| Author | Message | ||
     Bobr |
Interesting about rev it to redline then cruise at moderate revs. My other motorcycle is a Honda Insight, and some of my fuel economy strategies come from forums for that vehicle. Those folks REALLY get obsessive about fuel economy! One of the things I read was a similar strategy--accelerate fairly hard through lower gears to get the rpms down in a higher gear for cruising. The strategy is different for stop and go driving; follow the shift indicator light. On the XT I've been shifting at about 4K. For interstate cruising that ends up with 3-3.5K at about 70 mph, the sweet spot mentioned above. The rest of the time I've been shooting for about 2500 rpms for 3-4 mile stretches of road without starts and stops. In heavier traffic I forget about fuel economy and make sure I'm in the middle of the power band so that I can accelerate or decelerate quickly if I need to, and concentrate on traffic and leaving plenty of cushion. One of the big advantages of hybrid vehicles is that they shut off the gas engine at stops and certain other situations. As someone pointed out on one of the Insight forums when you're stopped with the engine running you're getting 0 mpg. Too bad our bikes don't take well to being shut-off and restarted frequently and require a rather lengthy warm-up time to get the oil circulating properly. | ||
| Bigkuri |
Next theory then - swap-a-bike.... Anyone in the UK, 200miles from London want to trade bikes for a day - then see what happens?  | ||
| Bobr |
"My '06 is happiest on the back roads around E. Tennessee at a moderate to fast pace, shifting at about 4500 and running from 2600 to 3600 rpms. This will net better than 50 mpg." HA! Sounds like gimpy granny riding to me! Bob's Clone | ||
| Chas1969 |
Translation DDFI3: "Down-right Dreadful Fool Injection #3 (3 is a odd number which like 1 may take some time to work out the odd problems expierenced by our new technical odd thinky-boober). Future 09' map I bet will fix the MPG, and easier to foul problems. The 08' was just a 'beta' version, which is common in the motorcycle industry (1st year introduction of new tech stuff). Chas | ||
| Etennuly |
HA! Sounds like gimpy granny riding to me! Uuhhhh......yeah.......so what's your point. I get better gas mileage than you do and have no problem keeping up with fast paced riders doing that.  But when the really fast riders show up, and the mood strikes, it's up on the bars and down a gear or two and over 4000 rpms as I watch their tail lights go out of sight.  (From the halls of old enough to not needing to go there all of the time) Oh, and I am fat, you are ugly. I can diet!  | ||
| Etennuly |
Dave, you still want participation in this quarum? Happy to continue if you like. | ||
| 08uly |
Yes please, keep it going... Approaching 500 samples. It will be interesting to see as the '06 & '07's accumulate more samples per Uly and the '08's increase in miles. Just getting my Uly out of the shop! 3 weeks for a 5,000 mile service & some major warranty work (I'll post a more detailed thread about what went down). --- 08Uly Uly Data Page Leader Boards  | ||
| California |
Have you not updated the data lately? I'm showing with only 5 posts, yet I actually have 12. Is the data processing, or am i entering incorrectly? Whazzup? | ||
| 08uly |
California, Thanks for all the data. The leader board is static, I have to update it manually. the mileage chart is still taking your updates... as soon as I get a chance I'll update the leader board (right now it shows as of 5/20). --- 08Uly Uly Data Page Leader Boards | ||
| 08uly |
Leader Board is updated... --- 08Uly Uly Data Page Leader Boards | ||
| Bobr |
OK--so I finally got just over 50 mpg on my last tank thanks to gimpy granny riding on the slab, and I'll be picking it up from the 5K service tomorrow. So what (you ask) is my next sacrifice in the name of mpg science going to be? Fear not for I will tell you--even if you run screaming with your hands clapped over your ears, your ear plugs in, and your helmets on: In a flash of brilliant insight I realized that I can do a comparison test using my wife's '07 Lightning Long. Yes I know it's not a Uly, but it is an '07 1200 and both bikes will have about 5,000 miles on them and both will have just been serviced, so if the theory about '08 fuel mapping is correct her bike should get much better mpg than mine under similar conditions--it's an '07, it's lighter, and it has a smaller (royal enfield cafe screen) windshield. Of course I realize the enormity of the sacrifice involved in having not only one but two Buells to play with, but I'm noble that way. Now all I've got to do is get Sarah's Lightning away from her. Bob | ||
