| Author | Message | ||
     08uly |
Anyone else getting relatively poor gas mileage on their 2008 Uly? I've got 3,500 miles on mine and have been hoping it would improve. So far I've been averaging the following: Best Average 44.9 (during 608 Highway miles 65/70) Total Average 37.3 (from day one) Worst Average 30.8 (during break-in) Best tank 46.5 Worst tank 23.7 (1st tank, lots of warming up and on & off throttle) I see all the 50+ mpg mentioned on here and I'm thinking something must be wrong with this bike or has the new Fuel Injection (changes for 2008) impacted the mpg's? I don't think I'm overly hard on the throttle and even those that say they push it pretty hard seem to be getting better mileage. Any thoughts on what I should check or have a dealer look at? Other than the mileage the bike runs fine. Thanks for any insight. (Message edited by 08uly on November 04, 2007) | ||
| Bertotti |
My mileage got better when I let the bike rev up a bit instead of how I was running it. Mine is an 07 but I imagine that might help a bit since the 08's have a higher rev limit. I also think the 08's get a little worse mileage because of new emission laws ,but I have no hands on proof of that. | ||
| Teeps |
My '06 gets between 46 and 52 MPG. This with the engine rarely below 3k RPM, when the bike is in motion. | ||
| Dtford |
I have an 08 also my mileage is about the same as yours about 40 mph | ||
| Paochow |
If the 08's were tightened up to meet stricter emissions, one would think that they would run leaner. Perhaps Buell richened up the mix in response to the ping issues that some were having on the earlier Uly's. My all time worst mileage on mine was 33MPG and that was two up, full bags, cruising at ~100 mph. Usually I had between 40-55 MPG. Wish my KTM would do that well. | ||
| Bdgreaseman |
'06 Uly I consistently get 52mpg in town here in Columbia during my commutes and between the production plants I visit. I putt in the right lane at a little over 2,000rpm in 4th gear and shift at 2,500rpm, with two short traffic lights and no traffic to speak of. If I run it at higher rpm's it drops a couple mpg. The vibration won't get to your hands until you've done more than 1/2 hour riding; otherwise, bump it up to 3,000 rpm. On highway #21 to Charlotte I get 63mpg at 60mph (posted limit all the way). Above 60mph on hwy #77 the mileage drops noticeably to somewhere between the 52-63 range. Typically the refill light comes on at about 180miles. On spirited runs, the mileage drops as you might suspect. I don't plan on messing with the tuning until this changes. | ||
| Dennis_c |
I have an 08 uly 32 to 41 mpg 2500 miles | ||
| Alchemy |
08uly, Just curious where you have your idle set? I suspect my idle setting has a little to do with mileage. I am probably wrong as I don't know of any direct connection with the EFI. | ||
| Natexlh1000 |
2008 bikes have no manual idle adjustment. | ||
| Sanchez |
Around town on my 06, I'm usually in the mid to low 40's. The low fuel light comes on between 140 and 160 miles. On the interstate at 80 mph, I usually see high 40's. Elevation makes a difference in gas mileage. I get much better mileage up in the mountains than around town, even though I feel like I'm beating the bike up more. Riding style is important, too. I did some experimenting while out on vacation. I spent most of the trip on the Blue Ridge Parkway at a pretty good elevation and relatively slow speeds. Riding 45 mph in 3rd gear at about 3500 rpm yielded lower mileage than riding in 4th gear around 3000 rpm, even though I was going up and down hills. My best tank was 61 mpg, which was mostly 55 mph in 5th gear around 3000 rpm. My worst tank was 48 mpg when I spent some time on an interstate. My average for the whole 2000 mile trip was 55 mpg. | ||
| Gotj |
Another important variable is whether or not the gasoline is contaminated with ethanol. With 10% ethanol, you get about 10% lower fuel mileage. | ||
| Tel |
Converting it back from kms and litres to miles per US gallon and my 2006 averages 43.5 mpg. Worst its been was about 37 mpg. | ||
| Atoms |
My 07 has never gotten better than 44 MPG. Before I hit the magic 5k mark it never did better than 42. I do live in the ethanol soaked midwest. That 10% would explain my poor mileage compared to so many of the reports here. Most of my riding is "spirited" once I get the hell out of and before I get the hell back into town, (which often, unfortunately, is half or more of my ride) | ||
| Ft_bstrd |
The very best tank I ever got averaged about 50mpg. That was running around 70MPH with the tach between 4500 and 6000. I normally average between 42 and 46MPG. I will say my mileage improved as the engine broke in. It got a little worse after I added the Race ECM. | ||
| Florida_lime |
My 2007 model around town/commuter average is 40-42 mpg, which includes about 50% 75+ mph. Best I've seen was 48 mpg in the mountains of Georgia/N.C., worst I've seen was 37 mpg on the interstate trying to make up some lost time.  It seems to get better mileage if it is cooler outside. | ||
| M2nc |
