What bike?

[Fiddlesticks]

I'm a bit OCD about recording costs and fuel in the Fuelio app:

 

Tiger Explorer 1200 48 mpg.

XJR1300 42 mpg.

Thunderbird 46 mpg.

[AstronautNinja]

21 minutes ago, peepae said:

Bikes usually have better MPG than cars - a lot less mass to move so it's not as good per se if it's lower than 40-50.

But also vastly higher bhp per cc, part of my curiosity is comparing 1/4 mile times alongside bhp/kg values. 

 

If you mentally graph all of the above figures you get some possibly interesting outcomes. 

 

I may start a thread questioning said combination of figures. 

[peepae]

1 minute ago, AstronautNinja said:

But also vastly higher bhp per cc, part of my curiosity is comparing 1/4 mile times alongside bhp/kg values. 

 

If you mentally graph all of the above figures you get some possibly interesting outcomes. 

 

I may start a thread questioning said combination of figures. 

 

I think for me it's mainly - a bike doesn't have the same utility & comfort most cars will provide so the MPG & A-to-B capabilities better make up for that.

 

I don't have a car license regardless, so don't have a lot to go on if I were to ever get one and buy a car, I'd never get a performance car anyway as anything I could afford wouldn't come close to a bike and performance cars MPG are absolute garbage.

[peepae]

14 minutes ago, Fiddlesticks said:

I'm a bit OCD about recording costs and fuel in the Fuelio app:

 

Tiger Explorer 1200 48 mpg.

XJR1300 42 mpg.

Thunderbird 46 mpg.

I just believe whatever BMW has told me on the dash on my previous bikes  

 

Also noticed a slight difference with Tesco 99 vs other brands even other supers, Tesco petrol is unfortunately a bit too far to make it worth my while

Edited August 24, 2024 by peepae

[S-Westerly]

The best I've seen on the Guzzi was I think 48 mpg and that was purely due to endless motorway miles at average 50 speed check. Normal enthusiastic riding sees about 42. Really enthusiastic and it drops to high 30's.

[RideWithStyles]

ok, The easiest mpg gain are as follow:

 

higher tyre pressures.

carry as little luggage or shite as possible, only carry as much fuel as ull need for you journey.

road legal exhaust with baffle.

Ride more often in a tuck rather than bolt up right especially at higher speeds.

 

clean and freshly lubed chain, check chains for kinks etc.

 

Riding within the sweet spot of the engine power/torque, this tends to be 8thou or just above not always just above idle at say 3-4k on an inline four with high rpm red line, in most cases. Other engines and caps have different values.

 

Rider training- carry speed gained prior into the corners where possible instead of shutting off / scubbing it off and applying throttle afterwards.

 

very high quality oils with friction modifiers and cleaner packages changed more often than the manual says (go by colour of the oil of how dirty).

Less cylinder count, use a twin over a 4cyl.

smaller capacity engine etc.

 

there are other things but thats off the top of my head.

[Bianco2564]

Does a Himalayan fit your criteria; good mpg , enough power to pull you up a hill at 70?

Reading this MCN review would suggest it may not.

https://www.motorcyclenews.com/bike-reviews/enfield/himalayan/2018/

 

It also falls into the next VED bracket, paying more money for not much gain.

A 250cc with top box sounds ideal to me, enough power, good mpg, cheap VED, in budget.

Honda CBR, Kawasaki Ninja, Suzuki GSXR.

 

If it were not for the low top speed, a Super soco electric bike might do, ideal for such short journeys when a petrol bike is inefficient.

 

 

[Fiddlesticks]

Best mpg gain is only choosing routes that are downhill.

[skyrider]

yes with every down hill you get a freewheel 

[Stu]

For what it's worth the bmw boxer engines are very good on fuel! 

 

I get an average of 59mpg not riding steady! 

 

When out touring fully loaded up with the missus on the back I can easily get 65 mpg 

[AstronautNinja]

7 minutes ago, Stu said:

For what it's worth the bmw boxer engines are very good on fuel! 

 

I get an average of 59mpg not riding steady! 

 

When put touring fully loaded up with the missus on the back I can easily get 65 mpg 

Flat opposed engine I presume? 

[Stu]

6 minutes ago, AstronautNinja said:

Flat opposed engine I presume? 