| Froggy |
Bob, not to blow a hole in your testing, but i had a 06 Uly, now have 06 SS, and the Uly did better on gas with same riding. No clue why. | ||
| Jwnsc |
I'm going backwards - my '08 got 35 mpg on the last tank! Just sedate around town riding between 3K-4K RPM, one-up with empty bags. Maybe it's time to switch back to 89+ octane. Maybe I need to keep it at 4K+ RPM all the time. Maybe the fuel is evaporating in the heat. What's funny is I saw an ad for a new '08 Uly by an HD/Buell dealer claiming that the bike got 61 mpg on the highway! What's frustrating is my riding buddy has gotten 50+ mpg on his new Tiger from the day he bought it, two-up and with a "Beverly Hillbillies " load on a recent trip. | ||
| Ulyranger |
Well, I've been consistently hovering in the 42-43 mpg range on the first batch of tankfuls that I've tracked but today I seem to have turned a corner...... Went for a little putt today of about 300 miles with the wife on board and my FIL's 1150GS alongside. Had all three bags on as well and I got 45mpg on the first fill up and 50mpg on the second. Looks like the XT can break into the 50 catagory......hopefully this trend will continue. We were riding pretty conservative though on two laners in the southern tier into the western Catskills and back home. My FIL does ride slow with a pillion, frustratingly so at times but I don't lug the Uly much and tend to stay in a lower gear in these situations. So it's not strictly an rpm thing as I tried to keep 'er in the sweet spot regardless of speed. I wasn't able to blast out of the corners as the Uly URGES me to with him out front so that's a bit of change in driving habit. I'll be curious to see how the next couple of tankfuls go. BTW, there are some nice lookin' waitresses at Zack's in Roscoe if anyone's in the neighborhood......pretty good bison burgers too. (Message edited by Ulyranger on June 10, 2008) | ||
| Natexlh1000 |
I FINALLY broke 40 miles per gallon. I was kinda beating on it too. hmmmmm....... I'll start to keep track from now on. I think it's finally breaking in. | ||
| Bobr |
"Bob, not to blow a hole in your testing, but i had a 06 Uly, now have 06 SS, and the Uly did better on gas with same riding. No clue why." Froggy, Other than an excuse to ride Sarah's bike the idea is to see if a comparison test supports or contradicts the idea that the '08 fuel mapping results in greater fuel consumption. I have ridden Sarah's bike a few times and recollect it getting about 48mpg which is pretty close to my overall average on my XT. I'm just curious to see how they compare when ridden the same way under similar conditions. Bob | ||
| Bobr |
Hey Jim, I think using higher octane gas is a good bet. Every HD I owned got better mpg with higher octane gas. I've never tried anything but premium in my Buells but I expect they like high octane gas better as well. In town riding murders fuel economy with a non-hybrid engine, of course. There are some tricks that might help if you're really concerned about getting better mpg. Check out the greener cars website. They have a page on improving fuel economy. I'm suspicious of your Buddy's claim. I have a friend who told me he's getting 50mpg with his new 1250 Bandit. We gassed up after a ride and he walked away from the pump saying "Yup, 50 mpg just like I said." Now I know he didn't pull out a calculator or write it down and do the math. He just did it in his head and I expect he rounded up. Maybe he was getting 50mpg and maybe not. Cordially, Bob | ||
| Johnboy777 |
I always run (as much as possible) Sunoco 94 octane. Normally I get 36-38 MPG ... I have a lead wrist though, I think. I took a trip last week end to the Allegheny National Forest and got 47 MPG on the way back (taking the freeway). Certainly freeways, and a higher highway vs. city mix, make a big difference in MPG, although I usually try avoid freeways if I can ... very boring. . | ||
| Jwnsc |
Bob, Thanks for the hints. I have run everything from 93 to 87 octane and got my best tank (45 mpg) on regular, and my lowest (32 mpg) on the freeway with 93 octane. Around town, I don't idle long or get in traffic jams. No burn-outs, no rev limiter runs, etc, I just try to keep it between 3K - 4K RPM. As for my buddy on his new Triumph, I tend to believe him not so much because he is pastor of a Baptist church, but because he only got gas every other time I did on our trip. I'm taking a little trip to the mountains this weekend with plenty of freeway miles. We'll see if higher octane makes any difference. Also, when I do the 5K oil change, I plan to switch to synthetic. | ||