You can get great mileage out of the Uly but it improves as the bike wears in. After 24,000 miles on the Uly and 46,000 miles on the M2 which 20,000 miles are mine here is the range I have seen. Worst mileage out of either bike: 34mpg on the M2 in traffic at Daytona during bike week. Best mileage out of either bike: 62mpg on the Uly touring between 55-60mph on the Blue Ridge Parkway. Average mileage range around town: Both bike about the same at 42-45mpg Average mileage on two-lane highways (55-65mph): 54-56mpg Average mileage on the interstate (75-85mph): 48-50mpg | ||
| Karlsbad |
I have an 08, we do ride fairly hard, no commuting just riding for fun and laughter mid 30's - low 40's is the best I have done. I start looking for fuel around 120-130 miles on trip meter | ||
| 08uly |
Thanks for all the feedback. I guess my mileage is not that far off but I'll still have the dealer take a look. Also going to try to restrain my right hand but on the Uly that is tough! LOL | ||
| Hdbobwithabuell |
I'm getting about 45 MPG on my '08 12X in the first 200 miles. If I remember right, this is about the same as I got on my Firebolt. The 'Bolt now has almost 30K on it and if I "just do the speed limit" I can get around 60 MPG now. Get on the gas and it drops to around 45-50 MPG. | ||
| Rekrab |
08 Uly, 12,000 mi. Best 54. lowest 42. 70+ mph. avg. 47 mpg. | ||
| Gatlinburger |
08 Uly first tank, break-in type riding, always two up. 126 miles on 3.5 gal. = 36.0 mpg | ||
| Mattwhite |
3500 isn't really broken in. I saw my mileage go up a bit around 6000 miles. | ||
| Jlnance |
This was brought up in another thread, but rider weight seems to have a large effect on mileage. It also seems to determine whether you get better highway mileage in 4th or 5th gear. | ||
| 08uly |
I would tend to agree except that some mention getting 50+ even when fully loaded riding two-up! 3,800 miles and I have yet to see anything better than 46 mpg & that's with very conservative riding. | ||
| Ratbuell |
The most important factor in fuel mileage is at the end of your right arm. Dial it back and pace the Hybrids in traffic, you'll get HUGE improvements in mileage. Ride it like we all want to, and it drops some. For my money, I'll take the 42 I regularly get out of my S2, given the amount of fun I'm having while doing it. If I drive my CSX that way, it's in the teens. If I drive the wife's Magnum R/T that way, it's in the LOW teens. I stick to the bikes  | ||
| Treadmarks |
Just got back from a 1800 mile trip, riding two up, with 3 fully loaded bags. 40-60 mph of off road and small town back roads in 3rd and 4th yielded 60+ mpg. (65 actually) I couldn't believe it. That was the only slow part of the trip and also the best mileage. On the highway between 60-70 mph yielded 55-57 mpg. Worst mileage was on the way back on the flats at 110-120 mph and we only got 35.5 out of that tank. My combination seems to get the best mileage when at 3000-3500 rpm. Very smooth there as well. My fuel map is from Al at American Sport Bike, and is currently heavily modified by me. I removed a considerable amount of fuel from the decel tables and very low rpms between 3k and 4k. No excessive heat or pinging at all. Timing is straight up. AFV is still at 100 after the ride. This is with 1250cc kit and ported heads, open airbox conversion from American Sport Bike and stock air filter with micron serpent exhaust. | ||
| Etennuly |
Tread, Those are almost exactly the same mileage numbers I get on my stock '06 Uly. I usually run about the same rpm or maybe a little lower. The worst mileage I ever got was riding with Ft_bstrd and Chadh on a back road trip from Nashville to Knoxville. That day I figured out why Ft_b had such a problem with tire mileage. I got 41 mpg and I think the three Ulys were all within + or- one half mpg. On a trip to Florida one time cruising at about 100 for a tank full it was at 46 mpg. I can whip it on local back roads and always come up with 53 mpg. Commuting locally it will do about 50 to 55 mpg, depending on how many cold starts I have. On the Blue Ridge at 45 mph it did 62 mpg two up with the bags loaded. How do you like that 1250? Is it what you hoped it would be? | ||
| Jlnance |
I would tend to agree except that some mention getting 50+ even when fully loaded riding two-up! I too get better mileage 2 up. I think it has to do with aerodynamics. | ||
| M2nc |
I too get better mileage 2 up. I think it has to do with aerodynamics. I agree. I think two up you cut a cleaner line through the air. Even though weight does play a roll the motor has enough pull at 3000-4000rpm to pull up to max weight without effort. So if two up you create less drag you will actually improve fuel mileage. I know the best mileage I have gotten out of the M2 was with the wife on back @ 56mpg. When I got 62-63mpg out of the Uly, I had a Ventura 40 liter bag on the pillion and the truck, but no side bags. | ||
| Conchop |
I'm a little disappointed with my gas mileage but from what I'm reading here, I guess I'm on par. 300 miles on the clock and 37 mpg. I live in the mountains so everything here uses more gas. I will go to Amsoil synthetic once I do the 1st service. Everything I put the Amsoil in improves the fuel economy. I also put nitrogen in the tires. That always helps making things happy. | ||
| Jlnance |
I live in the mountains so everything here uses more gas. When I rode across Wyoming, my gas mileage went through the floor. My reserve light came on at 120 miles. I can usually make it close to 170. |
