

first three tanks ran to 200 km(120 miles) until the light came on. Stopped and filled up with one gallon still left in the tank. Idiot light seems to work but 120 miles sucks.

 

[NancysToy]

first three tanks ran to 200 km(120 miles) until the light came on. Stopped and filled up with one gallon still left in the tank. Idiot light seems to work but 120 miles sucks.

One of the trade-offs we have to accept for the safety, comfort, and novelty of the Spyder 3-wheel platform is a loss in gas mileage. While a sport touring motorcycle can get 40-60 mpg, and has nearly twice the range on the same sized tank, the Spyder punches a much larger hole in the air, has more ground resistance, and is aerodynamically more "dirty". The resulting poorer fuel mileage is the price we pay. I, for one, am more than willing to pay that price.

 

[ThreeWheels]

One of the trade-offs we have to accept for the safety, comfort, and novelty of the Spyder 3-wheel platform is a loss in gas mileage. While a sport touring motorcycle can get 40-60 mpg, and has nearly twice the range on the same sized tank, the Spyder punches a much larger hole in the air, has more ground resistance, and is aerodynamically more "dirty". The resulting poorer fuel mileage is the price we pay. I, for one, am more than willing to pay that price.

I'm not wholly pleased with the range. Like you, I agree with paying the price of poor mileage in order to get more comfort and safety.
I'm wondering if there is some kind of "Out Of The Box" solution to increase range. I've asked Gargano's to see if BRP can remap the fuel injection when in fifth gear to decrease power and increase gas mileage.
Another option is to simply carry more gas. My ST1100 had enormous range of 300 miles. It had two tanks, an upper and a lower, connected with vents and drains so they acted as one tank. This was the standard configuration from the factory. On top of that there were also third party suppliers of fuel cells that could be added for even greater range.
Here's a link to an example. Just food for thought.

http://sampson-sporttouring.com/st1100-fuel-cell.html

I wonder if something like that could be added to the RT. I'd go for that. An additional supply of 4 gallons would be quite a bit and add a lot to the range.

 

[icestorm1998]

Gas Mileage @ 31

My wife and I went for a ride with others yesterday on my RT S Orbital blue. It was a lot of 45 - 60 mph riding in the back. My gas light came on at 140 miles and I averaged 31 miles per gallon. Not as good as my RS, but much more comfortable. I only have 250 miles on it so far.. so I''m hoping the engine loosens up and gives me better mileage.

 

[ThreeWheels]

My wife and I went for a ride with others yesterday on my RT S Orbital blue. It was a lot of 45 - 60 mph riding in the back. My gas light came on at 140 miles and I averaged 31 miles per gallon. Not as good as my RS, but much more comfortable. I only have 250 miles on it so far.. so I''m hoping the engine loosens up and gives me better mileage.

I think that's the real key. I did 360 miles yesterday 2 up. When I was riding the back roads under 60 I was averaging 30 MPG.
When I got back on the highway doing 70 my mileage went to crap.

 

[NancysToy]

I think that's the real key. I did 360 miles yesterday 2 up. When I was riding the back roads under 60 I was averaging 30 MPG.
When I got back on the highway doing 70 my mileage went to crap.

As your speed increases, your drag factor increases exponentially. Drag is one of the largest factors in fuel mileage. That doesn't mean when you go 70 you get 1/4 the gas mileage that you would get at 35, but it does gulp much more rapidly, especially at speeds above 50-60.

 

[fencepost]

I find the discussion on fuel mileage to be interesting in that the comparison, for the most part, always seems to be with a 2 wheel motorcycle, which is not apples to apples. Consider all the Goldwings that have been converted to trikes, prior to the conversion most of them got somewhere in the mid to high 30’s and some even in the low 40’s. Now add the trike conversion and the fuel mileage drops for most of them to the high 20”s with some getting in the low 30”s. Consider that you now have increased rolling resistance with 3 tires, one of which is very wide, wide front fairing and wind deflectors. So when compared with like motorcycles the mileage for the Spyder is in the ball park with other three wheel motorcycles.

 

[SC92]

I find the discussion on fuel mileage to be interesting in that the comparison, for the most part, always seems to be with a 2 wheel motorcycle, which is not apples to apples. Consider all the Goldwings that have been converted to trikes, prior to the conversion most of them got somewhere in the mid to high 30’s and some even in the low 40’s. Now add the trike conversion and the fuel mileage drops for most of them to the high 20”s with some getting in the low 30”s. Consider that you now have increased rolling resistance with 3 tires, one of which is very wide, wide front fairing and wind deflectors. So when compared with like motorcycles the mileage for the Spyder is in the ball park with other three wheel motorcycles.

I Agree, I have over 4,500 Kilometers (close to 3000 miles) and regularly get 32 miles per gallon (8.6 litres per 100Kilometers) and it seems to be getting better.
Having said that I don't expect much more than that and am quite happy with the range.
I have often gone to 300 Kilometers between fillups, red light come on at about 250 Kilometers (around 160 miles).
Ignore the gauge until you get it fixed and believe the light.
I run 98 octane fuel and and it cost around $1.50 per liter in Australia. Thats equates to $5.60 US. :dontknow:

Regards
Bob