| Ulyranger |
I've been running synthetic and premium in the XT. | ||
| Bobr |
"got my best tank (45 mpg) on regular, and my lowest (32 mpg) on the freeway with 93 octane." Weird! The other reason I run premium has to do with the relatively high compression engine. I think the owner's manual calls for higher octane but I'd have to check. Hope you have a great trip, Jim, and look forward to hearing how it went when you get back. We're having a spell of foul weather in N. FL and I've been in the Insight this week, so a little vicarious riding will be good. | ||
| Kpfetz |
I've got just under 1,500 miles on my new 08 Uly. It's been getting about 44-46 mpg on premium until I switched to synthetic oil and on my last ride(about 200 miles of mixed freeway and backroad twisties) I got 52.7 mpg. I'll keep tracking it to be sure it wasn't a fluke but needless to say I'm very pleased! | ||
| Gsilvernale |
A Post on Advrider indicates that a new ECM Map has been released for 08 Ulys. Improved rideability and better mileage (5 MPG better) was the claim. http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=34 5607 | ||
| Jwnsc |
Just got back from a 400+ mile trip and averaged about 42 mpg on my '08. Freeway, around town, two-up, regular, premium, bags, no bags - it didn't seem to matter. I called Low Country HD/Buell to see if they had the ECM patch and they said they'd call me back as soon as they could get up with the main Buell tech on Tuesday. I have to go down there Wednesday and get my upgraded clutch cable wire form. It would be nice to get the patch at the same time. I'd like to get a baseline mpg with the patch and then switch to synthetic to see what the difference is. | ||
| Etennuly |
I just found out how far it will actually go on a tank of gas.....1.3 miles short of my intended goal!  I ran out of gas in Knoxville Tn on Kingston pike where there are gas stations every couple of blocks. I was trying to see if I could make it to where I needed to pick up a truck at one of my customers rental stores. It was 95F and I was stuck in traffic that was not moving for the last five miles(I would have made it other wise). I wear ATGATT and found that is not the best bike pushing gear around. The bike quit running on a down slope a block and a half passed a gas station, stopped in traffic for a red light. We need flashers for these situations! Four way flashers people, Kawasaki did it in 1976, why can't we have them in 2008? I coasted the rest of the way down to the bottom and it quit moving .6 of a mile to the next station, up hill. Pushed it up to the pump and filled it up. The only way it could have held the full 4.4 gallons would have been to fill it to the very top of the neck where the gas cap would have pushed gas out. Got 4.388 gallons in at 219.3 miles. If any residual gas was in the tank it wouldn't pick it up, I tried. To be fair I pushed it the last .6 of a mile, so to be accurate it ran to 218.7 miles, I had the key on with a turn signal on while pushing. Well now I know. When it runs out, it is indeed out. No sloshing from the other side like the old dirt bike, no little left to get fifty more feet, just out. And really, it doesn't push bad at all, not too heavy and not too wide or low. I also have all three bags full of crap at all times to.   | ||
| Maximum |
"And really, it doesn't push bad at all..." I'll try to take your word for it Vern!  | ||
| Jwnsc |
Sounds like TG of ATGATT will need to some drying out before the next trip. | ||
| California |
I'll post the data later, but for the third consecutive tank, I got over 40 mpg! Why am I happy? I've still got the lowest average mpg on the leader board, and my RoadKing consistently gets better mileage. | ||
| Neurorider |
Last fillup, on my 06 Uly, was 209 miles with 3.9 gallons. That's 53mpg. That means that my Uly is actually earning it's keep-I ride it to work every day. My average speed on the gps is 44mph; if that helps. I ride windy roads at 55-75 with occasional blasts faster than that. Mostly below 4000rpm. 93 octane Exxon (no ethanol, at least locally). doc | ||
| Maximum |
I never thought to reset my "Average Speed" on my Zumo when I reset my Fuel Gage. That might be something to include in the tracking (at least for those using a GPS). |