 

Yes 

[onesea]

On 24/08/2024 at 20:39, Bender said:

250 v strom

That is tempting, but it's finding one to sit on.

[Bender]

1 hour ago, onesea said:

That is tempting, but it's finding one to sit on.

Big bike, great mpg one of the closest to 125 mpg 

[AstronautNinja]

59 minutes ago, Bender said:

Big bike, great mpg one of the closest to 125 mpg 

I find such a figure absolutely nuts. That would be awesome! 

[Capt Sisko]

19 hours ago, Stu said:

For what it's worth the bmw boxer engines are very good on fuel! 

 

I get an average of 59mpg not riding steady! 

 

When out touring fully loaded up with the missus on the back I can easily get 65 mpg 

Agreed. My R1250RT, complete with panniers, top box and a fat git riding it gets 60mpg on a typical ride out. One of the things I think helps achieve that is the massive amount or torque available a low RPM. It produces more torque at 2000prm than most sports produce full stop so for general riding you don't need to rev it to get both good performance & MPG.

Edited August 26, 2024 by Capt Sisko

[onesea]

Well today I scratched an itch, I went to look at a Himalayan.

 

It was fairly local for down here, nice colour and sensible price.

 

Rides nicely, couldn't test up hill at speed but seemed good for local riding. 

 

So we all know what happened next....

[Simon Davey]

Well, in that case, congratulations @onesea,  and where are the pictures?

[onesea]

On 26/08/2024 at 15:46, Simon Davey said:

Well, in that case, congratulations @onesea,  and where are the pictures?

Now all mine, does what I wanted pulled me up the hills in M27 at 70mph with a bit left. 

 

Seems like a nice ride even after an hour 30 minutes of which was motorway.

One bug so far is the indicator cancel is stiffer then I would like,  I can live with that.

 

[Simon Davey]

That's great @onesea so good to see a happy biker.

I love the styling, looks ready to go anywhere.

[AstronautNinja]

2 hours ago, onesea said:

Now all mine, does what I wanted pulled me up the hills in M27 at 70mph with a bit left. 

 

Seems like a nice ride even after an hour 30 minutes of which was motorway.

One bug so far is the indicator cancel is stiffer then I would like,  I can live with that.

 

God I can't wait to get out and about like this 

[onesea]

34 minutes ago, Simon Davey said:

That's great @onesea so good to see a happy biker.

I love the styling, looks ready to go anywhere.

I wish it needs USB power, Healtech thunderbox ordered. 
 

Also working phone mount (Apparently some vibrate “like a witch on washing machine”) and rear pannier racks.

[Steve_M]

On 25/08/2024 at 16:46, Stu said:

For what it's worth the bmw boxer engines are very good on fuel! 

 

I get an average of 59mpg not riding steady! 

 

When out touring fully loaded up with the missus on the back I can easily get 65 mpg 

I get something around 55mpg solo and around 60mpg on our two up/fully laden tours - which tend to include a lot of high mountain passes. 

[RideWithStyles]

7 hours ago, onesea said:

I wish it needs USB power, Healtech thunderbox ordered. 
 

Also working phone mount (Apparently some vibrate “like a witch on washing machine”) and rear pannier racks.

Why the healtech thunder box?

Witch on a washing machine? Witches cackle with a high pitch screech?? Or is that just stereotype? Thought it was primarily design in India and not Pendle? (Lancashire if your not that local Based) heard of that expression before but I’ll take that on board
 

yeah its a simple rough mid sized old school spec’d/designer single it’s gonna fook the over engineered phones sensitive shite it out….

Edited August 30, 2024 by RideWithStyles

[onesea]

1 hour ago, RideWithStyles said:

Why the healtech thunder box?

Witch on a washing machine? Witches cackle with a high pitch screech?? Or is that just stereotype? Thought it was primarily design in India and not Pendle? (Lancashire if your not that local Based) heard of that expression before but I’ll take that on board
 

yeah its a simple rough mid sized old school spec’d/designer single it’s gonna fook the over engineered phones sensitive shite it out….

Heathtech Thunder box cause it came recommended Among Enfield folk on FB.  I have fitted relays historically but the do fail from time to time.  Plus I was struggling for space.  I figured why not try?

 

As for witches it was the quote I got when warned about Satnav bars.